The integrity behind praises and opposition is what magnets us towards Journalism. In campus settings, publications are important because the youth ought to know how to exercise their voice. It was only a few weeks ago when government officials like Tito Sotto threatened the freedom of the press.
Yesterday, Senator Leila De Lima filed a bill to protect campus journalists from harassment.
Read also: The government is retelling Philippine history, in a bad way
This was sparked when Senior High School Department of San Beda College Manila stopped its official campus publication, The Bedan Roar, from distributing 1,700 copies of its second issue. The issue tackled the controversial anti-drug campaign of President Rodrigo Duterte, who is also an alumnus of San Beda. The school reportedly did this as the topic was “too critical and too negative for the community of San Beda.”
In a statement last Sunday (July 15), De Lima’s office said she has filed Senate Bill 1868. The senator further explained that the current Campus Journalism Act has “its serious flaws and deficiencies in promoting the growth and development of campus journalism.”
Upon filing Senate Bill 1868, De Lima states that school themselves sometimes harass and intimidate campus journalists. She points out that this happens “especially when they oppose or are critical of school programs and policies.”
As part of the publishing industry, we’re glad to see some light on the youth’s freedom of the press. Let’s just hope nothing gets in the way of this.
Featured image from Inquirer.NET, Richard A. Reyes
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