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Sunday, February 08, 2004
Davide urges: Live up to your legacy
CEBU CITY -- For the past decade, Sun.Star Cebu's brand of journalism was governed by a Code of Standards and Ethics that, while printed in a thin yellow booklet, might as well have been set in stone.
In a solemn oath before Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. Saturday, this paper's journalists vowed to follow the same principles, along with new ones that are more attuned to the times, with "no reservation or purpose of evasion."
Davide, in his speech, described the oathtaking, done as Sun.Star Cebu and Superbalita held its annual in-house awards ceremony, as a commitment to the "highest standards of journalism."
He challenged the paper's reporters and editors to "acquire the will to consistently practice and live up" to the code.
"In a world as fast, pervasive and complex as the media, situations can oftentimes be very difficult to assess and temptations hard to resist.
Yet, when one has learned to internalize the principles, values and the virtues behind this amended code, living up to it may not be as difficult as it seems to be," Davide said.
A one-time Sun.Star Newsmaker of the Year awardee, Davide described the amended code of standards and ethics as "a legacy" that will "make a difference in the highly evolving dynamic world of print media."
"It should be the Bible, not only to the journalists of Sun.Star, but to all journalists," he called.
Crucial role
For the paper's 20th anniversary in 2002, Sun.Star also honored the chief justice and Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal for their outstanding leadership.
"The amended code captures it well when it states that 'the primary purpose of journalism is to serve the general welfare by informing the people to enable them to make judgments on the issues of the time' and that 'truth and responsibility are our guiding principle and ultimate goal'."
He highlighted the "crucial role" that journalists play in society and that because of this, Sun.Star journalists should hold true to their oath, which is both "a task and a responsibility."
"I share the belief that democracy is a voluntary association, with each one of its members required to make equal commitment to an enlightened and informed participation. This is particularly true in a relatively young and fragile democracy such as ours. The key words here are enlightened and informed participation by everyone, which should be the center of every journalist's consciousness," Davide said.
"For we all know that to the extent that information, the basic currency of a free society and which all of you are dealing with, becomes distorted, then the basic operations of a democratic system are proportionally distorted and crippled," he added.
An informed and enlightened citizenry, Davide further said, is able to make the right decision for the right reason.
The task and responsibility of media is "even more urgently felt and needed" as elections approach.
"Some have considered journalism as a calling. Yes, I fully agree. A calling, more than just a day-to-day job or a career, is a fulfillment of a duty. It is even a lifestyle. That is why it demands from you excellence and prudence not only in the performance of your craft, but also in conducting your personal affairs," he said.
First adopted on Aug. 5, 1991, the Sun.Star Code of Standards and Ethics was amended to include, among others, provisions on the protection of journalists from harassment and rules on the use of materials from the Internet. KNR
(February 8, 2004 issue)
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