Cebu Citizens-Press Council

The Cebu Citizens-Press Council, during its quarterly en banc meeting on Dec. 5, 2006 at the MBF Cebu Press Center, appealed for “greater sense of responsibility” on both sides, the press and government, for an excellent media coverage of the Asean summit and for its successful hosting.

Approved on mass motion, the resolution said:

WHEREAS, the 12th Asean Media Summit to be held Dec. 10 to 14, 2006 is of vast importance to the Philippines as country host and Cebu as local host;

WHEREAS, the Cebu community has a major stake in the hosting as the event provides unprecedented opportunity to showcase Cebu’s best to foreign neighbors and other countries represented at the forum;

WHEREAS, the Cebu media can greatly help in presenting Cebu’s rich heritage, culture, and values; its advances in governance, education, and technology; and the attractions of Cebu as tourism and investment destination;

WHEREAS, media can be distracted from that endeavor by controversies on side issues that can wait until after the summit;

WHEREAS, public officials who contribute to the said controversies by initiating or fueling the quarrel with some media practitioners can also put off public discussion of their grievance;

NOW THEREFORE, the Cebu Citizens-Press Council (CCPC), in en banc session, hereby encourages:

[1] Media practitioners to show deeper sense of community in reporting and commenting on the news during the Asean summit; and

[2] Public officials to show restraint in their disagreement with specific media lapses or practices,

Without restricting individual journalists’ freedom of the press and news organizations’ editorial prerogative, or infringing on public officials’ right to reply and to correct misinformation.

FURTHER, the CCPC hereby appeals for greater sense of responsibility on both sides, the press and the government, for an excellent media coverage of the event and for a successful hosting of the summit.