Ang Pahayagan

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR), through its Strategic Communication Division under the Office of Commissioner Beda A. Epres and its National Capital Region (NCR), 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 on 16 April 2026.

Bringing together journalists, government, and civil society partners, the dialogue validated regional insights and advanced efforts toward a more coordinated and responsive approach to media safety in the Philippines.

Discussions highlighted urgent and evolving challenges faced by media workers: from online harassment and legal threats to economic precarity, particularly among freelancers. Stakeholders also emphasized the need to strengthen accountability mechanisms, improve coordination, and ensure that protection systems are inclusive and accessible.

CHR Chairperson Richard P. Palpal-latoc stressed that media safety goes beyond physical protection, encompassing the broader environment shaped by digital, legal, and economic risks.

Meanwhile, PTFoMS Executive Director Usec. Jose Torres, Jr. underscored the need to address impunity and the political dynamics that often place journalists at risk.

As the consultations conclude, CHR Spokesperson, Commissioner Beda A. Epres, reaffirms the Commission’s commitment to advancing a national, human rights-based framework that ensures journalists can carry out their work safely, with dignity, and independence.

The nationwide series of the Stakeholders’ Dialogue on Media Safety Mechanisms was made possible through the support of the International Media Support, the European Union, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.