We join our fellow Filipinos in celebrating the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize given to journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitri Muratov.

We applaud the Nobel Committee’s recognition of the courage not just of these two journalists but of so many others who speak truth to power “in a world in which democracy and freedom of the press face increasingly adverse conditions.”

As Filipino journalists, we are concerned about the fragile state of press freedom in our country, especially as the 2022 elections draw near. The climate for independent reporting is fraught. Lawsuits have been filed in an attempt to silence our colleagues. ABS-CBN, the country’s largest broadcast network, has been shut down. Frontline journalists, many of them just in their 20s and 30s,  bear the brunt. They are moving targets for death threats, insults and unrelenting trolling.

The pandemic has made access to information and to officials particularly challenging. Financially, news organizations are hurting. Politically, their legitimacy is under attack. But so many soldier on, bringing fact-based news and opinion in the belief that truth-telling matters, even in the era of lies and disinformation.

Press freedom in the Philippines is resilient and enduring. This resilience was forged over time, from the struggle against colonial rule, the tyranny of authoritarianism and the challenges of democracy. Filipinos have defended press freedom because they know it is their right and that their hard-word democracy cannot thrive without it.

The coming elections will be a battle between truth and lies. As journalists, we promise to remain true to the standards of fact-based and ethical newsgathering. But we are outnumbered by professional public relations staffs and troll factories. We alone cannot fight the deluge of disinformation in an election where the future of our democracy is at stake.

We, therefore, call on all those running for public office to make clear their stance on press freedom and to be transparent about their public relations efforts. We ask political campaigns to respect the rights of journalists to report freely, without fear or favor. Before his death, Jose Luis Gascon, the late chair of the Human Rights Commission, proposed a Media Safety Unit. We endorse this proposal and hope that the new chair of the commission will be true to its mandate to safeguard our human rights.

We call on social media companies to make their platforms safe for journalists.

Finally, we ask the public to support a free press and journalists who expose lies and stand up for truth.

Signed:

Media Organizations

1. AGE Communications
2. Aklan Press Club, Inc.
3. Altermidya – People’s Alternative Media Network
4. Aninaw Productions
5. Asian Center for Journalism
6. Bicol Express News
7. Bulatlat
8. Calbayog Journal
9. Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility
10. College Editors Guild of the Philippines
11. Daily Tribune
12. Dampig Katarungan
13. Davao Today
14. Freedom for Media, Freedom for All Network
15. Impact Publishing
16. Kodao Productions
17. Manila Today
18. Mindanao News Express
19. MindaNews
20. National Union of Journalists of the Philippines
21. National Union of Journalists of the Philippines-NCR
22. Northern Dispatch
23. Paghimutad
24. Panay Today
25. Panaysayon
26. Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism
27. Philippine Press Institute
28. Photojournalists’ Center of the Philippines
29. Pinoy Media Center
30. Pinoy Weekly
31. Pokus Gitnang Luson Multimedia Network
32. PositivelyFilipino.com
33. Radyo Asenso 106.7 Farm FM
34. Rappler
35. REGINA – University of the Assumption
36. Samar Daily News Online
37. SamarNews.com
38. The News Room Philippines
39. Tudla Productions
40. UPLB Perspective
41. VERA Files
42. Women Writers in Media Now

In their individual capacities:

1. Al Alegre, Consortium on Democracy & Disinformation
2. Alfredo Ruzol, ABS-CBN News Digital
3. Amalia B. Cabusao, Mindanao Times
4. Angel Ayala, Bicol Express News
5. Angel Tesorero, Gulf News (UAE)
6. Ann Lourdes C. Lopez, Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication
7. Annie Perez-Gallardo, UP Cebu
8. Ara Eugenio, Reportr (Summit Media)
9. Arlene Pingol Mariposque, GMA 7 Dubai UAE
10. Ariel Sebellino, Philippine Press Institute
11. Ashley Martelino
12. Aubrey Delos Reyes, GMA Network, Inc
13. Balbino “Ka Bino” Guerrero Jr
14. Bart Guingona
15. Beatrice Puente, News5 Digital
16. Ben Balce, Mindanao Gold Star Daily
17. Bernard Testa
18. Bert Basa, Philippine Daily Inquirer (former correspondent)
19. Bess Angelina Zamora, Philippine Press Institute
20. Bhal Cabrera
21. Caesar “Bong” Z. Lacson, Punto! Central Luzon
22. Carolyn Arguillas, MindaNews
23. Carmela Fonbuena, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism
24. Catalina Ricci Madarang
25. Cherry Mae Salazar, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism
26. Chi Liquicia, VERA Files
27. Chit Roces-Santos
28. Chris Pagulayan, Photojournalist Center of the Philippines; PRESS Photographers of the Philippines; PLAY Outdoors Media
29. Christa I. De La Cruz, SPOT.ph
30. Christian Deiparine, Philstar.com
31. Cora Lucas, Philippine Daily Inquirer
32. Dana Batnag
33. Danilo Araña Arao; Bulatlat, Kodao and Pinoy Weekly
34. Dante Dapitan
35. Daphne Rashid-Tadeo, REGINA-University of the Assumption
36. Denison Rey Dalupang, Philippine Daily Inquirer
37. DJ Yap, Philippine Daily Inquirer
38. Doming Sacote
39. Ed Lingao
40. Edwin P. Galvez, BusinessMirror
41. Elena Pelari
42. Elmer Valenzuela, PonD News Asia
43. Ezra Acayan
44. Felipe F. Salvosa II
45. Felix D. Cuntapay Jr., Balitang Hilaga news correspondent
46. Felix Espineda, Jr., Bicol Express News
47. Floreen Simon, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism
48. Francis Allan L. Angelo, Daily Guardian
49. Franco Luna, Philstar.com
50. Frank Cimatu, Baguio Chronicle and Cordillera News Agency
51. Gab Humilde Villegas, Daily Tribune
52. Gaea Katreena Cabico, Philstar.com
53. Gang Badoy Capati
54. Gemma Nemenzo, PositivelyFilipino.com
55. Glenn Ray Roluna
56. Hector Lawas
57. Ian Cigaral, Philstar.com
58. Inday Espina-Varona
59. Isabella Perez-Rubio, Philstar.com
60. Jane Uymatiao (blogger)
61. Jeline Malasig
62. Jervis Manahan, ABS-CBN News
63. Jester Delos Santos
64. Jimmy Domingo, Journalism Studies Assocation of the Philippines
65. Jo-ann Maglipon
66. Joanna Aglibot, Philippine Daily Inquirer
67. Joel S. Mataro
68. Joey Natividad, Bicol Express News
69. John Bello, Opinyon Quezon
70. John Nery, Rappler
71. John Ray Luciano
72. John Reczon E. Calay
73. Jonathan de Santos, NUJP and Philstar.com
74. Jonnel Pelari
75. Jose Ma. D. Nolasco, Philippine Daily Inquirer (retired executive director)
76. Joseph Edward Dela Cruz, REGINA-University of the Assumption
77. Josephine M. Mendoza
78. Julie S. Alipala, Philippine Daily Inquirer
79. Kara Magsanoc Alikpala
80. Katrina Hallare, OneNews.PH
81. Katrina Ventura
82. Kenneth Roland Guda, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism
83. Kristofer Purnell, Philstar.com
84. Leilani Chavez
85. Lita Jane Cadalig, Baguio Midland Courier
86. Lourdes Escaros
87. Luis Liwanag
88. Luis V. Teodoro
89. Ma. Ceres P. Doyo. Women Writers in Media Now
90. Ma. Diosa Labiste
91. Marchel Espina, Digicast Negros
92. Maria Karina A. Bolasco
93. Maria Lolita S. Lachica, Independent Documentary Producer
94. Marian Pastor Roces
95. Marites D. Vitug, Rappler
96. Mark Ernest Famatigan, UPLB Perspective
97. Martha Teodoro
98. Melinda Quintos de Jesus, Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility
99. Mia Noelle Rodriguez
100. Michael Navarro, Mindanao News Express TV
101. Michelle Zoleta, Quezon Chronos Publication
102. Minerva Z. Arceo, Pampanga Press Club.
103. Mona Lisa Yuchengco
104. Neni Sta. Romana Cruz, Women Writers in Media Now
105. Nicko Talavera, ONE News PH
106. Noemi L. Dado
107. Patricia Baes, Spot.ph
108. Patricia Lourdes Viray, Philstar.com
109. Paulynn P. Sicam, Women Writers in Media Now
110. Perfecto Caparas, Pinoy Publiko & Pressenza
111. Peter J. G. Tabingo, Malaya
112. Pia Regalado, Reportr.World
113. Prinz Magtulis
114. Raffy Lerma
115. Raffy Tima
116. Rameses Javier Casten, Ram Speaks
117. Ramon R. Tuazon
118. Ramon Royandoyan, Philstar.com
119. Raymund B. Villanueva, Kodao Productions
120. Red Batario, Center for Community Journalism and Development
121. Renz Sumalinog
122. Rey J. Garcia,  The Mindanao Observer
123. Rhovin Luke Maglaqui, Philstar.com
124. Ricky Bautista, Samar Weekly Express and National Union of Journalists of the Philippines
125. Ricky Rivera, Impact Publishing
126. Rigie Malinao, Samar Daily News Online
127. Rizal Raoul Reyes
128. Robert Jaworski L. Abaño, Philippine Daily Inquirer
129. Roby Alampay, PumaPodcast
130. Rochit I. Tanedo, Women Writers in Media Now
131. Roel Hoang Manipon, Daily Tribune
132. Romidor Gloriane, Bicol Express New
133. Rommel Lopez, PressOne.ph
134. Rosette Adel
135. Rowena Paraan, ABS-CBN
136. Roy Narra, One News/One PH
137. Ryan Christopher J. Sorote, DYWC TeleRadyo – Negros Oriental
138. Sean Rafio, Daily Guardian
139. Shawn Yao, ONE News PH
140. Shayla Pereyra, College Editors Guild of the Philippines
141. Sheila Coronel, Women Writers in Media Now
142. Sol Juvida
143. Sonia Capio, NUJP Nueva Ecija
144. Sonny Fernandez, National Union of Journalists of the Philippines
145. Ted Aldwin Ong, peoplesdomain.net
146. Tess Bacalla
147. Therese San Diego Torres
148. Tita C. Valderama
149. Tonette Orejas, Philippine Daily Inquirer
150. Tony La Viña, PinoyMedia Center
151. Vergel Santos
152. Villamor C. Visaya Jr., Philippine Daily Inquirer and Luzonwide News Correspondent Publishing
153. Vince Jacob A. Visaya, The Manila Times and Luzonwide News Correspondent Publishing
154. Virgilio Cuizon, TFC NEWS
155. Xave Gregorio, Philstar.com
156. Yvonne T. Chua, University of the Philippines

*Illustration by Joseph Luigi Almuena/PCIJ