Negros mediamen hit Right of Reply bill

The members of Negros media establishments stood solid in front of the Fountain of Justice Thursday afternoon to air their sentiments against the Right of Reply bill (RORB) authored by Sen. Aquilino Pimentel in the Senate and Rep. Monico Puentevella in the House.

Ironically, all the members of the Negros Press Club, the country’s oldest press organization, were unanimously against the bill crafted principally by Puentevella, their former club president.

But they had a major boost. This was when Sen. Loren Legarda said she had withdrawn her support for the bill after sufficient consultations with media practitioners.

She pointed out that she believes the media should be self-policing. And she pointed out that the bill is a “good wake-up call for media practitioners to be balanced, fair and comprehensive in their reportage.”

Although she admitted that it may not pass Congress before adjournment, Legarda, however, also said it is “always good to remain vigilant.”

The group was spearheaded by members of the Negros Press Club headed by Edgar Cadagat, the Cobra-Anns, NUJP Negros, Council of Former Presidents of the NPC, other media organizations and activists for the crusade for press freedom and the right to information.

Negros Daily Bulletin publisher Ruperto Toga, head of the Council for Press Freedom, pointed out that the Negros media has always been even-handed in handling news.

The bill is not necessary because the media is already granting the public the right to reply. Legitimate mediamen, Toga said, follow the principle of providing balanced reporting by getting the other side of the story.

“Like a boat, a media outlet that only carries one side will tilt and sink on its own. This is the reason why media knows the importance of credibility,” stressed Toga.

The march of the mediamen started off with a candle-lighting ceremony in front of the Media Martyr’s Shrine at the Bacolod Plaza fronting the NPC. They then marched, mostly in red and black uniforms, to the Fountain of Justice where they were joined by Councilor Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, the only elected leader of Bacolod who had joined the ranks of media practitioners.

There were also posters and streamers carried by the marchers, calling on the principal authors of the RORB to withdraw the controversial measure. If passed into law, it proposes to impose stiff penalties or sanctions on media entities that fail to or delay every reply to any criticism or issue against an aggrieved party or parties.

Cadagat branded the Pimentel-Puentevella bill as inimical to the exercise of a free and fearless media.

He said it is an example of state repression, violates the Constitution, imposes prior restraint, and creates a situation dangerous to media outlets.

Julius Mariveles of Aksyon Radyo and several others addressed the rally which called on the people to join hands with mediamen in preventing the death of information that could enable them to exercise their judgment on anomalies in both private and government institutions.

For a while, the streets in Bacolod City teemed with curiosity seekers and sympathizers who roared out their support when asked to do so by Fred Sapara, a veteran and hard-hitting radio commentator.

In short, Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri yesterday said the RORB appears to be headed to demise in the House. He still thinks that the majority of the House members may actually be against it as borne out by the fact that the bill still has to be reported out.

P16 M more for Negros Occidental towns

Zubiri yesterday came in with another P16-million allocation for the province of Negros Occidental. It completes the P32 million he had promised to every town and component city of the province.

Zubiri, incidentally, may be considered as a Negrense. His father, Bukidnon Gov. Jose Zubiri, comes from Banakal City in southern Negros. The amount comes from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

“I always place the needs of the Ilonggos close to my heart since my father (Gov. Zubiri) is from this province,” he said.

The P16 million will be the second tranche to be financed under Zubiri’s PDAF for each LGU to construct school buildings, multipurpose halls and health facilities.

The senator initially had turned over to Negros Occidental on Jan. 27 last year funding worth P16 million for infrastructure projects in six cities and 11 municipalities.

Zubiri, after a press conference in Bacolod, immediately made a beeline to Himamaylan City where he turned over to City Mayor Carminia Bascon a school building project worth P500,000.

He will proceed to Kabankalan City and join the celebration of Victorias City as guest of honor.

Today, Zubiri will also speak before the Negros Electric Cooperative Inc.’s 29th annual general membership assembly and discuss how the New Cooperative Code could help bring down the cost of electricity.

The new law exempts cooperatives from the payment of value added tax for their raw and processed products.