Journalism Review Archives | Page 113 of 161

Fishing in Panatag: No More Bullies

CHEERS TO some media organizations for keeping tabs on the situation of Filipino fisherfolk in the Scarborough Shoal (locally called Panatag Shoal), following the reported withdrawal of Chinese fishing vessels from the area. In a 2012 standoff, China secured the shoal, preventing Filipinos from entering what has been their...

On Point: Media’s Quick and Intelligent Response to Duterte’s Writ Idea

CITING THE country’s problem with illegal drugs and rebellion in Mindanao, President Rodrigo Duterte said he may consider suspending the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus. Speaking during the launch of the Pilipinong May Puso Foundation on Nov. 11, the announcement drew the usual mix of reactions from...

Underscoring Drug Addiction as a Health Problem

CHEERS TO the Philippine Daily Inquirer for drawing attention to a less covered issue in the administration’s war on drugs: the health and rehabilitation of drug dependents. The media had simply followed the government’s orientation which concentrated its resources on the crime-fighting strategy. Published on Nov. 13, the...

On Espinosa Killing: Media’s Investigative Skills Yield Critical Findings

MANY VICTIMS killed in the bloody war on drugs have raised questions about the conduct of police operations. In its fourth month, more Filipinos are wondering whether the guns, which police say were found near the bodies of the slain in supposedly legitimate police operations, were planted. Media...

Marcos Burial: Sidestepping Legal Issues, Ignoring Implications

WITH A vote of 9-5, the Supreme Court has allowed the burial of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos in the Libingan ng mga Bayani. The ruling came as the status quo ante order of the Supreme Court, which prevented the proposed burial in consideration of the petitions against...

‘Unheard Voices’: Humanizing the War on Drugs

CHEERS TO ABS-CBN News for running a series of reports on the casualties of President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs. First published on Oct. 27, “War On Drugs: The Unheard Voices” is a six-part series by the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group that focused on the stories of 50...

Free from Fact: Reuters Checks Duterte’s Figures on Drugs

WHEN President Rodrigo Duterte launched his “war on drugs,” local and international media chronicled the events that were unfolding with daily reports. In July, CMFR noted the superficial reporting by local media (“Anti-Drug Campaign: Swallowing Everything the Police Says”) but succeeding months saw improvements in the coverage of...

Lessons Learned: ‘Lawin’ and Improved Disaster Coverage

LAWIN (International name: Haima) was not only the 12th typhoon to hit the country this year — it was also reported to be as powerful as Yolanda (Haiyan) that struck the Philippines in 2013. But the media’s coverage of the Lawin disaster was significantly better, devoid of the...

US Embassy Protest: A Focus on Violence and Not Much Else

JEERS TO the Manila-based media for focusing on the sensational, overlooking important information in the reports on the Oct. 19 protest at the US Embassy that ended in the violent dispersal of the protesters. In general, the coverage paid more attention to the confrontation between police and protest...

TV News on Duterte’s 100 Days

PRESIDENT DUTERTE is waging an unforgiving war against drugs that has so far claimed over 3,000 lives. He has disparaged human rights as a shield to protect criminals. He has expressed anger and directed expletives at global leaders, foreign governments and the United Nations (UN), including US President Barack...