Marcos commits to safeguard freedom of expression under his administration
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. speaks before members of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) and answers queries on various national and international issues during FOCAP’s Presidential Luncheon at a hotel in Manila on August 14, 2026. Noel B. Pabalate, PPA PoolMANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr on Tuesday committed to safeguard freedom of expression and ensure independence of the press under his administration.
He led the oathtaking of the newly-appointed officers of the Malacanang Press Corps, Malacanang Cameramen Association, and the Presidential Photojournalists Association.
“We do not always agree on certain things, but that does not make us adversaries. I always see it as partnership between both the media practitioners and those of us who are holding office. Because after all, we all serve the public,” Marcos said in his speech.
The President says he is committed into “ensuring that our reporters, our photojournalists, and cameramen can perform their duties freely and safely, and without fear of intimidation or violence from anywhere.”
“Our relationship remains grounded in mutual respect and open dialogue. And it is the only way that I know to have a productive and constructive relationship between the practitioners in the media and with those of us who are in office,” he said.
Marcos said he supports efforts to combat the spread of false information, as the PCO launched an Oplan Kontra Fake News desk.
The Presidential Task Force on Media Security has conducted safety and security workshops, has strengthened coordination with other government offices to protect media practitioners.
“In today’s media environment, accurate and reliable information is critical and it matters more than ever because there has to be a voice that is known and respected to be a purveyor of actual facts and actual news – not fake news, not deepfakes, not AI-created contents but actual facts and actual news,” he said.
Marcos’ predecessor, former President Rodrigo Duterte, has been widely criticized for policies against the media, which included the banning of Rappler reporter Pia Ranada from covering Palace briefings.
Marcos’ father, former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr, has been known in history for declaring the Martial Law— which suppressed press freedom and saw the closure of many media organizations that time.
Lino Cayetano takes his oath as the new head of the Presidential Communications Office before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Handout/PCODuring the oathtaking, Marcos also officially introduced his newest Communications Secretary Lino Cayetano, who used to be the general manager of PTV.Cayetano is the sixth Communications Secretary of Marcos in the span of four years.
The President said he is confident with Cayetano taking over the helm.
“He has always been part of our communications group. And so, you know, we always knew that he was entirely capable of doing the job,” Marcos said.
The President also explained the high turnover in the communications portfolio, saying “the job keeps changing in terms of what we are trying to put forward.”
“In the beginning we were talking about policy and now we are talking about—then we started talking about what we had to do in terms of implementation. And then we started having to talk—now we are having to talk about getting more towards the more political aspects of the communications job,” he said.
“So, it keeps changing and that’s why we have to keep restructuring it and to be able to satisfy what… especially the demands that you make upon our Presidential Communications group,” the President ended.