Marcos cares about the media – DSWD usec

MANILA, Philippines — The administration of President Marcos is not neglecting the welfare of overworked and underpaid media workers and has, in fact, given priority focus on extending aid to financially challenged media people in this time of economic crisis, an official of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said.

Edu Punay, social welfare undersecretary for special concerns, said that the issuance of emergency assistance to distressed media workers was one of the accomplishments of the Marcos administration in its first 100 days in office.

Punay, a former senior reporter of The STAR before he joined the government last June, said that the DSWD implemented a media workers welfare project under their Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations program.

“Yes, PBBM (President Bongbong Marcos) cares about the media! In DSWD, we have already provided assistance to 176 media workers and their families with medical, burial, calamity, and other emergency needs under his admin through our Assistance for Individuals in Crisis Situations,” Punay said in a tweet on his official Twitter account over the weekend.

“This way, we hope to promote welfare and safety of our brothers and sisters in the media industry and keep them away from danger – instead of merely reactive responses during attacks against media workers,” he said.

Punay’s tweet carried the quote card of the President’s affirmation of his support to media workers during his speech at the Manila Overseas Press Club President’s Night: “It is the job of our media practitioners to not only analyze, to not only give their opinion, but to also inform and let our people know what the government is doing and how it will help their lives, and how they can be part of that progress – that process of progress that we have started,” Marcos was quoted as saying.

“Under my lead, we will support and protect the rights of the media as they efficiently perform their duty,” the President said.

“Whatever difficulties we may encounter from this point on, the government will always be ready to lend an ear and to listen to your concerns, and to answer all that you may want to know,” he added.

Media workers have staged protests calling for concrete government efforts to protect journalists and other media personalities, and defend press freedom after the grisly slaying of radio commentator Percival Mabasa more popularly known as Percy Lapid outside his home in Las Piñas last week.

Marcos has appointed media and former journalists to his Cabinet, among whom are Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo, and recently named journalist turned lawyer Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil as Office of the Press Secretary officer-in-charge.