NUJP says press freedom violations have surged since 2022 and warns state repression remains the biggest threat to journalists.
A warning on press freedom landed sharply as World Press Freedom Day was marked, with Misryoum noting renewed concerns about risks facing journalists.
In a statement on Sunday, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) accused the government of failing to protect media workers and said it has recorded 242 press freedom violations since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.. took office in 2022.. NUJP said about 43 percent of the alleged violations were carried out by government officials and state security forces, underscoring the pressure journalists face even as the country observes a day meant to highlight safeguards for the profession.
This matters because when violations accumulate without visible accountability, it can reshape how reporters operate, what they choose to investigate, and how confidently they can do their jobs.
NUJP also pointed to President Marcos acknowledging the dangers journalists face during a ceremony connected to broadcast media officers. Misryoum reports that the NUJP framed this recognition as important, but said the broader pattern of alleged abuses remains alarming.
The group said the risks extend beyond isolated incidents. It cited state repression as the biggest threat to media freedom and warned that threats and violence against media practitioners continue to create a climate of fear.
While governments may outline mechanisms to improve protection, the real test is whether journalists see sustained, enforceable safety and prompt investigations that lead to justice.
NUJP linked its concerns to rankings and assessments that, it said, show persistent pressure on reporters.. It noted that the Philippines is placed at 114th out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index, reflecting a slight improvement from a previous rank, but still indicating ongoing risks for media work.
The union also raised issues it says remain unresolved, including the deaths of journalists and the failure to protect them adequately.. It argued that even when deaths are not categorized as work-related by police, the state’s role in preventing violence and ensuring accountability is still at the center of the dispute.
Beyond killings, NUJP said journalists face other tools of intimidation. It pointed to red-tagging, the use of libel and the Data Privacy Act, and what it described as continuing surveillance, physical and verbal attacks, cyberattacks, denial of access to information, and online harassment.
NUJP said past recommendations aimed at protecting journalists, including proposals to stop media killings, decriminalize libel, end red-tagging, and pass a Freedom of Information law, have not been fulfilled.. In its message, Misryoum reports the union stressed that such attacks are tied to efforts to “hide, obfuscate or distort” the truth for political ends.
In closing, NUJP called on the public to stand with journalists, saying defending media freedom is also a defense of democracy. This matters because when press freedom erodes, public debate can narrow and the space for accountability shrinks.