Sino Nga Ba Ang Pinagsisilbihan?

Broadcast journalist Ces Drilon is still under the custody of confirmed ASG (Abu Sayyaf* Group) in Mindanao. Negotiations are going on between the said group and the local government to where Drilon and her news team were detained. Meanwhile, key government officials refused to lend a hand. It was said that Drilon was about to accomplish a story before the kidnapping transpired. Drilon is a broadcaster for ABS-CBN newscast Bandila, ANC Prime News and a senior reporter for both affiliated stations. The station's news department has already released its official statement reiterating the security of Drilon and her team, and their safe release. There were murmurs that ABS-CBN2 paid two million pesos as ransom for the freeing of a team's cameraman (who is then the only allowed member of the team to be released).

It can be remembered that Drilon's experience as a journalist has gone so far from being a veteran of coup d' etat/s until the November Peninsula siege where many other journalists were restrained while doing their jobs.

What really is the role of journalism?

• One of the most important counterbalances against the natural tendencies of government and other institutions to improper power exercise/ tyranny.
• To pass along society’s social heritage. Mass media expand people’s horizons, permitting them to experience things impossible for them to envision in a face-to-face society
• Political education.
• Serving as a public watchdog.
• Integrative function. Promoting the cohesion, solidarity, and degree of consensus necessary to sustain an integrated social system.
• Capability to hold governments responsible, mandating them to explain their actions and decisions, all of which affect the people they stand for. In a democratic society, people should know their entire alternative if they are to govern themselves, and the media is a vehicle for the dissemination of such relevant information.
  
• The assumption in some societies is that the press speaks for the people. The tripartite role of news media remains -- political, social and cultural.
  

"The Philippine media’s role in the society is to preserve and advance the democratic character of the state."

While, it has the prime duty to enforce media ethics and sense of responsibility to increase public awareness on the right to information, develop investigative journalism, promote the free media and strengthen the bond between the media and the citizens to be able to address issues and concerns. Recent government actions have sent a chilling effect on the media and restrained threats to journalists. For that reason, there is a need to fortify and bolster independent media groups accordingly to amplify transparency and accountability in government and for both the public and private sectors.


*Corrected (Thanks Ms. Eguico)