IN SILENCING OUR MIGHTY PEN
by Gregorio V. Bituin Jr.
published as editorial of the Fourth Estate, January 1998, p. 2
Fear. It seems this lonely word was banished from the vocabulary of a crusading journalist. Perhaps most of them realized what writer Mark Twain have written a long time ago: "Courage does not mean the absence of fear but resistance to fear, mastery of fear". If we only look to our history, the glorious pages of Philippine journalism have listed many dedicated newsmen who have given up their lives for the cause of the profession. Look at page 10 of this newsmagazine. There you can see those names who, once upon a time became crusaders against the forces of evil that destroy the peace of our community, have met an untimely demise. is this the fate of those who were courageous enough to expose the evil doings of the "mighty", the "powerful", the mad and the bad in our country?
Many of our comrades-in-profession have been gunned down by an assassin's bullet to silence their mighty pen. They have been killed for exposing the wrongdoings of government officials, capitalists and private citizens. They have fought hard for the preservation of truth at the expense of their own lives and their families.
According to the Philippine Movement for Press Freedom (PMPF), a nationwide alliance of 72 media-based organizations, there are 49 Filipino journalist who have met violent death since the restoration of press freedom in Edsa 1986, and, according to some of our media colleagues, "none of these murders have been given due justice".
Despite so many problems that we encounter, we can still be strong because we believe that our cause of pursuing truth and social justice is a social responsibility that is enshrined in every heart of a crusading journalist. We have our own share of frustrations, problems, sweat, or even blood, and still undergoing hard and grueling labor pains, but these should not, in one way or another, deter us in continuing our dedication to our profession. The new generations of journalists who unite together as the young Writers Assembly of the Philippines (YWAP) face this greater challenge.
We know that as newsmen, we should be at the forefront for telling the truth for the sake of development, social progress and social justice. We know that in silencing our pen, it threatens, not us, but the people's right to know. In the name of the martyrs of the pen who died in defending the flames of truth and justice, we vow to continue the fight. Against all odds.
by Gregorio V. Bituin Jr.
published as editorial of the Fourth Estate, January 1998, p. 2
Fear. It seems this lonely word was banished from the vocabulary of a crusading journalist. Perhaps most of them realized what writer Mark Twain have written a long time ago: "Courage does not mean the absence of fear but resistance to fear, mastery of fear". If we only look to our history, the glorious pages of Philippine journalism have listed many dedicated newsmen who have given up their lives for the cause of the profession. Look at page 10 of this newsmagazine. There you can see those names who, once upon a time became crusaders against the forces of evil that destroy the peace of our community, have met an untimely demise. is this the fate of those who were courageous enough to expose the evil doings of the "mighty", the "powerful", the mad and the bad in our country?
Many of our comrades-in-profession have been gunned down by an assassin's bullet to silence their mighty pen. They have been killed for exposing the wrongdoings of government officials, capitalists and private citizens. They have fought hard for the preservation of truth at the expense of their own lives and their families.
According to the Philippine Movement for Press Freedom (PMPF), a nationwide alliance of 72 media-based organizations, there are 49 Filipino journalist who have met violent death since the restoration of press freedom in Edsa 1986, and, according to some of our media colleagues, "none of these murders have been given due justice".
Despite so many problems that we encounter, we can still be strong because we believe that our cause of pursuing truth and social justice is a social responsibility that is enshrined in every heart of a crusading journalist. We have our own share of frustrations, problems, sweat, or even blood, and still undergoing hard and grueling labor pains, but these should not, in one way or another, deter us in continuing our dedication to our profession. The new generations of journalists who unite together as the young Writers Assembly of the Philippines (YWAP) face this greater challenge.
We know that as newsmen, we should be at the forefront for telling the truth for the sake of development, social progress and social justice. We know that in silencing our pen, it threatens, not us, but the people's right to know. In the name of the martyrs of the pen who died in defending the flames of truth and justice, we vow to continue the fight. Against all odds.
No comments:
Post a Comment