📷: Malacanang Press Corps officers pose for a photo with Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. after their oath-taking in Aug. 2024. | GMA News
Officers of the Malacañang Press Corps (MPC) said on Monday, April 28, that specific provisions over accreditation guidelines could restrict newsroom autonomy and hinder the ability to deploy reporters to cover the Palace beat.
This, as Presidential Communications Office led by Secretary Jay Ruiz deferred the submission period of the accreditation requirements – which was supposed to take place from April 29 to May 2 – pending the new media accreditation guidelines that could drastically reduce of reporters assigned to the Palace.
In a meeting with PCO officials earlier, the MPC officers specifically pointed to the five-year minimum existence requirement for media entities and the stipulation for government coverage for reporters.
“The MPC officers pointed out that some provisions, including the five-year minimum requirement of existence for media entities and government coverage for reporters, will affect the status of fledgling news organizations and the deployment of those employing mostly young staffers,” MPC said in a statement.
“They also cited the need to clarify vague terms such as ‘false reporting,” one of the grounds for the revocation of accreditation, to ensure that they will not be used arbitrarily,” it added.
Ruiz, who led the meeting, acknowledged the concerns raised by the MPC. While open to the suggestions, he maintained that stricter accreditation rules were necessary, given the significance of Malacañang as a critical coverage beat.
MPC said that Ruiz aims to maintain strict standards for Palace reporters to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the information shared with the public.
Both sides expressed a willingness to collaborate on finding a middle ground that would balance the need for a robust accreditation process with the need to preserve the autonomy of media organizations.
The PCO officials requested that the MPC submit a position paper outlining their concerns, which would serve as the basis for crafting clearer and more acceptable guidelines.
The MPC reaffirmed its commitment to promoting the interests of its members, strengthening self-regulation among media groups, and advocating for independent, critical, and ethical reporting in the Philippines. (TCSP)
