Some 100 representatives of the business community, media, people’s organizations, local government units, and international organizations trooped to Ang Pulo Mangroves in Calatagan, Batangas on May 15 for a media forum and mangrove planting activity. The multi-sector event dubbed “Conserve Marine Biodiversity, Conserve Life” forms part of the events organized for the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) 2012 and the National Oceans Month.

By Tess Bacalla

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales’s talk on the concluding night of the 16th National Convention of the Philippine Press Institute (PPI) came like a breath of fresh air to the media, coming as it did on the heels of President Benigno Aquino III’s keynote speech, delivered just the day before, at the opening ceremonies of the two-day annual media forum.

“Media should be recognized for the role it plays in … comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable,” said the former Supreme Court Justice, quoting American writer and humorist Finley Peter Dunne.

“This brings me to the pressing concern on the issue of media accountability when journalists face contempt charges, in the course of ‘afflicting the comfortable.’”

Morales, who keynoted the 2011 Civic Journalism Community Press Awards that coincided with the forum, held April 23-24 in Manila, said, “(court) decisions must be wary of any chilling effect that would lead to abridgement of the exercise of press freedom.”