THE NATIONAL Union of Journalists of the Philippines reminds colleagues that soliciting and accepting money, gifts and other forms of compensation in exchange for favorable coverage threatens editorial independence.
It also erodes trust in our profession and in its practitioners and plays into the narrative that journalism can be bought and sold, undermining its critical role as a watchdog against corruption, whether in government or the private sector.
We acknowledge, however, that the allegations against Korina Sanchez and Julius Babao have yet to be substantiated.
We acknowledge, too, that solicitation and undisclosed paid content are common practices in the profession.
In some cases, this is a matter of survival in an industry where many colleagues are paid minimum wage or less for their work.
In some newsrooms, media workers are forced to seek advertisers and sponsors for their salaries or are forced by circumstance to augment their pay with “allowances” and “gas money” for coverage.
Others accept PR work for local politicians, government agencies or corporations to get by.
In most cases, these circumstances do not apply to wealthy media personalities, but unethical practice persists across the industry, from high-profile journalists to struggling reporters and correspondents.
We note these realities not to excuse practices that violate the Journalists’ Code of Ethics that we adopted in 1988, but to provide context as to why some colleagues find themselves in ethical dilemmas and at the mercy of political and business interests.
The media community has long been aware of these conditions and the dangers they pose to the ethical practice of the profession. It has been working tirelessly to address these.
We call on colleagues to revisit and reaffirm ethical guidelines through resources available online, including NUJP’s Ethical Guide for Filipino Journalists.
We also urge news managers to make sure staff and correspondents are compensated fairly.
Ethical practice is difficult, if not impossible, when even media workers’ basic needs are not met.
Difficult as it is, we cannot take pride in calling ourselves journalists without adhering to the basic standards and guiding principles of the profession.
NUJP is ready and has been working with colleagues and with media and press freedom groups for a safer, better and more ethical practice of journalism in the country.
(NUJP statement on allegations of pay for positive interviews and coverage, 24 August 2025)
