Raymund Villanueva: Reporting from the Philippines, One of the Most Dangerous Countries for Journalists

According to the press freedom organization Reporters Without Borders, the Philippines is one of the world’s most dangerous countries for the media, lead in number of killings against journalists only by Iraq.

During his election campaign, President Benigno Aquino made commitments to press freedom under his presidency and also promised an end to impunity in the country. However, according to inside sources, little effort has been made into resolving the cases of journalists murdered this year.

Media workers are not only targeted by the government; journalists also face difficulty in accessing information, periodic self-censorship, and low pay.

Sampsonia Way interviewed Filipino reporter/photojournalist, Raymund Villanueva to understand the challenges journalists face while working in one of the world’s most dangerous countries. Villanueva is a director of Kodao Productions and CERV-Philippines a multi-media production group, and is a founder/director of CERV Philippine, a volunteer placement organization that works with volunteers from six continents in the areas of health, education, and the environment.

In the interview, Villanueva describes the current situation for journalists in the Philippines, explains what precautions journalists are taking to do their work safely, and describes what he calls the “tragic” state of democracy in his country....

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