Something is cooking at the Palace, as the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) suddenly slapped new accreditation guidelines ensconced in restrictive platitudes on journalists and photographers for the privilege of covering the President.
In a memo, the PCO called the Palace beat the “most prestigious,” requiring “the best among the best of seasoned journalists,” thus requiring the new rules.
Using the alibi of the country chairing the Committee on Media Affairs and Strategic Communication for the 2026 ASEAN Summit, the PCO said journalists covering the President should have high qualifications, such as at least five years’ experience as a political reporter, a portfolio of “ethical and responsible” reporting, being a regular employee in good standing, and being part of a media company that has been in business for more than five years.
With the recent shutdown of radio and television networks (DZMM and CNN Philippines, for example), spawning new ones, this new policy, if implemented, would restrict the Palace beat to reporters in compliance with the PCO standards.
Thus, the more rigorous vetting would undermine media outlets’ prerogative to choose the reporters they feel are most fit to represent their companies.
This move is seen as stifling press freedom, even as they want full attendance at press briefings in a tiny briefing room.
In addition, journalists proven to have committed misconduct, false reporting, security violations, or falsification or misrepresentation will have their accreditation revoked.
The PCO’s accreditation department, which issued the memo, also unveiled three accreditation categories.
The memo indicated full accreditation will be given to journalists covering Malacañang.
The second level is an event-based accreditation for those attending the President’s functions outside the Palace grounds, and the third is a “special accreditation” for foreign media.
Another reason for the straitjacket requirements is “security.”
The PCO noted how journalists serving as relievers of regular reporters quickly gained access to Malacañang. Legitimate media outlets usually assign more than one reporter to the Palace since it is the most prestigious beat and the primary source of the biggest stories daily.
The Malacañang Press Corps (MPC) discussed the repercussions of the new rules in a meeting with the PCO leadership.
The PCO asked the MPC to submit a position paper detailing how its concerns could potentially affect the status of journalists covering the President, who has not been interviewed by the press since March.
Among other things, the PCO will see a “pushback” to its egregious effort to undermine press freedom by choosing the journalists it perceives align with its wants.
However, the fact remains that they want the ability to pick and choose those who can cover the President.
If you traverse the national highway in Lucena City, you will see a white building surrounded by trees and lush greenery. That landmark is a mothballed hospital called the Lucena General Hospital.
According to a source, the abandoned hospital was constructed in 2021 under a bill of an “influential congressman.”
The structure stands on agricultural land in Barangay Mayao Parada, Lucena City, which is included in the Network of Protected Areas for Agricultural and Agro-industrial Development and Strategic Agriculture and Fisheries Development Zone under Republic Act 8435, or the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act.
A nosy Tarsee said the land is “prime agricultural land” with a high rice production due to its sufficient irrigation constructed with government funds, so the project is clearly in violation of RA 8435.
The source said the “influential congressman” allegedly committed many other violations when the hospital was built because there was no consultation or coordination with the Department of Health and other relevant authorities on the project.
“There was no permit to construct from the DoH, no hospital development plan, and most importantly, no ordinance or law stipulating the establishment of the Lucena General Hospital,” the source said.
The source further revealed that the provincial government of Quezon, which was then headed by the congressman’s father, did not draft an ordinance for the construction of the hospital.
“The land on which the hospital was built is part of the vast farmland of Unisan Farms in Barangay Mayao Parada, which was allegedly donated to the government.”
“Unisan Farms is a corporation owned by the congressman’s family. They promised Quezonians the hospital would start operating in 2024, but until now it is stalled and not benefiting the people of the province,” the source said.
The “influential congressman” is always present in the QuadComm hearings at the House of Representatives, which is investigating allegations of Vice President Sara Duterte’s involvement in the dissipation of the Department of Education’s confidential funds.
The solon has a closet stuffed with malevolent skeletons.