Freedom: A conscientious right

Call me conservative, but maybe I still speak on behalf of a lot of people regarding what is called as ‘freedom of expressi on .’

Freedom of expression, as stated in Section 4 Article 3 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, is among the basic rights of a citizen and that no law shall be made to curtail or abridge it.

Therefore, a citizen can freely express his or her self in anyway he/she pleases to. This right encompasses our liberty to speak out or express ourselves through speech, fashion, and art. Any individual can say whatever he/ she wants to, do whatever he/ she wants to, or wear whatever he/ she wants to, so long as this will not be taken against another individual or organization.

However, there has been a perpetual debate if the right to freedom of expression entails certain boundaries or limitations. Laws on libel and slander regulates all spoken or written remarks that tend to “discredit or cause the dishonor or contempt of a natural or juridical person… ”

Acts that seek to promote expression of art garner much debatable issues, and tend to cause dissenting opinions among those from the industry and even the audience as well.

Subjectivity when viewing the said material often instigates disputes and arguments. What maybe taken as a form of art for others maybe seen as lewd, offensive, and alarming for others.

Times have changed, and the fact that the internet has transformed almost all aspects of our lives, we can say that we have also gradually embraced a more liberated and modern perspective in issues that tackle sex, nudity,

and sexuality. But then again, there still remains this level of tolerance if we take in mind our norms and religious beliefs.

The advent of social media which paved the way for the decentralization of content production in which ordinary citizens can easily upload videos and other materials through their social media accounts has also given rise to the trends of fake news, instigating black propaganda, and trolling. The recent post currently making rounds in Facebook is that of a private school teacher who posted an edited photo of the President during his visit in Jolo, Sulu. The picture, which captured President Duterte kissing the ground where the bombing occured was edited to look like President Duterte is eating dog food.

As of yesterday, Flores said there are a total of 48 confirmed Covid-19 cases in the town, of which only nine are active, 32 have recovered and four perished.