The Commission on Human Rights (CHR), through its Strategic Communication Division under Commissioner Beda A. Epres and its National Capital Region (NCR) Office, in partnership with the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) and the Photojournalists’ Center of the Philippines, convened the NCR leg of the Stakeholders’ Dialogue on Media Safety Mechanisms at the CHR Central Office on April 16, 2026.
The event marked the culmination of a nationwide consultation process aimed at strengthening protections for media workers, following earlier dialogues in Dumaguete City, Baguio City, Pagadian City, and Legazpi City.
CHR Chairperson Richard P. Palpal-latoc, in his opening remarks, underscored the role of journalists as human rights defenders and emphasized the urgency of addressing evolving risks. He noted that threats against journalists range from physical attacks and legal harassment to online abuse and economic insecurity, all of which affect the practice of journalism.
The dialogue sought to bridge grassroots realities with national perspectives toward a more coherent protection mechanism under the Philippine Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists (PPASJ).
PTFoMS Executive Director Undersecretary Jose Torres, Jr. highlighted the President’s directive to protect media workers, particularly in the provinces, where violations are often linked to political interests and local power dynamics. He cited the continuing challenge of impunity, with only a limited number of media killing cases resulting in identified suspects.
Roundtable discussions revealed persistent challenges, including the normalization of online harassment—particularly gender-based attacks—alongside threats of physical harm and legal intimidation. Participants also pointed to the economic precarity of many media workers, especially freelancers, who often lack institutional protection, fair compensation, and access to legal or social safeguards.
Stakeholders emphasized the need for stronger accountability mechanisms, improved coordination among institutions, and greater awareness of existing reporting systems. The dialogue reinforced that media safety must be understood holistically across physical, digital, legal, psychosocial, and economic dimensions.
In his closing remarks, Commissioner Epres stressed that protecting journalists is a shared responsibility and a moral obligation to uphold the public’s right to information. “We are no longer just identifying problems, but actively engineering solutions,” he said.
The NCR dialogue, supported by International Media Support, the European Union, and the Kingdom of Denmark, marked a key step toward consolidating inputs for a unified mechanism on media welfare and safety under the PPASJ.
