President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. delivered a message on Monday, February 2, for the 126th anniversary of the Manila Bulletin, highlighting the vital role of the press in the country’s democratic journey.
“As we advance the work of maturing our democracy, we require a press that operates freely and responsibly,” he said.
Marcos stressed that government recognizes its duty to safeguard constitutional guarantees, respect editorial independence, and strengthen institutions that uphold transparency and accountability.
“The government affirms its role by safeguarding constitutional guarantees, respecting editorial independence, and strengthening institutions that commit to transparency and accountability,” he added.
The President lauded the Manila Bulletin as one of the few institutions that has witnessed the nation’s evolution “from one edition to the next.”
He noted that its founding at the dawn of the 20th century coincided with the Philippines learning “how to speak in the modern idiom of nationhood” as regimes shifted and public institutions were redefined.
“Founded at the dawn of the 20th century, the Manila Bulletin took shape at a moment when the Philippines was learning how to speak in the modern idiom of nationhood. It began publication as regimes changed and public institutions were being redefined, marking it as an important witness to milestones in the narrative of the Republic,” Marcos said.
He added that anniversaries such as this invite reflection on the meaning of journalism in changing times.
“An anniversary such as this asks what it means to practice journalism when conditions continue to change. Methods evolve, and expectations shift, yet the essential labor remains rooted in discernment,” he said.
“Public reporting draws its authority from the careful handling of fact, attention to context, and an understanding that today’s report becomes tomorrow’s truth,” the President emphasized.
The Manila Bulletin marked its 126th founding anniversary on February 2.