CHAPTER 1

WHY JOURNALISM?

LEGENDARY BENEFITS:

THE POWER OF THE PRESS

THE GLORY OF THE BYLINE

THE THRILL OF BEING AMONG THE FIRST

TO KNOW

PRESS FREEDOM:
ITS SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS

BILL OF RIGHTS

SECTION 4, ARTICLE III 1987

CONSTITUTION

NO LAW SHALL BE PASSED ABRIDGING THE

FREEDOM OF SPEECH, OF EXPRESSION, OR
OF THE PRESS, OR THE RIGHT OF THE
PEOPLE PEACEABLY TO ASSEMBLE AND
PETITION THE GOVERNMENT FOR REDRESS
OF GRIEVANCES.

U.S. CONSTITUTION 1791

FIRST AMENDMENT:

THE CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW

RESPECTING
AN
ESTABLISHMENT
OR
RELIGION, OR PROHIBITING THE FREE
EXERCISE THEREOF; OR ABRIDGING THE
FREEDOM OF SPEECH, OF THE PRESS.

MORE GUARANTESS ON PRESS

FREEDOM

SECTION 7 ARTICLE III

THE
RIGHT
OF
THE
PEOPLE
TO
INFORMATION ON MATTERS OF PUBLIC
CONCERN SHALL BE RECOGNIZED. ACCESS
TO
OFFICIAL
RECORDS,
AND
TO
DOCUMENTS, AND PAPERS PERTAINING TO
OFFICIAL
ACTS,
TRANSACTIONS,
OR
DECISIONS, AS WELL AS TO GOVERNMENT
RESEARCH DATA USED AS BASIS FOR POLICY
DEVELOPMENT, SHALL BE AFFORDED THE
CITIZEN, SUBJECT TO SUCH LIMITATIONS AS
MAY BE PROVIDED BY LAW.

SECTION 28 ARTICLE II

SUBJECT TO REASONABLE CONDITIONS

PRESCRIBED BY LAW, THE STATE ADOPTS
AND IMPLEMENTS A POLICY OF FULL
DISCLOSURE OF ALL ITS TRANSACTIONS
INVOLVING PUBLIC INTEREST,

SECTION 24

THE STATE RECOGNIZES THE VITAL ROLE

OF COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION IN
NATION BUILDING.

LIMITATIONS OF PRESS
FREEDOM
6 LIMITATIONS:

1. LIBEL
DEFINED BY THE REVISED PENAL CODE:
A PUBLIC AND MALICIOUS IMPUTATION OF
A CRIME, OF A VICE OR DEFECT, REAL OF
IMAGINARY, OR ANY ACT, OMISSION,
CONDITION, STATUS, OR CIRCUMSTANCES
TENDING TO CAUSE DISHONOR, DISCREDIT
OR CONTEMPT TO A NATURAL OR JURIDICAL
PERSON, OR TO BLACKEN THE MEMORY OF
ONE WHO IS DEAD.

2. ANTI-OBSCENITY LAW

ARTICLE 201 OF REVISED PENAL CODE (AS

AMENDED BY P.D.NO. 960)
- THESE INCLUDE IMMORAL DOCTRINES,
OBSCENE PUBLICATIONS OR EXHIBITIONS
AND INDECENT SHOWS.

PROHIBITED UNDER THIS LAW

TEND TO:
GLORIFY CRIMINALS OR CONDONE CRIMES
SERVE NO OTHER PURPOSE EXCEPT TO
SATISFY THE MARKET OF VIOLENCE, LUST
OR PORNOGRAPHY
OFFEND A RACE OR RELIGION
ABET TRAFFICKING IN THE USE OF
PROHIBITED DRUGS
ENCOURAGE ACTS CONTRARY TO LAW,
PUBLIC ORDER, MORALS, GOOD CUSTOMS,
ESTABLISHED POLICIES, LAWFUL ORDERS,
DECREES AND EDICTS.

3. RIGHT OF PRIVACY

CIVIL CODE PROVIDES:

EVERY PERSON SHALL RESPECT THE
DIGNITY,
PERSONALITY,
PRIVACY
AND
PEACE OF MIND OF HIS NEIGHBORS AND
OTHER PERSONS.

PROHIBITED ACTS ARE:

PUBLICATION OR DISSEMINATION OF
LETTERS
AND
OTHER
PRIVATE
COMMUNICATION WITHOUT THE CONSENT
THE WRITER OR HIS HEIRS.
PUBLICATION OF A PICTURE WITHOUT THE
CONSENT OF THE SUBJECT WHO IS NOT A
PUBLIC FIGURE, ESPECIALLY IF IT IS DONE
FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES.

4. LAWS ON NATIONAL SECURITY

ARTICLE 138 REVISED PENAL CODE

- ANY PERSON WHO IS FOUND TO INCITE
PEOPLE TO SEDITION OR REBELLION OR
COMMIT ACTS THAT WILL ENDANGER THE
SECURITY AND SAFETY OF THE STATE,
SHALL BE PENALIZED.

PUBLICATIONS ARE DEEMED

SEDITIOUS WHEN THEY:
TEND TO INCITE OTHERS TO SEDITION
CONSTITUTE SCURRILOUS LIBEL AGAINST
ANY OF THE DULYCONSTITUTED
AUTHORITIES
TEND TO DISTURB OR OBSTRUCT ANY
LAWFUL OFFICER IN EXECUTING THE
FUNCTIONS OF HIS OFFICE
TEND TO INSTIGATE OTHERS TO CABAL
AND MEET TOGETHER FOR UNLAWFUL
PURPOSES
SUGGEST OR INCITE REBELLIOUS
CONSPIRACIES OR RIOTS

REPUBLIC ACT 1700 (ANTI-SUBVERSION

LAW)
REPUBLIC ACT 7636 FORMER PRES. FIDEL
V. RAMOS ON SEPT. 23, 1992 LEGALIZES
THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF THE
PHILIPPINES GIVING IT POLITICAL SPACE
AND ALLOWING IT TO COMPETE IN THE
FREE MARKET OF IDEAS UNDER A
DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY.

5. CONTEMPT OF COURT

WHEN A CASE IS PENDING, THE ORDERLY

ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE IS TO BE
PROTECTED.
ANY IMPROPER CONDUCT THAT TENDS TO
DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IMPEDE,
OBSTRUCT OR DEGRADE THE
ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE IS
CONTEMPT OF COURT.

A PUBLICATION IS LIABLE FOR

CONTEMPT IF:

IT DIRECTLY SHOWS TENDENCY TO

IMPEDE THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE
IT IS DIRECTED TOWARD THE COURT AND
IS NOT A REPORT OF FAIR COMMENT UPON
AN ACTION BEFORE THE COURT
IT TAKES PLACE WHILE THE CASE IS
PENDING OR HAS NOT BEEN DECIDED YET.

6. COPYRIGHT LAW

IT IS DESIGNED TO PROTECT
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

APPLICATIONS FOR COPYRIGHT CAN BE

FILLED WITH THE NATIONAL LIBRARY

INTELLECTUAL WORKS THAT MAY BE

COPYRIGHTED ARE AS FOLLOWS:
BOOKS, INCLUDING COMPOSITE OF
ENCYCLOPEDIC WORKS, MANUSCRIPTS,
DIRECTORIES, GAZETTES, AND OTHER
COMPILATIONS
PERIODICALS, INCLUDING PAMPHLETS
LECTURES, SERMONS, DISSERTATIONS
AND OTHER MATERIALS PREPARED FOR
ORAL DELIVERY
DRAMAS, OR MUSICAL COMPOSITIONS

INTELLECTUAL WORKS THAT MAY BE

COPYRIGHTED ARE AS FOLLOWS:
MAPS, PLANS, SKETCHES, CHARTS,
DRAWINGS, DESIGNS
WORKS OF ARTS, MODEL OR DESIGNS OF
WORKS OF ART
REPRODUCTION OF WORKS OF ART
PHOTOGRAPHS, ENGRAVINGS,
LITHOGRAPHS, CINEMATOGRAPHIC
PICTURES.

DOCTRINE OF FAIR COMMENT:

AN INTELLECTUAL APPRAISAL OR
EVALUATION
FOUNDED ON FACTS, OR WHAT IN THE
MIND OF A REASONABLE MAN WOULD
NORMALLY BE ACCEPTED AS FACTS
FREE FROM ANY IMPUTATION OF SORDID
OR CORRUPT MOTIVES
THE RESULT OF HONEST OPINION
FREE FROM MALICE
UPON A SUBJECT POSSESSING PUBLIC
INTEREST

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7079

AN
ACT
PROVIDING
FOR
THE
DEVELOPMENT AND PROMOTION OF
CAMPUS JOURNALISM AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
BE IT ENACTED BY THE SENATE AND
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
PHILIPPINES IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED::

SECTION 1. TITLE. THIS ACT SHALL BE

KNOWN AND REFERRED TO AS THE
"CAMPUS JOURNALISM ACT OF 1991."

SECTION 2. DECLARATION OF
POLICY
IT IS THE DECLARED POLICY OF THE STATE TO
UPHOLD AND PROTECT THE FREEDOM OF THE
PRESS EVEN AT THE CAMPUS LEVEL AND TO
PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH OF
CAMPUS
JOURNALISM
AS
A
MEANS
OF
STRENGTHENING ETHICAL VALUES, ENCOURAGING
CRITICAL
AND
CREATIVE
THINKING,
AND
DEVELOPING MORAL CHARACTER AND PERSONAL
DISCIPLINE OF THE FILIPINO YOUTH.
IN
FURTHERANCE OF THIS POLICY, THE STATE SHALL
UNDERTAKE VARIOUS PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS
AIMED AT IMPROVING THE JOURNALISTIC SKILLS
OF STUDENTS CONCERNED AND PROMOTING
RESPONSIBLE AND FREE JOURNALISM.

SECTION 4. STUDENT PUBLICATION

A STUDENT PUBLICATION IS PUBLISHED

BY THE STUDENT BODY THROUGH AN
EDITORIAL BOARD AND PUBLICATION
STAFF
COMPOSED
OF
STUDENTS
SELECTED BUT FAIR AND COMPETITIVE
EXAMINATIONS.
ONCE THE PUBLICATION IS ESTABLISHED,
ITS EDITORIAL BOARD SHALL FREELY
DETERMINE ITS EDITORIAL POLICIES AND
MANAGE THE PUBLICATION'S FUNDS.

SECTION 5. FUNDING OF STUDENT

PUBLICATION.

Funding for the student publication may include

the
savings
of
the
respective
school's
appropriations, student subscriptions, donations,
and other sources of funds.
In no instance shall the Department of Education,
Culture and Sports or the school administration
concerned withhold the release of funds sourced
from the savings of the appropriations of the
respective schools and other sources intended for
the student publication. Subscription fees collected
by the school administration shall be released
automatically to the student publication concerned.

SECTION 6. PUBLICATION ADVISER

The publication adviser shall be selected by the

school
administration
from
a
list
of
recommendees submitted by the publication staff.
The function of the adviser shall be limited to one
of technical guidance.

SECTION 7. SECURITY OF TENURE

A member of the publication staff must maintain

his or her status as student in order to retain
membership in the publication staff. A student
shall not be expelled or suspended solely on the
basis of articles he or she has written, or on the
basis of the performance of his or her duties in
the student publication.