Comelec, PTFoMS sign MOA to protect media during polls

Comelec Chair George Erwin Garcia —official Facebook page of Comelec

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) signed a deal on Tuesday aimed at fostering safety and respect for the members of the press covering the elections.

It was sealed through a memorandum of agreement signed by Comelec chairman George Erwin Garcia and PTFoMS Undersecretary Paul Gutierrez at the Comelec Main Office in Manila.

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“This MOA is part of the continuing effort by the Marcos government to create a safe media environment for members of the press all over the country, especially during elections,” Gutierrez said in his opening remarks.

READ: PH media, human rights records draw UNHRC member states’ attention

The agreement also aims to offer media practitioners a safe and protected environment and to ensure they can carry out their duty of reporting truthful election-related news.

Garcia, for his part, said that poll workers also experience threats, harassment, and loss of life faced by journalists during elections.

“What you (journalists) experience during elections is also experienced by our staff, especially those in the field,” he said.

He then highlighted the important role of the media in achieving Comelec’s mandate of honest and orderly elections.