“Requiring a PCOO ID in 72 hours is unnecessary. A valid press ID should be enough to establish the identity of a journalist and media worker even during the enhanced community quarantine,” said various faculty members of journalism and media groups in a statement on March 17.
They strongly recommend that the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) rescind its decision to require accreditation of journalists and media workers who need to go to quarantine areas.
“The PCOO should not give the impression that it wants to control the media and compromise independent coverage. The PCOO should know that requiring an additional media ID could be perceived by the public as a means to gag the press,” the statement pointed out.
The signatories of the statement included concerned faculty members of the Department of Journalism of University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, Philippine Press Institute (PPI), Photojournalists’ Center of the Philippines (PCP), Center for Community Journalism and Development (CCJD) and two other journalism faculty members.
The statement was made in reaction to a March 16 memorandum signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea indicating that “[m]edia personnel shall be allowed to travel within the quarantine area, provided that, within seventy-two (72) hours from the effectivity of the Enhanced Community Quarantine, media personnel intending to travel within the quarantine area shall secure an identification card from the [PCOO].”
“If it wants to make itself useful, perhaps the PCOO could help ensure that the police and military refrain from harassing and intimidating the press. As the PCOO may be aware, certain journalists and news media organizations are being subjected to red-baiting and there are cases of work-related arrests and killings under the Duterte administration,” the statement added.
PCOO media accreditation guidelines
The PCOO announced the requirement for accreditation application during the press con of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) following the broadcast of President Rodrigo Duterte’s message, late evening of March 16.
The PCOO said media accreditation is needed for the media that needs to continue reporting and monitoring while the whole of Luzon will be under enhanced community quarantine from March 17 to April 12.
PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar said they will not deny any media person accreditation as long as they have submitted the requirements.
The PCOO will facilitate media accreditation. All bonafide media IDs will be honored in the meantime by the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the first 72 hours.
Special media pass for journalists continuing reportage duties will come from the International Press Center. Send to intlpresscenter@gmail.com or itc0182@gmail.com. The requirements are letter of request from respective media agencies and passport size photo. Contact person is Lorina Delos Reyes at 09189792861 or 53366095.
Roving reporters will also still be allowed, but the reporters and their workplace should be responsible to be checked for symptoms.
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary Eduardo Año said media vehicle are allowed to travel, and personal or private vehicles of media workers are recommended to place media stickers if needed to be used from home going to the company or for coverage.
Andanar also discussed that the government television station PTV will set up four live points where IATF officials will go to address questions. These are the Malacañang Palace press briefing room, NDRRMC office at Camp Aguinaldo or Camp Crame, Department of Health office or PTV.
