By Azer Parrocha/PNA
MANILA — As part of their efforts to ensure the protection of Filipino journalists, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar on Tuesday distributed copies of the Handbook on the Personal Security Measures for Media Practitioners to Bohol media members.
The handbook, prepared by the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS), seeks to provide media practitioners with precautionary measures to ensure their safety during coverage.
“One of the projects of the task force is to create the Handbook on Personal Security Measures for Media Practitioners. What is that? The Do’s and Don’ts: How to protect yourself and your family,” said Andanar, speaking before Bohol-based media personnel.
“It is the first in the Philippines, and I would presume that this is also the first media handbook approved by the head of state,” he added.
Andanar said he intends to distribute the handbook to journalists from all over the country to be able to avoid harm’s way.
“I’ve been pushing for the last few months, the last few weeks I went all over the country,” Andanar said.
“I was in Maguindanao to turnover a handbook to our Maguindanaoan press. I was also in GenSan (General Santos City) on the other week, to turn it over to media practitioners in Soccsksargen. I also turned over the same media handbook in Cebu, at the National Press Club; we also turned it over at the NCRPO Press Club last week. So, we will continue doing so,” he added.
Andanar, meanwhile, praised PTFoMS Executive Director Joel Egco for his active role in addressing cases of threats and violence against media workers groups.
“Usec. Joel, he’s very aggressive,” Andanar said.
The PTFoMS was created through Administration Order No. 01 signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in October 2016 to address media killings and harassments.
It is headed by the Department of Justice, co-chaired by the Presidential Communications Operations Office, with the Department of National Defense, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Office of the Solictor General, Presidential Human Rights Committee, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police and National Bureau of Investigation, as members.
