Palace hails country’s ‘robust’ press freedom

Malacañang welcomed a study by an American think tank saying that the Philippines is second among 38 countries in terms of fairness and accuracy in news reports.

Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar said the Pew Research Center study only proves that press freedom and freedom of expression is healthy in the country.

“That’s true and we are happy that we have a robust press freedom and freedom of expression here in the country),” he said in his radio program in state-run Radyo Pilipinas.

“And we see that when I read the newspapers everyday. We have positive and negative news. It’s balanced,” he added.

Andanar said media should stick to its role of not following what the government wants without question in order to keep government officials on their toes.

“The media should not be subservient to the government…So that is really the role of media–checks and balance,” he said.

The Pew Research also proves President Duterte’s critics wrong when they claim the administration is trying to suppress the media, he said.

“Exactly the opposite. We have freedom of information, we have Administrative Order No. 1 for the media security, “Andanar said.

According to Pew Research, up to 86 percent of Filipinos believe that news reports are accurate, placing the Philippines second among 38 countries next to Tanzania which got 93 percent.

Seventy-eight of Filipinos said jour- nalists cover politics fairly, making the Philippines second best after Tanzania with 83 percent.

The Philippines ranked third after 83 percent of Filipinos said that journalists are doing well in reporting about government leaders and officials. Tanzania is still at first with 89 percent, followed by Indonesia with 85 percent.

The Philippines placed fourth after 87 percent of Filipinos said that journalists are doing well in covering the most important events. Tanzania is still ranked first with 92 percent; followed by Indonesia and the Netherlands both with 89 percent.

Last month, President Duterte acknowledged the role of media and expressed his close relationship with journalists.

“I am not your enemy. Your quest for truth, that’s your business, not mine,” he said during his speech. “At the end of the day, it’s not my property.”

“I want to be friends with you forever,” he added.

Duterte also acknowledged that the relationship between the media and the government, particularly him, will always be adversarial.

“Don’t worry about our relations, it’s always adversarial. Your truth is not my truth and everybody’s truth. Nothing satisfies the truth for the truth always hungers for more,” he said.

“I do not have anything against you. We do not fight with each other. I do not hate anybody here or else I will not be inviting you to my place,” the President said.