Legarda: Protect journalists, defend every Filipino’s right to the truth

As the country marks National Press Freedom Day on August 30, Senator Loren Legarda called for stronger protection for journalists and media workers, stressing that a free and secure press is essential to the public’s right to truthful, timely, and reliable information.
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In the 2026 World Press Freedom Index of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the Philippines ranked 114th out of 180 countries, an improvement from 116th in 2025. Despite this, RSF continues to describe the Philippines as one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists. UNESCO has also recorded cases of journalists killed in the Philippines this year.
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August 30 is observed annually as National Press Freedom Day under Republic Act No. 11699, in honor of Marcelo H. Del Pilar, the father of Philippine journalism. The law also calls for greater awareness of the importance of the press, its rights and responsibilities, and the need to eliminate violence against journalists.
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Legarda, an award-winning broadcast journalist before entering public service, stressed that protecting the press directly protects the Filipino public.
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“When the press can investigate freely and ask difficult questions without fear, Filipinos are better able to know where public funds go, whether laws are being followed, and whether government programs are working. A free press gives citizens the verified information they need to hold institutions and public officials accountable,” Legarda said.
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She said the challenge has become more serious as journalism competes with misinformation, disinformation, fabricated content, misleading headlines, and unverified claims that can reach millions within minutes.

“With the reach and speed of social media, a false statement can spread farther and faster than the truth. That makes credible journalism even more important. Speed does not replace verification, virality does not replace evidence, and repetition does not turn an allegation into a fact,” she stressed.

Legarda said the same discipline should guide public officials and government institutions, whose statements carry authority and can strongly influence public opinion.

“When a government institution speaks, people expect its statements to be based on verified information. Public institutions, therefore, have a responsibility to distinguish an allegation from an established finding and to avoid language that creates a presumption of guilt before the evidence has been properly examined,” Legarda said.

Legarda warned that trial by publicity can damage public trust in institutions and in the media. When accusations are repeatedly circulated without sufficient distinction between allegation and established fact, she said, citizens are left to navigate an information environment where political attacks, speculation, and verified reporting can easily become blurred.

“The public deserves to know what has been verified, what remains an allegation, and what evidence actually exists. Journalism serves the people when those distinctions are maintained. Government institutions should exercise the same care in the information they release,” she said.

Legarda also renewed her push for stronger labor protection for media workers through Senate Bill No. 807, or the proposed Media Workers Welfare Act. The measure seeks to improve the working conditions, security, and benefits of media workers.

She stressed that the ability of journalists to perform their public role is closely linked to their working conditions. Many media workers face contractual employment, inadequate social protection, long working hours, and dangerous assignments during disasters, conflicts, accidents, and emergencies.

“A reporter covering a typhoon, an armed conflict, a fire, or a disaster performs work that directly serves the public. That reporter is also a worker with a family to support and a life that deserves protection. We cannot expect journalists to remain on the frontlines while ignoring the risks they face in doing their jobs,” Legarda said.

She added that provincial and community journalists deserve greater attention because they often report on issues that directly affect ordinary Filipinos and communities far from the national spotlight.

“The provincial reporter investigating a local anomaly, the radio journalist reporting from a remote municipality, the photographer documenting a disaster, and the community journalist giving voice to people who are rarely heard should be able to work safely and with dignity,” she said.

Legarda emphasized that press freedom carries a corresponding responsibility to uphold accuracy, fairness, and verification. Journalists must remain free to investigate those in power, while public officials and institutions must ensure that the information they release is supported by facts and evidence.

“Protecting press freedom means protecting journalists who pursue the truth even when it is difficult or inconvenient. Let us protect the journalist who seeks the truth, protect the citizen who deserves the truth, and protect our institutions from being used to distort the truth,” Legarda concluded. (30)