By KATHLYN DELA CRUZ and CYRILL YAMBAO
VARIOUS media organizations unveiled their non-journalistic talents on May 2 in celebration of the World Press Freedom Day.
Organized by the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines, Press Jam 2011 showcased media practitioners upholding press freedom through performances, songs and poetry.
“(This) is a relevant gathering to help strengthen camaraderie and unity among journalists,” NUJP said. “The press jam is where journalists and friends of journalists loosen the proverbial tie and prove to the world that they are willing to face any kind of challenge, including singing and
reciting poems for press freedom.”
Since 1986, there have been 140 cases of media killings in the Philippines.
Despite being a democracy and with a press that is among the freest in Asia, the Philippines has one of the highest recorded number of media killings in the world. Journalists also continue to face suits and other forms of harassments as a means to silence them.
(The authors and producers are University of the Philippines students doing their internship at VERA Files)
