The Philippine presidential election in 2022 saw the rise of the son and namesake of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., more than 30 years after his family’s fall due to massive corruption and human rights violations. The victory of Bongbong Marcos Jr. brought trepidation among Filipinos hoping for change following the highly disruptive and divisive presidency of Rodrigo Duterte. Among journalists, there were concerns as well, the main question being: Will Marcos Jr. be any different from Duterte in dealing with media?
The topic examines the situation of the Philippine press under Marcos Jr. after enduring six years under Duterte, who shut down the country’s largest network on free TV and radio, and consistently threatened and harassed critics, including journalists over their critical reporting.
It will tackle journalists’ struggle against infrastructures of disinformation, hyperpartisan media organizations, and a culture of intolerance for free speech and critical thought in public discourse.
About the speaker
Christian Esguerra is a political journalist and an educator. He hosts “Facts First,” a political podcast streamed live on weeknights. It tackles burning issues on politics and governance, and is devoted to combating disinformation. He began his career as a reporter with the Philippine Daily Inquirer in 2000, and then in 2015 joined ABS-CBN, where was the anchor and managing editor of the hard-hitting political talk program, “After the Fact,” on the ABS-CBN News Channel. He teaches political reporting and journalism ethics at the University of Santo Tomas where he is also a researcher at the Research Center for Culture, Arts, and Humanities. The Canadian government awarded him the Marshall McLuhan Fellowship in 2020. In 2019, he received the Award of Distinction from the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, and the Titus Brandsma Award for Emergent Leadership in Journalism.
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