Cebu media upholds press freedom for 29 years now

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

CEBU CITY – More than a hundred media practitioners who are members of the Cebu Federation of Beat Journalists (CFBJ) concluded Saturday the weeklong celebration of “Cebu Press Freedom Week” (CPFW) from September 19-25, the only press freedom week celebration in the country for 29 years now.

President Rordrigo Roa Duterte and Presidential Communications Operations Officer (PCCO) secretary Martin Andanar, in their messages during the CFBJ’s general assembly on Sept. 22, lauded the Cebu media for continuing to uphold press freedom and celebrating it annually for this long and they both pledged their utmost support to the plans and programs of the CFBJ.

Despite the limitations of the pandemic, Cebu media took the needed respite to attend to zoom events, webinars, roundtable discussions, general assembly, updates/briefings of news sources, “An Afternoon with Jose Mari Chan” games, raffles, Tiktok performances and fellowship.

During the Sept. 22 CFBJ general assembly, CFBJ president Arnold Bustamante and its officers reported a viable and financially stable media organization with the successful holding of the “Shoot for a Cause” that raised more than half a million pesos for the organization.

Bustamante also bared that CFBJ is in communication with government agencies for a planned housing project for the Cebu media. He added that no less than PCOO secretary Andanar promised to talk with the Pag-ibig Fund for a housing program here similar to the media village in Davao City.

In the same assembly, an open resolution for an online referendum asking all members of CFBJ to extend the current terms of its officers including its beat organization to three years. However, out of 108 members as of 2020 count, only 49 responded to the online voting which was not the majority.

Hence, the CFBJ declared the referendum null and void and asked all the beat organizations to conduct its respective elections for the CFBJ to also set its new officers’ election on September 30, 2021.

Bustamante hoped that this year’s celebration of the 29^th Cebu Press Freedom Week continues to strongly bind the Cebu media to uphold fearless journalism and reporting of news and stories for the good and development of the Filipinos.