After recent lobbying efforts at the House of Representatives, student publications across the University of the Philippines (UP) System called for the urgent passage of the Campus Press Freedom (CPF) bill on the last day of their bi-annual congress on Tuesday, Aug. 13.
Member publications said the “outdated” Campus Journalism Act (CJA) of 1991 has failed to grant security and fiscal autonomy to student journalists, resulting in shortage of funds and risks of attacks.
The proposed CPF bill calls for all educational institutions to establish campus publications, collect subscription fees during enrollment period for their operations and allow campus papers to assert editorial independence.
It also specifies the penalties for campus press freedom violations (CPFVs), specifically a fine of at most P200,000 and imprisonment for one to five years upon conviction.
“While it has some strong provisions, the seriously-flawed [CJA] has been found to be insufficient and lacking in material aspects to fully maintain the existence of the campus press, and protect the rights and welfare of student journalists,” the bill reads.
Related: ‘Flaw-ridden’ Campus Journalism Act burdens high school journos
The very first version of the CPF bill was filed by Kabataan Party-list in 2011, but it was left pending in the committee level. It was refiled in 2013 and 2016 but stalled again in the legislative mill.
In total, the CPF bill has been pushed in Congress for about 13 years now.
Read: Bill penalizing campus press freedom violations refiled
The CPF bill also seeks to impose sanctions against school administrators and offices, including the military, in cases of intimidation and harassment — a recurring experience among UP student publications.
Authored by UP Mindanao’s Himati, UP Baguio’s Outcrop, UP Cebu’s Tug-ani, and Sinag of the UP Diliman College of Sciences and Philosophy, the resolution urges member publications of the UP Solidaridad to document and consolidate campus press freedom violations to serve as “rationale” in campaigning against the CJA.
Brell Lacerna, national spokesperson of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), highlighted the need to submit these investigations and CPFVs to the Board of Regents and other institutions to present the situation of the campus press.
“Maging tuntungan [natin] ‘yung campus press freedom bill para iangat ‘yung other issues pa ng mga estudyante,” said Lacerna.
Last July 29, the CEGP along with UP Solidaridad campaigned for the passage of the CPF bill at the House committee on higher and technical education as they presented the pressing issues hounding student publications.
The group underscored the rising number of CPFVs in the country. At least 206 violations have been recorded by the CEGP between 2023 and 2024.
“[T[he UP Solidaridad and its constituent student publications shall continue to document and fearlessly write about cases of campus press freedom violations that shall no longer be condoned under the proposed Campus Press Freedom Bill,” the resolution reads.
The system-wide alliance also passed resolutions on proper recognition guidelines, media security and access to publication funds, among others.
