House adopts Senate bill declaring August 30 as National Press Freedom Day

The House of Representatives adopted a Senate bill declaring August 30 of every year as National Press Freedom Day.

Senate Bill 670 was adopted by the House as an amendment to House Bill 9182 during the plenary session on Wednesday.

On Monday, Senate Bill 670 was approved on final reading in honor of Marcelo H. del Pilar, who is considered the father of Philippine journalism.

Under the measure, the National Press Freedom Day would be a working holiday.

Del Pilar was born on August 30, 1850.

The measure will mandate all government agencies, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, government-owned and controlled corporations, local government units as well as the private sector, to allot sufficient time for their employees to participate in any related activities to be conducted within their respective offices on National Press Freedom Day.

It will also direct the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), in consultation with the Office of the President (OP), government and private media organizations, to lead public and private educational institutions in organizing activities that will raise awareness on the importance of the press, their rights, and social responsibilities, including information on the elimination of all forms of violence against the press. — VBL, GMA News