The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) launched its Masked Media campaign on September 21, the 48th year since Martial Law was declared in the country and was only effectively ended with the ouster of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, Sr. at the EDSA People Power uprising.
The union recalled that independent media outfits were closed by the dictatorship and many journalists were arrested.
NUJP designed a face mask with showing red hand gagging the press. The face mask is for sale as part of a fundraising activity. Proceeds will go to the Defense Fund for Filipino Journalists.
The group will gather at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani at 5pm today to present the mask and to honor press freedom heroes who fought martial law by offering flowers before their names at the monument’s pantheon.
The NUJP called on fellow journalists and also the public to ‘defend your right to know’ and ‘defend press freedom.’
“Today, ABS-CBN is again closed while several journalists are suffering attacks,” said NUJP.
The NUJP also remembered its founder, Antonio Ma. Nieva, on his birth anniversary today, which also falls on the anniversary of martial law declaration.
