Student's valedictory speech at UP grad rites focuses on press freedom

A student graduating as summa cum laude delivered her valedictory speech about press freedom during the first virtual graduation ceremony of the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City.

On Sunday, Steffi Eunice S. Ramos who just earned her degree in Broadcast Communication delivered her speech in behalf of the graduating class of 2020.

In her speech, Ramos underscored the right of the press to show the different sides of the lives of Filipinos whether good or bad.

“…Lahat ng saya't tagumpay, lahat ng iyak at pighati, bawat kirot, bawat sakit, bawat kabaluktutan, bawat pag-asa, at bawat pangarap,” Ramos said.

“Now that this right is challenged, it is most important to always assert our fundamental right to speak our minds, our right to fearlessly tell our stories, our right to always speak truth to power,” she added.

“Lagi nating pakatandaan na ang panggigipit sa kritikal ngunit makatotohanang pamamahayag ay galawan lamang ng mga duwag,” Ramos said.

“Napatunayan na sa ating kasaysayan na tanging tirano at ang kanyang mga enabler lamang ang takot sa midyang malaya at sa masang maalam,” she added.

Ramos pointed out that the media industry took many hard and even fatal blows when it only pushed for the truth. “Ano ba ang kasalanan nila?”

Recently, ABS-CBN Corporation failed to secure renewal for its franchise after the House Committee on Legislative Franchises voted to deny its application.

Following ABS-CBN's failed bid for franchise renewal , the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) said that the 18th Congress "declared itself an enemy of democracy.” 

"Today, this chamber has lost all claim to represent the people and our interests... But let us not mark July 10, 2020 as a day of defeat and mourning," NUJP said.

"Let us prove that it is not the 'will of Congress' but the will of the people that ultimately prevails," it added.

A recent survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) found that a big majority of Filipinos (or 75%) are in favor franchise renewal for the TV network. —LBG, GMA News