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SANIB-SINAG
4 May-June 1998
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Towards the end of my book, Press Freedom: The People’s Right (Manila, PMPF, 1992), this concept was explained thus:
"The people’s organizations and their supporting institutions are the building blocks of the people’s empowerment. In the media, any endeavor to uphold press freedom and ethical journalism can only depend on the synergism of media organizations, which are the building blocks of the media people’s empowerment and social conscience.
"The PMPF has advanced media multilateralism in two distinct ways: It developes itself as a mechanism for multilateral efforts among media-based organizations that formally join this nationwide alliance; and it develops and provides regular forums (like the annual National Convention for Press Freedom held in Manila on the last weekend of every August) and other mechanisms for fruitful organizational interactions.
Through its Task Force Media Unity, the PMPF also seeks to help media groups, especially its member-organizations, to attain higher levels of organizational consolidation and activity. We believe that the magnitude of synergism depends largely on the respective strengths of individual components, in this case, the member-organizations.
"The concept of multilateralism for media organizations is one that is most consistent with empowerment and democratization. ... The concept of multilateralism should extend well beyond the boundaries of the media sector; even as media-based organizations reach out for meaningful partnerships with citizens’ groups."
In an article published in December 1990 in the PMPF’s magazine, Press Freedom Advocate, the following points were brought to the fore: (1) the needed democratic wisdom and energy can be mustered only by mobilizing large numbers of people, in contrast to having only a small group of people do all the work and be applauded by the crowds; (2) in the multilateral approach to addressing common concerns, individual persons and entities can assert themselves and be respected as distinct entities with their own respective capabilities, limitations and prerogatives; (3) "multilateralism does not imply the creation of supercontainers where all other organizations would be placed...it is not a big box, but a lot of glue."
Two factors stand out in the analysis of the weakening of the PMPF alliance since 1994. First, the alliance was not able to develop multilateral synergism in the sourcing of funds for its logistical needs. When assistance from the German Church-based human rights institution was discontinued, it could no longer afford to continue publishing the Press Freedom Advocate and spending on the little staffing that we used to have. Second, the interest of the member-organizations waned, not only because Press Freedom Advocate stopped reaching them with much information on the advocacy, but also because there was a marked decrease in the number of mediapersons killed per year in the Ramos period as compared to that of President Aquino. Moreover, a sense of futility and defeatism had set in after all the previous struggles and publicized responses from government had failed to result in the successful prosecution of culprits behind the killings and even the identified high-ranking police officials who had physically assaulted journalists were spared from facing disciplinary processes.
There is a new effort to revitalize the PMPF, and some of the previously active member-groups and individuals have expressed renewed enthusiasm for it. Still, what would decide the fate of this alliance would be the challenge of sustained interest and the willingness of the members of the movement to contribute to its operating funds. Attendance in the 10th National Convention for Press Freedom this coming August 29, and levels of participation afterwards would be the telling indicators of such fate in the long run.
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