Executive Secretary Ralph Recto – Photo from Ralph Recto/Facebook
Executive Secretary Ralph Recto urged journalists to remain vigilant against security threats and false information as they prepare to cover the Sept. 14 Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections.
In a message delivered at a media security workshop Wednesday, Recto emphasized that protecting journalists was essential to ensuring reliable coverage of the historic elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
About 30 media workers from Northern Mindanao attended the three-day program at Camp Edilberto Evangelista in Cagayan de Oro City, where participants received training designed to prepare them for risks they could encounter while reporting on the polls.
Aside from physical security, Recto drew attention to the challenge posed by misleading information during elections. He encouraged reporters to scrutinize claims carefully and avoid coverage that could unnecessarily heighten tensions.
The executive secretary noted that news reports, photographs and posts published online could influence how voters understand developments surrounding the election, making accuracy and fairness particularly important.
Recto also underscored the need for journalists to perform their duties without threats or harassment, as media workers are expected to provide the public with independent information throughout the electoral process.
The Cagayan de Oro Press Club Journalism Institute organized the training with the Presidential Task Force on Media Security, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity and the Army’s 4th Infantry Division.
Smart Communications and Germany’s Hanns Seidel Foundation also participated in the initiative, which sought to strengthen journalists’ preparedness ahead of the Bangsamoro polls.