OCD Bicol official apologizes for statement undermining critical role of private media

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The apology comes after the Albay chapters of KBP and NUJP criticized Office of Civil Defense Bicol Assistant Regional Director Jessar Adornado for saying he prefers giving interviews to state-run media over private news outlets

MANILA, Philippines – Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Bicol Assistant Regional Director Jessar Adornado has issued a public apology for saying that he preferred to give interviews to state media over the private media, as he did not expect the latter to be “supportive” of government programs and policies.

Adornado issued the public apology through a recorded audio posted by Radyo Pilipinas Albay on its official Facebook page on Wednesday, February 26.

“I would like to sincerely apologize for my statements last February 24, 2025, during a Radyo Pilipinas event at Legazpi City, Albay. I do not intend to belittle the private or independent media in their capacity,” Adornado said.

“I am very, very sorry for the harm caused by my remarks. I assure that this will not happen again, and I shall forever support the important role of media, whether public or private. I understand the ire that this has caused,” he added.

The incident happened on the sidelines of the ceremonial signing and official creation of the Radyo Pilipinas Regional Communication Group on February 24.

“I prefer to give interviews to the government media because they have been supportive. They showed what the government was doing. You couldn’t get that from the private media, to be frank,” Adornado said on February 24. The event was broadcast live on Facebook by state-run Radyo Pilipinas Albay.

Media groups condemned Adornado’s statement and called for an apology. In a statement on Wednesday, the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) Albay Chapter expressed concern and called Adornado’s statement “contemptuous.”

The group emphasized that both public and private media should have equal access to information and stressed that private media are not enemies but essential partners in promoting transparency, accountability, and press freedom.

In a separate statement released on the same day, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) Albay Chapter denounced Adornado’s remarks as dismissive of independent media’s role in ensuring accountability.

“We, too, recognize the value of constructive journalism in promoting public trust and discourse; however, the fundamental question remains: the solutions are for whom? A free and responsible press should not be seen as a threat by governments or their spokespersons who are willing to deal with public scrutiny openly,” NUJP said.

The NUJP also called for Adornado to apologize and reminded officials that journalism serves the public, not just the government. “Thus, we support colleagues’ call for Adornado to publicly apologize for belittling the media’s role as a watchdog, as well as the perilous task of reporting from disaster zones,” the group said.

Adornado issued the apology hours after the local chapters of the KBP and NUJP released their statements.

This is not the first time a public official in Bicol undermined independent media. In early February, Camarines Sur 2nd District Representative and gubernatorial candidate L-ray Villafuerte publicly questioned the credibility of a pre-election survey conducted by The SPARK, the official student publication of Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges (CSPC).

Following Villafuerte’s remarks, CSPC’s administration imposed restrictions on the publication. Student groups across Bicol released statements in support of the student journalists.

The Philippines remains one of the most dangerous countries for journalists, ranking 134th out of 180 in Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index. – Rappler.com