Cebu Press Freedom Day bill pushed at Senate

PASSAGE of a House bill seeking to declare Sept. 21 of each year as Cebu Press Freedom Day is being pushed at the Senate.

House Bill No. 5688 also seeks the declaration of a special working holiday in Cebu City and Cebu province during the celebration.

Rep. Raul del Mar (Cebu north district), the sponsor of the bill, wrote Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, head of the Senate’s local government committee, on August 29, to request that the bill be prioritized.

“Cebu Media will be most appreciative if you can have subject bill approved on third and final reading on or before September 21st,” said Del Mar in his letter to Angara, a copy of which was received at the senator’s office on August 31.

Members of the print and broadcast media are celebrating Press Freedom Week from Sept. 17 to 23 this year.

This year’s activities will kick off with an opening parade at 7 a.m. today from the Fuente Osmeña circle to the University of San Carlos North Campus located along General Maxilom Avenue, Cebu City.

A Mass is scheduled at 8 a.m. which will be followed by the opening program that would feature a dance competition participated by reporters and workers coming from the different media outlets in Cebu.

The week-long celebration will include forums on the campaign against fake news, digital journalism and HIV and AIDS situation in Cebu and the recognition of outstanding media workers, among others.

Different beat organizations will entertain fellow journalists with their presentations during the closing program on Saturday that will be held at the Oakridge Horizons in Mandaue City.

Del Mar said in his draft bill that Cebu media have been celebrating Press Freedom Week for more than two decades now to “serve as a reminder for the Cebu media community to uphold press freedom and accountability and symbolize the media’s capacity to set aside professional and business competitiveness to unite for worthy goals.”

“The annual commemoration held in the (third) week of September that includes September 21, the anniversary of the date of the Martial Law (declaration) in the Philippines, recognizes the significant role of community media as a watchdog of government and catalyst for social change,” the bill says.

Del Mar’s bill said that the celebration of the Press Freedom Week will become “more meaningful and memorable with the recognition of September 21st of every year as “Cebu Press Freedom Day.”