Journalists in Bicol are demanding an apology from a regional disaster official after he dismissed non-government media as a second priority for information dissemination.
Assistant Regional Director Jessar Adornado of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Bicol triggered controversy when he declared his preference for government media, claiming they provide more support for state initiatives.
“I prefer to give interviews to the government media because they have been supportive. They showed what the government was doing. You couldn’t get that from the private media, to be frank,” Adornado said during a press briefing at Camp General Simeon Ola in Legazpi City on February 24.
Radyo Pilipinas Albay, a government-run station, streamed his statement live on Facebook.
His remarks angered journalists and social media users, who accused him of undermining press freedom and attempting to sideline independent reporting.
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) Albay Chapter condemned his statement, asserting that it weakens the press’s role in disaster response and governance.
Journalists emphasized the need for transparency and accountability in a region frequently hit by natural disasters. They insisted that disaster response concerns the public, not just the government.
“Recognizing the region as the “center of hazards” and how those hazards are managed are two sides of the same coin. The independent media’s factual reporting on both the government efforts and the public’s concerns must be encouraged, not frowned upon, in a democratic country,” part of the statement read.
Suppression?
The group noted that Adornado’s remarks happened a day before the commemoration of the anniversary of the EDSA People Power uprising.
“We, too, recognize the value of constructive journalism in promoting public trust and discourse; however, the fundamental question remains: the solutions are for whom? A free and responsible press should not be seen as a threat by governments or their spokespersons who are willing to deal with public scrutiny openly,” NUJP said in a statement.
Meanwhile, NUJP and local media practitioners are urging Adornado to issue a public apology, arguing that government officials must engage with all media fairly, not just those who report favorably on them.
As of press time, Adornado has not responded to the growing calls for a retraction.*
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, contributes to Negros Daily Bulletin, and maintains a blog on Medium.