The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) put its new media accreditation guidelines on hold yesterday following a meeting with officers of the Malacañang Press Corps Inc. (MPC).
During the meeting, MPC officers raised concerns about provisions such as the requirement for media organizations to have been in operation for at least five years and the stipulation that reporters must have prior government coverage experience.
“The MPC officers pointed out that some provisions, including the five-year minimum requirement for media entities and the government coverage requirement for reporters, could affect the status of fledgling news organizations and the deployment of staff, particularly those with younger journalists,” MPC officers said in a statement.
They warned that the rules could disadvantage newer outlets and younger reporters.
The MPC also urged the PCO to clarify vague terms like “false reporting,” which is cited as grounds for revoking accreditation.
“They also cited the need to clarify vague terms, such as “false reporting,” one of the grounds for the revocation of accreditation, to ensure these terms are not used arbitrarily,” MPC officers said.
According to the officers, PCO officials, led by Secretary Jay Ruiz, were receptive to the reporters’ suggestions but emphasized that stricter accreditation standards are necessary due to the sensitivity of Malacañang as a key news beat.
“The two sides agreed to work together to find a middle ground that will ensure the efficiency and integrity of the accreditation process while preserving the autonomy of Palace reporters,” MPC officers said.
“The PCO officials asked the MPC to submit a position paper on the accreditation rules so they could craft a clearer and more acceptable set of guidelines. The officers plan to complete the position paper and submit it to the PCO by Friday,” the statement added.
The PCO assured the MPC that it would consult journalists on any changes affecting their work.
The PCO also agreed to postpone the accreditation submission period, initially set for April 29 to May 2.
