CAMPUS

Fourth Estate:Empowering Youth and Nation

Campus and professional journalists making probes of the unseen corners of the society and empowering the nation.

By Rj Junsay and Everild Dominique A. Camique Photographs Miguel Carlos J. Llamado, Edrea Claire G. Gregore, Bobbiejo M. Healey and Allaine Rose M. Emnacen

The sound of footsteps getting closer adds fear to my already shaking hands. Willing my legs to run faster than it did, the feeling of the end creeps up, and silences my mind. Quickly turning to a sharp turn to my right, I see a dead end. The footsteps are getting louder now, as my body turns around to accept my fate. Looking up from the grey concrete beneath my feet, and looking into the eyes of my pursuer, seeing the gun pointed at my head, the knowledge of my death becomes apparent to me; that my death came not from sickness, nor stealing, not even ending a man’s life. It was freeing to know that my death came from my search for the truth.

Journalism has always been used as a means to search for and discover the truth. It has acted as a channel for the verification of facts in order to influence the decision-making of the general public. In that matter, it involves the journey in search of the truth, in which the journey is long, hard and arduous. Long, sleepless nights, little pay, unending traveling and the constant risks are included in the profession of journalism, and our country has never made it easy for journalists to practice their craft.

In Camp us: Torch Bearers of Truth

In Section 2 of Republic Act No. 7079 also known as Campus Journalism Act of 1991, it is the declared policy of the State to uphold and protect the freedom of the press even at the campus level and to promote the development and growth of campus journalism as a means of strengthening ethical values, encouraging critical and creative thinking, and developing moral character and personal discipline of the Filipino youth.

University of San Agustin (USA) being the first university in Western Visayas has one of the oldest universitywide student press corps known as the USA Publications (USA Pub). “From the inspired idea of two high school students in 1927, the USA Publications has established itself as a leading college paper and magazine in the region and in the country,” shared University President Rev. Fr. Frederick Comendador, O.S.A.

USA Pub produces four publications. The Augustinian (newspaper) and The Augustinian Mirror (magazine) give light to societal and political issues happening not just within the campus but also national and international issues. IrongIrong, being the official literary folio of the USA Pub, allows creative writeups, artworks, and photographs of the student to be published. While Dingding ni Gusting (wall newspaper) focuses on the community news particularly to the happenings in the partner communities of the University.

“The USA Pub in my time was an activist. We took on the issues of the day as the nation navigated its first ten years after the ED SA Revolution. The fragile peace process, the plight of our domestic helpers, the sensational “massacres” and “rubouts”, hazing in campuses, among others hugged the national headlines,” expressed Eric Divinigracia, editorin-chief of USA Pub in 1994-1996 in his message for the publications’ 90th anniversary.

“We were the transitional batch of the USA Publications. Transforming tourism-oriented magazines into development-oriented one,” shared Engr. Ray Adrian Macalalag, three-time editor-in-chief of USA Pub and former moderator.

The USA Pub as well as other student press corps never rest their laurels to the continuous pursuit of the truth and be the watchdogs of the country.

Nat ional Sc ale: Threat s t o th e Truth

Citing the data collated by the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR ), National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NU JP), the Philippine Press Institute (PP I), MindaNews, and the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PC IJ), several attacks and threats were made against the Philippine media, and continues to increase, from 85 cases under 22 months of Duterte’s

“The USA Pub as well as student press corps never rest their laurels to the continuous pursuit of the truth and be the watchdogs of the country.”

administration, to 99 cases, just six months afterward. Example of these cases were online harassment, verbal and physical assault, libel, intimidation, and the worst of it, killing.

In his term alone, there were 12 journalists that were killed, according to the compilation of data by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NU JP). In an article published by the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Nonoy Espina, the chairperson of the NU JP, said that this was the highest number of murdered journalists in the first two years in office of any Philippine president.

President Rodrigo Duterte’s disdain for journalists were made clear since 2016 in his public statement, “Just because you’re a journalist you are not exempted from assassination, if you’re a son of a b*tch,” on his take on the problem of media killings. Another proof of his apparent disdain was when he addressed the case of journalist and politician, Jun Pala, who was murdered last 2003 in Davao, through the shooting of gunmen on a motorcycle. “If you are an upright journalist, nothing will happen to you,” said Duterte, “The example here is Pala. I do not want to diminish his memory but he was a rotten son of a b*tch. He deserved it.”

Because of his perspective of

journalists, it has reflected on the country in terms of the practice of journalism in the Philippines. In the 2018 Southeast Asia Media Report, published by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the Philippines was named as one of “the deadliest peacetime country for journalists” in Southeast Asia. The IFJ report further said that, “There are no signs of any government willingness to stop the targeting of journalist and media organisations who believe this official apathy, or even open hostility.”

Hist ory Repeat s It self

The hostility towards the press was evident long before the term of Duterte. During the Marcos’ regime, journalists were arrested, tortured and even killed for their opposition and critique towards the dictatorship. One of them was Lilosa Hilao, a former campus journalist at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM ), who was among those who went against the tide of Martial Law through witing. Her most notable works were the “the Vietnamization of the Philippines” and “Democracy is dead in the Philippines under Martial Law.” In an article by Rappler, it was stated that she was beaten up and taken to Camp Crame due to her act of demanding an arrest warrant when drunken soldiers from the

Constabulary Anti-Narcotics Unit barged into their home, looking for her brother. She was tortured and died from suicide due to her act of ingesting muriatic acid.

She is one of those people who fought tirelessly, and passionately, to stand by what they believe is right. It was never a spark, but a flame set ablaze since the time of Rizal, and seen through the generations of writers and journalists that came after him. That fire is still set ablaze today, and seen through the recent issue of the threat towards press freedom by the case of one of Rappler’s founders, Maria Ressa.

Last November 2018, Ressa turned herself into the authorities when a warrant was issued for her arrest, but she posted bail and was eventually released. In her speech at TIME 100 gala, she said, “in 14 months, the Filipino government has filed 11 cases against me. My only crime is to a journalist to speak truth to power”.

Right t o Inform

In the words of Henry Anatole Grunwald, “Journalism can never be silent: That is its greatest virtue and its greatest fault. It must speak, and speak immediately, while the echoes of wonder, the claims of triumph and the signs of horror are still in the air.” Journalism has always been used as a means of spreading information, the verification of facts, and writing stories in such a way that can make the readers think critically of what is happening around them; one must do so when the issue is still fresh in the minds of the people. Thus, it influences the decisionmaking of the general public. Because of its ability to inform and the power to influence, it is seen as a threat to those who have something to hide. For journalism critics, the government and its policies giving the people another perspective to the black-and-white aspects of their agendas.

The 1987 Philippine Constitution, Article III, Section 4, states that “No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, of the press, or the right of the people peaceable to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.” The act of journalism has the right to inform the general public. One cannot fault a journalist, for they are simply doing their jobs to publish, to broadcast and to report, whatever is happening in the country.

The youth especially student journalists across the country have the tools like the social media for responsible sharing of information. For the future of press freedom lies in the hands of those who start to think critically, for the search for the truth starts when one sees beyond what’s already in front of him.