Grievances between media practitioners and their sources are expected to be resolved more efficiently as the Philippine Press Institute (PPI) supports the creation of the 13th media-citizen council in Cagayan de Oro City.
On Thursday, January 22, PPI convened key stakeholders for an orientation and workshop to establish an alternative dispute resolution mechanism to ease libel case backlogs in regional courts, strengthen media accountability, and support efforts to decriminalize libel.
In his opening remarks, Froilan Gallardo, president of the Cagayan de Oro Press Club (COPC), said this will be the first media-citizen council in the city. He added that the invited stakeholders are expected to become the council's founding members.
“The COPC has always been supportive—not only of this initiative, but also of efforts that promote media safety,” Gallardo said.
PPI Executive Director Ariel C. Sebellino said the initiative reflects the community’s decision to establish its own mechanism for resolving media-related disputes. “The beauty of the council is that it comes from the stakeholders. It’s not media-centric, and it’s not dominated by just one sector,” Sebellino said.
Stakeholders from various sectors—including the academe, the 4th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, and the Police Regional Office-Northern Mindanao—participated in a full-day workshop to map out the formation of the council.
Police Major Joann Navarro, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office-Northern Mindanao, welcomed the initiative, describing it as a proactive step toward protecting journalists. “We are honored to be part of the council. It shows that our media partners trust the police when it comes to their safety and security,” Navarro said.
She added that once formally established, the council could help reduce crimes and threats against media practitioners by providing an accessible platform for grievances to be heard and addressed.
PPI has already supported the creation of 12 media-citizen councils nationwide, several of which have become self-sustaining in both financing and operations. Once organized, the Cagayan de Oro council will primarily serve as a mediation body between journalists and their sources.
Chairpersons from the media-citizen councils of Central Luzon, Batangas, and Iloilo were also present to share best practices and experiences. PPI has likewise conducted preliminary visits to Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, as part of efforts to establish a similar council in the province.
