Malaca±ang: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is far from being a dictator as his government continues to uphold press freedom in the country. “The President is not gearing toward dictatorship. Malaya po ang pamamahayag na nakikita po natin sa kasalukuyan (We are seeing the freedom of the press nowadays),” Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a press briefing.

According to Philippines News Agency, the Philippines rose to the 116th spot, the country’s highest ranking in 21 years, from 134th last year out of 180 countries on the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF). “Yes, definitely, that’s (the 2025 RSF World Press Freedom Index) good news. The President is delighted with the latest ranking of the Philippines in relation to its upholding of press freedom,” Castro said.

Castro underscored President Marcos’ high regard for the field with policies against the oppression of the Philippine media. “It shows that the President respects one’s right to expression and responsible journalism. So ito po ay magandang naipapakita ng Pangulo (So this is a good demonstration by the President),” she said.

Castro said the Marcos administration will continue to intensify efforts to uphold press freedom and protect journalists in the country. “Paiigtingin pa po ng ating Pangulo, ng ating administrasyon ang kalayaan sa pamamahayag, asahan niyo po iyan (Our President, the administration will intensify the freedom of the press, you can expect that),” she said.

Overall, the country’s score rose by 6.2 points to 49.57 from 43.26 in 2024, with substantial improvements cited in the safety and legal frameworks for the country’s press. Earlier, the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) assured continuous collaboration with the Department of Justice, the Philippine National Police, and media groups to further enhance the conditions of press freedom in the country.