Vanguards of Truth

Freedom of information is one of the vital constituents of good governance. It helps uphold a more resilient community and it is a right to every citizen of a democratic nation like the Philippines. Through Campus Journalism, can we strengthen this freedom of information and expression?

The Philippine media has long played an essential role in voicing out the concerns of the people. Take for example the         impeachment of the corrupt Joseph Estrada and the overthrowing of the dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Both wouldn’t be possible without the media’s help. However, as time passes by, media men are being threatened to express their opinions.

This menace is not only happening in the national media but also in school publications. Student-writers are afraid to express their thoughts on school issues for they have a mind-set that if they wrote something that offends someone, especially a member of the staff, their grades or academic stand will be affected.

Moreover, as young writers, some of us still have a feeble obduracy and persistence and are still easily threatened. A simple threat uttered can lead to feelings of fear that causes someone to hesitate thinking that something unpleasant is going to happen, thus jeopardizing the state of these young campus journalists.

On the other hand, at a young age, there are also others who are brave enough to express their thoughts even in the midst of peril. These brave young writers do not think twice in enunciating their opinions for they believe that if they kept their mouth shut, more people will be endangered whereas if they state their thoughts, it is only them who are harmed.

                Furthermore, these writers think of the betterment of most rather than their own.  What is important to them is that they are able to make a change. They choose to express their thoughts so that they won’t have regrets of what they should have done. They do not let these threats affect their role as voice of the people.

                We all know that journalism is a dangerous profession and responsibility is our best protection. However, in order to strengthen freedom of information and expression, we must not hesitate to use our voices. As campus journalists, our main obligation is to the truth. We can only fulfil this obligation if we are bold enough to express our opinions without hesitations.