In Context Archives | Page 4 of 12

The perniciousness of political violence

POLITICALLY MOTIVATED killings easily grab headlines. In the Philippines, these have been disturbingly frequent. The assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo – so far one of the biggest stories in 2023 -- proves this.

The peace talks, then and now

ANOTHER CHAPTER looms in the on-again off-again peace talks between the government and communist insurgents. Given the long history of peace negotiations, journalists should provide background and context to reports of current developments.

People’s feedback on De Lima’s acquittal

THE ACQUITTAL of Leila de Lima on May 12 was met with public approval, promptly expressed by Filipinos coming from such diverse backgrounds as to mirror the public mood as well as the current state of Philippine politics. It would be foolish for the government not to listen to...

State of Press Freedom in the Philippines 2023

This report focuses on the present, the state of the press in the country in the first ten months of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Degamo coverage: A case for reform of the election law

MEDIA HAVE not ceased in their coverage to follow up on the assassination of Roel Degamo, governor of Negros Oriental, with eight others killed and 17 injured. Accounts quoted officials and interviewed involved parties, giving them ample air time and print space across all media platforms. In the previous...

Media sensitivity and awareness warranted in High Court’s landmark ruling on rape

AT THE end of Women’s Month, the Supreme Court (SC) in a 40-page decision ruled on the crime of rape, defining the act as consummated “however slight” the penis is “introduced” to a vagina.The High Court’s announcement described the ruling as a landmark decision which said: the “mere introduction,...

Marcos follows Duterte’s model of disinformation

NOT SURPRISINGLY, Rodrigo Duterte’s successor, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., has followed the model set before him. The goal of the Marcos return to power was stated clearly by Presidential sister and Senator, Imelda “Imee” Marcos: “What’s most important to us is, of course, our name, the family name…...

Government ’s role in the spread of disinformation

EVEN BEFORE the pandemic, countries around the world showed up the symptoms of a social and political disease. Only a few have emerged unscathed from the affliction. Sadly, the Philippines has been noted among the worst cases as disinformation and political lies have taken root, showing up in all...

Strong record of empowerment: The feminist movement in PH media

One such industry where Filipino women have undoubtedly flourished is the Philippine press. In 1987, scholar Doreen Fernandez documented the rise of women in the Philippine Media in a paper for the journal “Media Asia.” Fernandez explained how Philippine journalism came to be led by, not just participated in,...

Quick Turnaround: Justice Secretary’s son cleared in speedy trial

THE DRUG case filed against Juanito Jose Remulla III, son of the Secretary of Justice (SOJ) Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla, had been hounded by controversy since news of it broke in October 2022. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has been pressed by the UN Human Rights Commission to submit...