MALOLOS CITY—Journalists and students from different universities here will hold a candle parade two days ahead of the third year of the Maguindanao Massacre.
This came as groups of journalists in Manila plan to hold a march on Friday that will be highlighted by the parade of 153 coffins that will represent 153 journalists killed in the country since 1986.
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) Bulacan chapter announced on Monday that over 100 journalists and students of journalist from different universities and colleges in Bulacan will join the two-pronged activity here.
It was designed to support journalists’ calls to end impunity in the country and press for the passage of the Freedom of Information Bill; while calling on journalists to continue to raise the bar of journalism.
Rommel Ramos, vice chair of NUJP-Bulacan, said the campaign to end impunity in the country only addresses calls on the government to implement laws that will protect citizens, journalists or not.
He added that there must be a parallel campaign to remind journalists to pursue ethical and responsible reporting.
The same was echoed earlier by the NUJP National Directorate along with the Philippine Press Institute (PPI) and the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR).
They said that the best protection for journalists is to keep reporting ethically and responsibly.
Ramos added that they plan to light 153 candles in commemoration of the 153 journalists in the country killed since 1986.
It is expected to draw hundreds of journalists and students in Bulacan, the home province of the great propagandist Gat Marcelo H. Del Pilar.
The Bulacan activity will be held on Wednesday or two days ahead of the bigger activity planned by the NUJP, PPI, CMFR, the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists (FFFJ), the Center for Community Journalism and Development (CCJD), and the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas (KBP) in Manila on Friday.
The Manila activity will be highlighted by the parade of 153 coffins from Welcome Rotonda in Quezon City to Mendiola.
Rowena Paraan, the secretary general of the NUJP said the parade of coffins will serve as an expression of rage against impunity.
She said that despite the change in administration, killing of journalists continue with at least 10 killed since the Aquino Administration assumed office in July 2010.
“Remember our slain colleagues. Help us carry the 153 coffins to Mendiola,” Paraan said as she invited journalists to join the funeral march on Friday.
