The Philippines sank further down a global ranking of press freedom by the international media watchdog Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF) or Reporters Without Borders.
In its “2014 World Press Freedom Index” released Wednesday, the RSF placed the Philippines at the 149th place among the 180 countries included in the list.
The Philippines slid two rungs lower on the ladder from 2013 when it landed on the 147th spot. The country was at the 140th rank in 2011-2012 and at 156th in 2010 after the Maguindanao Massacre on Nov. 23, 2009 where 32 of the 58 people killed were journalists. The Philippines was at 122nd place in 2009.
Started in 2002, the annual RSF report scored countries based on a questionnaire sent to RSF partner organizations around the world.
“It reflects the degree of freedom that journalists, news organizations and netizens enjoy in each country, and the efforts made by the authorities to respect and ensure respect for this freedom,” the RSF said in its report’s methodology.
For its 2014 report, the RSF said the questionnaires were sent to “18 freedom of expression NGOs located in all five continents, to our network of 150 correspondents, and to journalists, researchers, jurists and human rights activists.”
Questions were divided into six general criteria namely: the extent of pluralism, media independence, environment and self-censorship, legislative framework, transparency of the institutions and procedures that affect production of news and information, and the quality of infrastructure that supports the production of news and information.
Remaining in the top spot of the index for four consecutive years is Finland followed by Netherlands and Norway just like last year. At the other end of the index meanwhile, the last three spots are again held by Turkmenistan, North Korea and Eritrea, “three countries where freedom of information is non-existent,” the report said.
“Despite occasional turbulence in the past year, these countries continue to be news and information black holes and living hells for the journalists who inhabit them,” the report added.
The Philippines, meanwhile even ranked worse than conflict-ridden Thailand which landed on 130th spot and just a few ranks higher than Iraq (153th) and Pakistan (158th).
The new participating country, Belize, landed an enviable 29th spot.
“Cases of violence against journalists are rare in Belize but there were some problems: defamation suits involving demands for large amounts in damages, national security restrictions on implementation of the Freedom of Information Act and sometimes unfair management of broadcast frequencies,” the report noted.
“The ranking of some countries has been affected by a tendency to interpret national security needs in an overly broad and abusive manner to the detriment of the right to inform and be informed. This trend constitutes a growing threat worldwide and is even endangering freedom of information in countries regarded as democracies,” the report said.
“The 2014 index underscores the negative correlation between freedom of information and conflicts, both open conflicts and undeclared ones. In an unstable environment, the media become strategic goals and targets for groups or individuals whose attempts to control news and information violate the guarantees enshrined in international law,” the report added.
In a text message to reporters, the Palace said the Aquino administration is “committed” to pursue and prosecute the assailants of slain journalists.
“We will continue to ensure that there are no prior restraints to the exercise of press freedom. This is in keeping with the spirit of EDSA People Power as we commemorate this month the 28th anniversary of the struggle that ensured the triumph of democracy over dictatorship and martial rule,” said Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr.
GMA News Online meanwhile sought the reaction of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) but its chairperson Rowena Paraan was not answering our calls nor replying to our text messages.
But on its official website and Facebook page, NUJP said that as of Dec. 30, 2013, 161 journalists were killed in the line of duty since 1986. The group said since 2013, 21 journalists were killed under the administration of Pres. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino.
“Killings under the Aquino administration now stand at 21, the worst incidence rate under any presidency since 1986 (excluding 32 journalists killed in the Ampatuan Massacre). The apparent apathy of the government towards killings and attacks against press freedom emboldens attackers to inflict harm as they go unpunished,” NUJP said in its Facebook page. — ELR, GMA News
