Media ethics questioned as GenSan City confirms journalists on JO payroll

GENERAL SANTOS CITY — The disclosure that some media practitioners are included in the payroll of job order (JO) workers of the General Santos City government has reignited debate over media ethics, conflicts of interest, and transparency in local governance.

Mayor Lorelie Pacquiao confirmed in recent media interviews that several media personnel are currently engaged by City Hall as job order workers, saying she sees nothing improper in the arrangement.

The mayor said the practice is acceptable as long as the individuals are performing their assigned functions for the city and that such work does not conflict with their responsibilities as journalists.

“As long as they are doing their jobs properly and it does not conflict with government time, it is their prerogative to look for other sources of income,” Pacquiao said.

During the same interview, Pacquiao identified Jun Pulido, a media practitioner affiliated with Pacman Radio, as among those hired by the city government. Pacman Radio is owned by former senator Manny Pacquiao, the mayor’s brother-in-law.

She also named Boyette dela Cerna of Escalera Online as a long-time job order worker of City Hall, noting that his engagement predated her administration.

While no law explicitly prohibits journalists from holding job order positions in government, media ethics codes in the Philippines caution against arrangements that may compromise—or appear to compromise—editorial independence. The Philippine Press Institute Code of Ethics urges journalists to “avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived,” while the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines has repeatedly warned against media practitioners accepting compensation or favors that could influence coverage.

Media advocates stress that even in the absence of direct editorial interference, financial ties between journalists and government offices they cover may erode public trust and blur professional boundaries.

Legal experts also point out that although job order engagements are contractual and not considered formal government employment, they are funded by public money and subject to standards of accountability and transparency.

The issue is further complicated by earlier findings of the Commission on Audit, which flagged the General Santos City government for at least 770 unaccounted-for job order workers during a validation conducted in June last year. The audit cited deficiencies in payroll documentation, monitoring, and internal controls.

A media law expert, speaking in general terms, said the combination of unresolved audit concerns and the hiring of media practitioners heightens the need for clear disclosure rules and ethical safeguards.

“Even if legal, the optics matter. The public has a right to know whether journalists covering City Hall are also being paid by it,” the expert said.

Media groups have reiterated calls for stronger self-regulation, urging journalists to disclose potential conflicts of interest and for local governments to adopt clearer policies on engaging media workers.