NEWS | Holding the line: PH drops further in World Press Freedom Index, Palace disputes latest decline
By Alexandra Kate Ramirez
The Philippines slipped two notches, now ranking 138th out of 180 countries, in the Reporters Without Borders’ (RSF) 2021 World Press Freedom Index. In its report, RSF revealed that several authoritarian governments in the Asia-Pacific region took advantage of the global health crisis to reinforce their totalitarian control of information while stifling dissent from the opposition. This year’s results also showed that journalism, despite being the vaccine against disinformation and misinformation, is completely or partially blocked in 132 countries.
Behind the decline
Sliding down the index for the fourth consecutive time, the Philippines fell two notches and ranked 138th out of 180 countries in the RSF World Freedom Index for 2021. In its report, the Philippines is one of the countries where the press freedom situation is classified as bad or very bad, noting that these countries took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to further suppress the media.
The RSF cited the Duterte administration’s rabid media crackdown, including the grotesque judicial harassment campaign against Rappler and its CEO Maria Ressa as well as the government-backed shutdown of the country’s largest TV network, ABS-CBN, which deprived millions of Filipinos of essential reporting during the pandemic.
“The persecution of the media has been accompanied by online harassment campaigns orchestrated by pro-Duterte troll armies, which also launched cyber-attacks on alternative news websites and the site of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, in order to block them,” the report blasted.
Viewed by the RSF as a typical practice in the Philippines, the international organization also stressed that red-tagging returned in force in 2020, labeling critics, journalists, and media outlets as state enemies and legitimate targets for arbitrary arrest and summary execution.
Commission on Human Rights (CHR) spokesperson Atty. Jacqueline Ann de Guia on Thursday, April 22, stated that the recent report is reflected in the wave of persecutions towards journalists and other media practitioners who are constantly defending accountability in a democracy amidst the prevalence of impunity.
“In a time of the global pandemic, their job has never been more important to tackle the science surrounding the public health crisis, and in ensuring fair and honest inquiry about issues concerning the health and safety of the people,” de Guia asserted.
Moreover, de Guia maintained that the 2021 index clearly served as a message that the current political climate in the Philippines heightens the danger and fears over the erosion of democracy and press freedom in the country during these uncertain times.
Regional scenario
In the Asia Pacific Region, RSF revealed that at least 10 countries were marked red or black on the World Press Freedom map, classifying them as bad or very bad respectively. It noted that authoritarian regimes further used the health crisis as a means to control information, while dictatorial democracies took advantage of the pandemic to implement repressive legislation.
According to the RSF, China, which ranked 177th, is the world’s undisputed specialist when it comes to censorship. It added that in 2021, China remained as the world’s biggest jailer of press freedom defenders, having more than 120 individuals currently detained, often in conditions that put their lives at risk.
In India, which ranked 142nd place, journalists who criticize the government are branded as anti-state, anti-national, and even pro-terrorist, thereby making them vulnerable to violent attacks amidst the proliferation of state-sponsored propaganda.
Myanmar also dropped from 139th in 2020 to 140th place this year as it saw a dramatic deterioration in its press freedom since the military coup in February 2021. By resuming the harsh measures of the junta that ruled until 2011 — including media closures, censorship, and mass arrests of journalists — Myanmar was set back 10 years, according to RSF.
Furthermore, New Zealand (8th), Australia (25th), South Korea (42nd), and Taiwan (43rd) emerged as the regional press freedom models as they generally enabled media practitioners to do their jobs without constraint. Meanwhile, Norway topped the global ranking for the fifth time despite criticisms from its media due to lack of access to state-held information about its health crisis management.
“Now, more than ever, people need to be able to trust in journalism and have access to accurate information, which acts like a vaccine. It inoculates citizens against the viral disinformation of falsehoods and conspiracy theories, and, in doing so, it strengthens the immune systems of democratic societies, making them more stable and resilient,” said Anna Nelson, executive director of RSF USA.
Downplayed implications
Malacañang on April 22, downplayed the Philippines’ two-notch fall in the 2021 World Press Freedom Index, saying that it does not really mean anything. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque noted that the country still ranked fourth within Southeast Asia and ahead of Myanmar, Cambodia, Brunei, Singapore, Laos, and Vietnam.
“Unang-una, dalawang position lang po ‘yan. Two positions lower. De minimis po ‘yan, walang masyadong ibig sabihin,” Roque said in an online briefing.
The Palace official also disputed what were said to be the reasons behind the Philippines’ lower ranking in the Press Freedom Index, claiming that the issues involving ABS-CBN and Rappler should not have led to the country’s decline in the said report.
“We see nothing wrong with it (Reporters Without Borders report) pero of course we dispute also the ranking because ‘yung Reporters Without Borders considered as affronts to press freedom itong Rappler issue na alam naman natin na nadesisyunan ng SEC [Securities and Exchange Commission], na hindi naman appointed ni Presidente Duterte at appointees ni Presidente Aquino pa; at saka itong ABS-CBN na alam na alam naman natin na kinakailangan ng prangkisa,” Roque insisted.
Roque stressed that Duterte recognizes the role of the media and even allows the country’s journalists to carry out their work. Nonetheless, he reminded the media that if they were to give harsh criticisms against Duterte, then the president will also come up with an equally harsh response from time to time.
In some of his speeches, however, the president openly took aim at ABS-CBN, Rappler, and Philippine Daily Inquirer over the content of these media outlets.
