OP-ED OPINION-COLUMN | EYES WIDE OPEN: Press freedom | iris Gonzales | May 3, World Press Freedom Day,
May 3, World Press Freedom Day, is always bittersweet for journalists, but more so now with the spread of fake news and the continued attacks on journalism.We mourn the death of veteran journalist Juan “Johnny” Dayang, who was brazenly attacked and shot dead inside his home in Aklan on April 29.
A prominent journalist, Dayang was the president of the Publishers Association of the Philippines, a former publisher of the Philippine Graphic and a former president of the Manila Overseas Press Club.
“No one is safe, not even the elderly, not even those who have long stepped away from the daily grind,” said the Iloilo Media-Citizen Council, in a statement condemning Dayang’s murder.
“His cold-blooded murder inside his own home – where he should have been safest – marks a new low in the attacks against journalists and media workers in this country,” the council declared.
I extend my condolences to his family and colleagues in Aklan and join the calls to bring his killers to justice.
Freedom from fake news
But it is not only threats and actual incidents of violence and harassment that make the Philippines a challenging environment for journalists.
Equally alarming is the problem of fake news, which continues to spread like wildfire. There is so much misinformation and disinformation going around and fed to the public 24/7.
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This has become a threat to us but at the same time, it has also strengthened our resolve to continue reporting only what is real and true.
Amid these challenges, Reporters sans Frontières reported that the Philippines remains a “difficult” country for journalists, even as it improved to its highest ranking in over two decades in the annual press freedom index.
From 134th out of 180 countries last year, the Philippines jumped 18 spots to 116th in the index, marking the country’s highest ranking since 2004, when it placed 111th out of 167 countries.
Despite the improvement, the Philippines was still tagged as a “difficult” country for journalists, the second lowest out of the five classifications assigned by RSF. (The STAR, May 3, 2025).
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Further, the report showed:
The country scored 49.57 out of 100, up from last year’s 43.36.
The classifications are as follows: “good” (above 85), “satisfactory” (70 to 85), “problematic” (55 to 70), “difficult” (40 to 55) and “very serious” (below 40).
The scores are based on five indicators: political, economic, legislative, social and security.
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Economic fragility
There are also economic challenges, brought about by the changing landscape of the times.
Globally, RSF noted that economic fragility has become a leading threat to press freedom.
“Guaranteeing freedom, independence and plurality in today’s media landscape requires stable and transparent financial conditions. Without economic independence, there can be no free press,” said RSF editorial director Anne Bocandé.
Financial strains are hounding media organizations globally, and they are being drawn into a race to attract audiences at the expense of quality reporting.
“Impoverished journalists lose their means to the enemies of the press, particularly those who champion disinformation and propaganda,” she also said.
As such, she said, the media’s financial independence is a necessary condition for ensuring free, trustworthy information that serves the public interest.
Here in the Philippines, journalism will continue to face challenges but we are working together to address the issues we face.
Through different gatherings, meetings and conferences, we are facing the challenges head-on.
MediaNation
There’s MediaNation, for instance, which continues to bring together journalists to discuss the changing media landscape.
MediaNation 20 was held last January through the efforts of convenors Bart Guingona, Marian Pastor Roces, Vincent Lazatin and John Nery.
Some takeaways from journalists, young and old:
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We must redefine journalism to be more inclusive, recognize that journalism needs to evolve and that the heart of journalism is not content but service. We must speak truth with moral clarity. Our role is not just to present facts but to interpret facts and help the audience understand them – and that the public sphere is bigger than journalism.
I am sure there’s more but unfortunately, I was only able to join for a few hours because of an urgent matter at home but I am grateful to MediaNation for this important event.
We-MOVE
Last March on Women’s Day weekend, I also joined the 2025 National Conference of the Movement for the Welfare and Safety of Women Journalists or We-MOVE, a group brought together by veteran journalist Luz Rimban.
It was held at the Belmont Hotel in Boracay, with the theme “Women Journalists: Health and Wellness.”
The theme, which recognized the health challenges faced by women journalists, was inspired by Julie Alipala’s health situation.
The event was also the last time most of us saw Julie, a veteran Inquirer journalist, before she died on April 3 after months of battling with cancer.
I enjoyed the lessons, the activities and the company. We watched sunsets and sunrises, we learned belly dancing and belted out songs at the karaoke until our voices were hoarse.
It was our own little Pink Pony Club, giving each other strength in these challenging times.
The media landscape may be shifting, but our mission remains the same: to pursue the truth. In these blurry times, we draw strength from one another – and from our unwavering belief that a free and fearless press is essential to a better Philippines.
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Email: [email protected]. Follow her on X @eyesgonzales. Column archives at EyesWideOpen on FB.
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THE EDITOR
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