The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
The Presidential Task Force on Media Security and the National Bureau of Investigation have signed an agreement to strengthen cooperation in addressing attacks, threats, and killings involving members of the media.
The memorandum of agreement was signed on Thursday by PTFoMS executive director Undersecretary Jose Torres Jr. and NBI Director Melvin Matibag during a ceremony held at the NBI office in Pasay.
The partnership aims to improve coordination, intelligence sharing and case buildup in incidents involving harassed or slain journalists, while also strengthening preventive measures to ensure the safety of media workers.
“The partnership seeks to further enhance coordination, intelligence sharing, and case buildup efforts while promoting proactive measures to ensure the safety, security, and protection of media practitioners in the line of duty,” the PTFoMS said in a social media post.
“The MOA underscores the government’s continuing resolve to uphold press freedom and protect members of the media against violence and intimidation,” it added.
Both agencies reiterated their commitment to work closely in investigating crimes against journalists, as part of broader efforts to create a safer working environment for the press.
The PTFoMS has been working with law enforcement agencies to help protect media workers so they can perform their duties without fear of harassment or violence.
In his World Press Freedom Day message on May 3, Torres renewed the task force’s commitment to safeguarding journalists’ rights and promoting freedom of expression.
The Philippines improved its ranking in the World Press Freedom Index 2026, rising to 114th out of 180 countries from 116th the previous year, marking its best performance in 21 years.
Torres also pledged continued reforms to improve legal protections for journalists, including addressing concerns over the misuse of defamation laws and unfounded cases that may affect legitimate reporting.
He likewise vowed to address issues such as red-tagging, disinformation, and threats against independent media, while emphasizing the importance of media literacy in combating false information amid political polarization.