2. PHILIPPINES
Population (1999): 77 million
Land Area: 300,000 sq. km.
GNP (1999): $78.0 billion
GNP per capita (1999): $1,020
Average annual GNP growth (1998-1999) >> 3.6%
Life Expectancy (1998): Male 67, Female 71
Population below poverty line (1997) >> 40.6%
Gini index of income distribution (1997) >> 46.2%
Newspapers/1,000 people (1996) >> 79
Television sets/1,000 people (1998) >> 108
Personal computers/1,000 people (1998) >> 15.1
Internet hosts/10,000 people (2000) >> 1.58
Source: World Development Report 2000/2001
3. 1987 CONSTITUTION
protects freedom of expression, freedom of the
press and access to information
“These broad constitutional guarantees have
helped Filipinos in their pursuit of information in
the possession of the State, and have provided
sufficient defense against attempts by the
bureaucracy to withhold information on matters
of public concern. As a result, Filipinos ae able
to enjoy greater participation in governance, and
occasionally even help change the course of
their nation's history.”
4. MEDIA IN THE PHILIPPINES
Filipinos expect journalists as "watchdogs“.
Access to information has yet to be
institutionalized and is often subject to
constraints.
Information access depends on the
assertiveness of citizens, how aware they are
and how successful in accessing information.
Political developments (2000, 2001) have
awakened Filipinos to the power of information
and of an informed citizenry. ~People Power II
5. INFORMATION BLACKOUT
Information Blackout during the Spanish
Rule, American Rule, Japanese Rule, Martial
Law.
“…Filipinos would always find ways to get
the truth out to the rest of the populace.”
(Chua, 2001)
Filipinos would always include freedom of
expression, freedom of press ad access to
information in the constitution.
6. LEGAL SAFEGUARDS
MARTIAL LAW
Secrecy in the government reached
unprecedented and ridiculous heights
Thousands of documents were kept beyond
the reach of citizens and the courts and were
arbitrarily classified as “top secret,” “secret,”
or “confidential.”
“declassified intelligence information” – used
to either arrest or discredit Marcos’s enemies
7. LEGAL SAFEGUARDS
The Supreme Court had acted as an “effective
safeguard against abuses of civil servants.”
It supported the
right of people to information
freedom of the press
journalists' right to access public records and to
gather information
journalists’ obligation to check the accuracy of
information that they disseminate and the obligation
to keep the public informed on matters of public
concern
8. THE PROBLEMS OF A FREE PRESS
Newspapers
12 brooadhseets: 10 in English, 2 in Filipino
17 Manila-based tabloids, 5 Chinese-language dailies
1/5 of households in Metro Manila read broadsheets
½ of households in Metro Manila read tabloids, which focuses on sex,
sleaze, gore
Radio
517 radio stations (283 are AM)
The country has no tradition of documentary or in-depth radio reporting.
TV
3 out of 6 are owned by the government --- the government meddle with
news programs especially during election season
3 out of 6 are not owned by the government --- the news and current affair
programs contain mostly of sex, crime, the occult, and so called infotainment
9. THE PROBLEMS OF A FREE PRESS
The press has been criticized for
faulty attribution
Sensationalism
Unfairness
lack of balance
biased reporting
single sourcing
Inaccuracy
unethical conduct (including ignorance and
corruption)
10. THE PROBLEMS OF A FREE PRESS
Media owners
Defend/preserve their business interests > assure
independence of the editorial staff
Journalists
Shortage of experienced journalists: salary and
training
Relationships between journalists and sources
Corruption by politicians
11. DEFENDING THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION
1987 Constitution Bill of Rights
Article 3 Section 7
“The right of the people to information on matters of
public concern shall be recognized. Access to official
records, and to documents, and paper pertaining to
official acts, transactions, or decisions, as well as to
government reserch data used as basis for policy
development, shall be afforded the citizen, subject to
limitations as may be provided by law.”
Article 2, Section 28
“Subject to reasonable conditions prescribed by law,
the State adopts and implements a policy of full
public disclosure of all its transactions involving
public interest.”
12. DEFENDING THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION
Supreme Court
Acknowledges that there is no rigid test to determine
whether information is of public concern
has held certain information to be public in nature,
which include
Laws of general application
Information on the civil-service eligibilities of sanitarians
Information on loans granted by the GSIS
Original and amended application for the installation of a
petrochemical plant submitted to the DTI
Post-review voting slips accomplished by MTRCB
members
13. DEFENDING THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION
The Charter
guarantees access to
official
records
documents and papers pertaining to official acts,
transactions, or decisions
government research data used as basis for policy
development
journal of proceedings, records and the books of Congress
information on foreign loans
statements of assets and liabilities of civil servants
requires government offices to submit annual report
and to deposit copies with the National Archives
14. REFERENCE
Chua, Y. T. (2001). The Power of an Informed
Citizenry. In S. Coronel, The Right to Know:
Access to Information in Southeast Asia (pp.
121-151). Quezon City: Philippine Center for
Investigative Journalism.
