Press Freedom Violations Surge Under Marcos Administration

• •242 press freedom violations recorded since 2022, with 43% by government entities.
• •Ten journalists killed under the Marcos administration, indicating a severe threat to media safety.
• •NUJP calls for public support to defend media freedom amid ongoing state repression.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) reported 242 press freedom violations since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office in 2022, with 43% attributed to government officials and state security forces. On World Press Freedom Day, the NUJP highlighted that ten journalists have been killed during this period, emphasizing a climate of impunity. The group criticized the government's failure to protect journalists and noted ongoing issues such as red-tagging, libel, and the misuse of the Data Privacy Act against media workers. Despite a slight improvement in the World Press Freedom Index ranking, the Philippines remains one of the most dangerous countries for journalists. The NUJP called for public support in defending media freedom and democracy, citing a need for urgent reforms to address these violations. The report also mentioned that the recommendations from the UN Special Rapporteur on media freedom have largely been ignored by the government.