Cebu prelate says Anti-Tabloid Ordinance a reminder on media

While calling on Cebu’s media practitioners to believe in the “nobility of their work,” Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma lauded the provincial government for helping to uphold the good faith and culture of the Cebuanos with their proposed anti-tabloid ordinance.

In an interview, Palma said he “appreciates” the province’s reminder of the limitations of freedom of expression.”

“Because the province is doing their role in upholding the good faith and culture of the Cebuanos,” the 61-year-old prelate said.

The “Anti-Tabloid Ordinance of 2011” filed by Cebu Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale was referred to the Provincial Board’s (PB) laws committee for study.

The ordinance seeks to ban the publication of sensationalized, sexually provocative content in local tabloids.

In his message during last night’s 15th Cebu Archdiocesan Mass Media Awards (CAMMA), Palma said it is the responsibility of local media practitioners to help spread catechism that would bring justice, solidaruty and love and spread the hope and inspire.

He said the local media should keep in mind their obligation to deal with the responsibility on serving others and speak the truth.

“Mass communication opens the gift of understanding and belief on the spirit of the Lord that unites us,” he said.

Palma said media plays a vital role on today’s “culture of information.”

“We look upon to mass media as a powerful instrument of solidarity, with right communication and free circulation of ideas that could further  nourish others,” he said in his speech.

In last Wednesday’s interview, Magpale said she is open to a dialogue with the Cebu Citizens Press Council (CCPC) on the anti-tabloid ordinance.

The vice governor, who was in Dumanjug town to attend the inauguration of its heritage park last week, sent a text message to Cebu Daily News.

“I am willing to compromise like you (media) said. Banat said they will remove the section. I am happy with that. It made an impact. The radio stations even have their surveys and they’re using it,” she said.

Magpale told reporters that the public should read the ordinance first before passing judgement.

“They questioned the word tabloid… If you could see the copy of the ordinance, it was really more on the content,” she said.

The vice governor said she was glad that the ordinance stirred up the whole community to participate, based on her monitoring of commentaries and public feedback in local radio stations.

“There are those who are not in favor but I don’t mind. It enriched my knowledge. There are also those housewives that aired their comment. I was happy to hear them in favor of my ordinance,” Magpale said.

Magpale thanked the media for the “awareness” they had created on the ordinance.

She said she even received text messages from some people saying there’s a slim chance for the ordinance to be passed in the board.

“Somebody said from the title itself, it won’t be passed because of the word tabloid. They haven’t read the ordinance but I welcome this. Like I said, it also enriched my knowledge of of ordinance making,” she said.

Magpale said she only wants to protect the women and children from sexual abuse caused by sexually provocative content in tabloids.

“I am standing by the general welfare’s law of the local government code. If you read it, the general welfare’s law is so comprehensive,” she told reporters. Candeze R. Mongaya, Reporter With Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus