AIMED at raising awareness and encouraging discussions on human rights, responsible journalism, and freedom of expression, THE BEDAN HERALD held “On Record: Human Rights and Campus Press Freedom” on Oct. 26 at the St. Maur Auditorium, bringing together speakers from the fields of journalism, human rights, and law to explore the protection of fundamental rights and the barriers confronted by the press.

Hosted by Fritzen Aldaba, the forum opened with remarks from Atty. Juan Ruffo D. Chong, Director of Tertiary and Graduate Education, who underscored the press’ role in safeguarding democracy amid the spread of misinformation, political polarization, and the use of laws to suppress dissent.

“In these challenging times, the role of the press as the fourth estate has never been more important,” he said, stressing that journalists, including student journalists, inform the public and hold those in power accountable—urging them to uphold critical thinking, empathy, courage, and integrity in pursuing the truth.

Marc Siapno, Chief of the Strategic Communication Division of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) of the Philippines, emphasized the importance of adopting a human rights-based approach to reporting, urging journalists to place human dignity at the center of their stories.
“A free campus press needs more than freedom to publish. It needs an environment where journalists can report safely, responsibly, and without fear,” Siapno said, emphasizing that student journalists are already journalists, not merely “journalists in training,” and must be protected from risks such as harassment, red-tagging, and editorial interference. 

Teddy Casiño, former Bayan Muna representative and chairperson of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN), emphasized the importance of press freedom in a democratic society.

He highlighted the role of press freedom in a democratic society, stressing that journalists must uphold factual, accurate, and fair reporting to help the public arrive at the truth. “If our facts are not accurate, then we cannot arrive at the truth. And if there is no truth, sabi nga ni Ressa, there is no trust. And again, democracy dies,” Casiño said.

Serving as the third speaker for the forum, Ramil Gulle, founder of Healthy Mind Manila and former journalist at CNN Philippines and ABS-CBN News, discussed the role of Republic Act No. 7079, also known as the Campus Journalism Act of 1991, in protecting campus press freedom.

“Journalism serves the public interest, not the interests of the powerful,” Gulle said, reminding campus journalists to prioritize the public’s welfare and pursue the truth despite the pressures they may face.

Martha Teodoro, chairperson of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP)–Metro Manila, contributor to Bulatlat, and former researcher and training officer at the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), highlighted the role of investigative journalism in documenting human rights violations, stressing the risks of human rights reporting and the need for campus journalists to observe ethical standards and prioritize their safety while reporting on abuses.

“Journalists carry the ability to inform the public to connect remote worlds and to shape the individual's knowledge and understand the world we live in,” she said, providing that journalists increase public awareness, educate the public of their rights, and to help modify human rights in their respective communities.

In her closing remarks, Maristella Magdangal (IV-BSP), ON RECORD project head and Editor-in-Chief of TBH, reminded campus journalists that their responsibility extends beyond reporting events to asking questions, amplifying unheard voices, and defending press freedom.

She urged participants to carry the lessons of the forum into their newsrooms and communities, emphasizing the importance of upholding the truth and ensuring that speaking out does not come at the cost of one’s freedom.