Mindanaotoday.com | BBM to Oro media: Report truth, fairly
By: Uriel Quilinguing
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Hours before the Senate and the House of Representatives jointly proclaimed the duly-elected 17th President of the Philippines late afternoon of Wednesday, May 25, the country’s next chief executive greeted the Cagayan de Oro Press Club (COPC) as it observes the 40th Press Freedom Week.
“Ipagpatuloy ninyo ang inyong adhikain sa paghahatid ng katotohanan at patas na pagbabalita (Continue with your mission on truth-telling and fair reporting),” said President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who spoke in Filipino in a video message posted on the COPC Facebook wall.
Marcos, who directed his message to club members under the leadership of Frank Mendez, manager of a Cagayan de Oro-based radio broadcast station, recognized the contribution of the mass media to the country, the COPC to Mindanao, in particular.
“Maligayang pagdiriwang! Mabuhay ang malaya, tapat, at responsabling pamamahayag! (Enjoy celebrating! Long live! Free, truthful and responsible journalism!),” said the 64-year son of the late strongman, President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., who issued on Sept. 23, 1972 the infamous Proclamation No. 1081, which placed the country under martial law.
With that, only state-owned and -managed radio and television stations and newspapers were allowed to operate.
Cagayan de Oro’s observance of press freedom came when Executive Order No. 6 was issued the late Senator Aquilino Q. Pimentel Jr., then mayor of Cagayan de Oro issued, declaring last week of May 1981 and every year thereafter as Press Freedom Week in Cagayan de Oro.
Pimentel, who was still on house-arrest due to trumped-up rebellion charges, issued the Order barely three months after Presidential Proclamation 2045 was issued Jan. 17, 1981, lifting the martial law declaration, and was in response to domestic and international pressures.
The late Pope (Blessed) John Paul II was set to visit Manila Feb. 17- 22, that year.
COPC, with the rest of the media workers in Cagayan de Oro, observed the 1st Press Freedom Week in 1982 – the first-ever week-long observance of such kind in the country and worldwide.
In 1993, the General Assembly of the United Nations declared every May 3 of every year as World Press Freedom Day.
Last 2008, Misamis Oriental joined Cagayan de Oro in the press-freedom observance by issuing a Board Resolution, declaring every last week of May of every year as Press Freedom Week in the province.
That was three years after the Press Freedom Monument – another first in the country and the world – at the provincial capitol compound, fronting the COPC building, was unveiled.
Meanwhile, outgoing Pres. Rodrigo Duterte signed last Apr. 13, this year, Republic Act No. 11699, declaring every Aug. 30 this year and every year thereafter as National Press Freedom Day, in honor of national hero Marcelo H. Del Pilar, the “Father of Philippine Journalism” who was born that day.