Local bands perform at UP Fair for press freedom

Abigail Abigan

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Local bands perform at UP Fair for press freedom

Alecs Ongcal

Barbie Almalbis, Mayonnaise, and Silent Sanctuary play their hits in solidarity with the ongoing campaign for press freedom

MANILA, Philippines — As part of a series of activities to defend press freedom, advocates held a #BlackFridayForPressFreedom: A UP Fair Live Jam at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman on Friday, February 16.

In a special segment of “Cosmos: UP Fair,” Barbie Almalbis, Mayonnaise, and Silent Sanctuary played their hits in solidarity with the ongoing campaign for press freedom.

The weekly protest is organized by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) and other media groups. Every Friday, citizens are encouraged to wear black shirts or black arm bands, or join related activities.

The series of protests was triggered by the move by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to revoke the license of Rappler. For advocates, the move is an assault on press freedom.

MUSIC AND ADVOCACY. Barbie Almabis performs her hit songs at the annual UP Fair in Diliman, Quezon City. Photo by Alecs Ongcal/Rappler

Media practitioners and advocates installed a booth to present documentaries of threats against the media. The Nightwatch photojournalists showed a photo compilation of their drug war coverage, “The Victims of Tokhang”. 

In an interview, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) executive director Malou Mangahas said the UP Fair is an avenue to talk about advocacies and connect with communities.

“I think it’s important to also remind ourselves that the conversation should actually be more inclusive, across age groups, across gender, across income groups. That’s why we thought that part of the service we can do is reach out and tell them that this is an avocacy, and we’re not getting anything from it,” Mangahas said. 

She also believes it is important to consider the power of millennials. 

“Maybe we underestimate the level of awareness and connectedness of the millennials. Take the case of the Marcos burial. It was the millennials who stood up, and it was the millennials who remembered, possibly much better than what their parents did,” she said.  (READ: Why UP Fair is ingrained in the university culture)— Rappler.com

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Abigail Abigan

Abigail Abigan is community and civic engagement specialist under MovePH, Rappler’s civic engagement arm.