I hope incoming DENR Secretary Raphael Lotilla will revoke the memo that prohibits regional directors or PENROs from engaging with the media when interviews are needed. Hindi makapag-interview kay PENRO for something like the hatching of Palawan peacock-pheasants without your office’s approval?
What’s with these local and national government officials who ban their key people from talking about projects? Gusto niyo kayo mag-relate? Eh, problema yan kasi hindi consistent ang mensahe. Ang effect nyan ay information bottleneck at delayed communication.
Another reason is that you’re avoiding accountability, particularly when the issue is controversial. When we published the story on water contamination in El Nido, we needed someone from EMB to explain the findings. I reached out but the post was taken down. They said it was being “updated.” But how long does it take to update facts—and why take down information that the public has a right to know?
Ang sabi ng mga nakakausap namin, kasi iu-update. How much time do you need to update them and explain why your findings about the fecal coliform in El Nido were like that?
Nag-invite ng media recently for the Palawan Water project, pero when we wanted to interview your people, nobody wanted to talk. Ang paliwanag ay kailangan ng approval ng tanggapan ng DENR. Kailangan ng approval ng provincial government.
Hindi po makatarungan ang mga ganitong censorship sa isang demokratikong lipunan. Democracy also relies on free flow of information. Kayong mga public servant din naman ang madalas na nagsasabi that a democratic society is built on transparency, open dialogue, and informed public participation, pero bakit ganoon lagi ang mga sagot ng mga tao niyo?
Censorship can create suspicion that the government is hiding wrongdoing or manipulating the truth. This erodes public trust and discourages civic engagement. Kapag may mga ganitong patakaran ang mga ahensya ng gobyerno, hindi ito okay sa public welfare. Sa mata ng marami, censorship is to shield officials or institutions from criticism.
These kinds of restrictions are more than censorship—they’re barriers to truth.
In a democracy, power should be accountable to the people; not the other way around.
Transparency is not an option, it’s an obligation.
Nakakainis dito sa bansa natin. Sa demokrasya, ang impormasyon hindi kinukulong. Kung hindi nyo pa rin gets ’yan, baka hindi media ang problema, kundi prinsipyo.
