Baricuatro: “The press will be respected, under my watch”

CEBU CITY – Cebu governor Pamela Baricuatro declared that the press will be respected, under her watch, in her keynote message at the general assembly and as the inducting official of the newly-elected officers of the Cebu Federation of Beat Journalists (CFBJ) held at the Cebu Parklane Hotel, after the weeklong activities of the Cebu Press Freedom Week from September 20-27, this year.

“Here in Cebu, under my watch, I want you to know that the press will always be valued and respected.  I value the press not only as reporters, but as watchdogs, partners, and storytellers. You are the bridge between the government and the people and while sometimes the bridge can be a bit shaky—especially when the news is not in our favor—it is a bridge we cannot do without,” Baricuatro said.

The governor acknowledged the media's essential and sometimes adversarial role but she values the work of journalists even if the reports are critical of her administration.  Freedom of the press is something she respect deeply. She believed it is not just a right written in our laws; it is a responsibility carried by each of one with courage and conviction.

“When that freedom is exercised responsibly, it does not weaken governance—it strengthens it. It pushes us leaders to be more transparent, more accountable, and more grounded in the realities of our people,” she added.

Press Freedom Week is held yearly every September 20-27 in Cebu, to celebrate and remember that the members of press—writers, reporters, editors, broadcasters (radio and TV) play a critical role in democratic checks and balances and challenging power and systems in public governance and private management.

The CFBJ is composed of over 100 reporters, cameramen, and photojournalists in Cebu. It has 12 beat assignments, including the Provincial Government, which holds a regular weekly press briefing with the governor.

Baricuatro shared an insight quoting Thomas Jefferson, one of the USA's Founding Fathers, who said, "If I had to choose between a government without newspapers and newspapers without a government, I would not hesitate to choose the latter." (Photos: Capitol PIO)