The bill seeking to declare July 25 of every year as National Campus Press Freedom Day is expected to be transmitted to Malacañang for President Duterte’s signature.
The transmittal will be made after the Senate decided to adopt House Bill 6024 which seeks to declare July 25 of every year as National Campus Press Freedom Day as an amendment to Senate Bill 747.
The enrolled copy of the bill “shall soon be transmitted to Malacañang for the approval and signature of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” the Press and Public Affairs Bureau of the House of Representatives said.
HB 6024 is principally authored by Reps. Carlos Isagani Zarate of Bayan Muna and Ann Hofer of Zamboanga Sibugay. Outgoing Sen. and incoming Sorsogon Gov. Francis Joseph “Chiz” G. Escudero authored the Senate version of the bill.
“Today, the campus press continues to defend the interest and welfare of the Filipino people by tackling both national and sectoral issues – providing a free and adequate venue for the discussion of student concerns,” the third-term Zarate said in pushing for the enactment of the bill into law.
He said the State should promote, protect, and safeguard the constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of expression, speech, and the press.
The progressive lawmaker cited the historic role and contribution of campus press to press freedom in the country.
“As part of the alternative press or the so-called ‘mosquito press’ during the dark days of Martial Law, campus media helped expose the real state of the country during the dictatorship,” he said. (Charissa L. Atienza)