THE Philippine National Police (PNP) and Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) relaunched on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, the Media Security Vanguards in a bid to ensure the safety and security of media personnel especially ahead of the May 2025 national and local elections.
In a press conference, PTFoMS executive director Undersecretary Jose Torres Jr. said the Media Security Vanguards, which is composed of various government agencies, including the PNP, Presidential Communications Office (PCO), Department of Justice, Commission on Elections, and Department of the Interior and Local Government, will serve as the first responders to attend to media practitioners, particularly those with threats against their lives.
“With the launch of the Media Vanguards initiative, we are taking significant strides toward ensuring the safety of our journalists, who play a crucial role in defending and promoting press freedom in the country,” Torres said.
“Your commitment to reporting the truth and your courage in the phase of adversity cannot be overstated,” he added.
Torres said they will hold workshops and seminars in order to provide journalists with the knowledge and resources they need to stay safe while performing their duties.
The Media Security Vanguards was first launched in January 2022, designating PNP Public Information Officers as focal persons for media security across all provinces and cities nationwide.
PCO secretary Jay Ruiz touted the zero killings of journalists in 2024.
“According to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, no media person was killed in the Philippines in 2024. That’s a major accomplishment that we should be proud of during the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.,” he said.
Ruiz also emphasized the administration’s continuous fight against fake news, which causes divisiveness in the society. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)