In defense of our local media’s coverage of the SEAG

From being tagged as “presstitutes” and “bayaran” to enduring threats and intimidations, the embattled local press is now facing mounting attacks from people for reporting the early lapses in management of the organizers of the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, which our country is hosting.

Aside from accusations of spreading fake news, the media are also being encouraged to report only good news about the SEA Games, which is against the basic tenet of journalism.

This is saddening, because a free press is considered a lifeblood of our democracy. Repressing independent journalism is tantamount to destroying the freedom our heroes have fought for.

While journalists have their fair share of errors, we must also consider how they have been doing their best to rectify them. Their search for truth even leads them to encounter danger, sometimes at the cost of their own lives, an example of which happened in Maguindanao 10 years ago.

The media have been with our nation through its ups and downs. I believe that they, too, do not want our hosting of the Games to fail.

Instead of condemning them, what about being open to the idea that there will always be lapses in daily news, but that they should be disclosed and addressed immediately?

ALJAN QUILATES
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