ON Friday, Sept. 18, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines announced that “All grids are operating normally as power plants in Mindanao return to service... allowing up to 450 megawatts to be delivered to the Visayas.” The normal condition, however, would only persist as long as no major power plants would bug down.
Indeed, the “normal condition” was short-lived. After the weekend, rotational brownouts were back.
Worse, Metro Cebu had woken up to “acutely unhealthy” air in the morning of Sept. 19. The haze from the fires in Indonesia had reached Cebu after darkness fell, exposing many unsuspecting people to the hazardous pollutants. This was the second time this month that the haze blew Cebu’s way.
One could wish for a better warning system and improved information dissemination. Aren’t transboundary movements of air pollution being monitored and tracked? Also, despite the obvious negative health effects of prolonged exposure to poor air quality, few people chose to wear face masks. The highest recorded concentration level of particulate matter (PM) 2.5 was 287, only 13 points from reaching the most dangerous “emergency” level. Particle pollution, the United States Environmental Protection Agency explains, “can get deep into your lungs, and some may even get into your bloodstream.... [Particles] less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, also known as fine particles, or PM 2.5, pose the greatest risk to health.” Face-to-face classes were suspended, yet kids were out in the streets without wearing face masks.
But haze, brownouts and the specific challenges facing community media notwithstanding, the men and women of Cebu’s news media gathered in the weeklong annual celebration of Cebu Press Freedom Week. Forums tackled issues relevant to the profession, sports events fostered camaraderie and better health, and fellowships were joyful reunions. This was the 34th time Cebu Press Freedom Week was celebrated since its establishment in 1984, 42 years ago.
Much has changed since 1984, and much has stayed the same. Journalists still face certain hazards in their work, aside from being exposed, when out chasing stories, to the same air pollution as the rest of us.
“For journalists, the hazards of the profession do not always end when the microphone is switched off, the camera is put away or the story is posted. Sometimes, the next assignment comes in the form of a subpoena, a criminal complaint, a prosecutor’s resolution, a warrant of arrest, a booking sheet or a bail bond.” A somber reminder from lawyer John Rey Saavedra, the chairman of Cebu Media Legal Aid (Cemla).
During the forum “Surviving Lawsuits, Arrests and Gossip Storm,” the participants learned about the ordeal of Cebu journalists who have faced lawsuits. With the help of Cemla lawyers, their cases were dismissed. However, they couldn’t deny how deeply distressing the experiences had been. One reporter who was sued over a social media post — part of his reporting duties — left the news media altogether.
Of course, media people are not above the law and must exercise their profession with responsibility, accuracy and fairness, as pointed out during the forum organized by Cebu Citizens-Press Council, Cemla and KBP Cebu chapter. Journalists have to accept their profession sometimes “carries a legal price,” to quote Saavedra. For journalists to survive this kind of experience, they must learn “how to preserve evidence, answer complaints, seek counsel, understand one’s rights and continue working despite the pressure of litigation.” Easier said than done, but that is precisely why there are organizations such as Cemla.
And the need for such groups may just have increased. The House of Representatives passed House Bill (HB) 9465, or the Digital Media Anti-False Information Act. While waiting for the Senate to pass a counterpart bill, we must scrutinize HB 9465 and analyze the implications. While nobody defends false information, the bill might actually do more harm than good. It might get people too scared to publish or post anything, not because it is not the truth but will you be able to prove that it is not false? “Even a dismissed complaint can impose years of cost and disruption,” Cemla lawyer Ian Vincent Manticajon warned during a discussion on the bill. The penalties are staggering: six to 12 years in prison and P500,000 to P2 million in fines.
Are unfulfilled promises made by politicians also false information? We should all strive to be truthful, at all times, whether in digital media, around the dining table, whoever is our audience, whatever our purpose. We should also be discerning and not gullible. In the time of Dr. Jose Rizal, it was blind obedience to “those who pose as little gods” that dulled the minds of people. Today, digital media and artificial intelligence may indeed have spurred a tsunami of falsehood. However, anti-false information legislation with vague terms and excessive penalties could be a case of the cure being worse than the disease. It could bind our minds and our gift of reason in chains of self-censorship.
