Those who do not remember the past are bound to repeat it. Such a phrase is an age-old warning that has transcended the changes of time and has fallen deaf to some ears. It is a reminder that while injuries heal and cease to bleed, it leaves scars that symbolize resistance to the weapons that forcefully attempt to wound the hands and silence the voices that simply aim to share and speak truths, no matter how unpleasant they are. In the broad realm of media, a similar phrase echoes throughout the spaces it endeavors to cover;: those who neglect to challenge the narrative are bound to be controlled by it. Beyond the Headlines, a short documentary by Paper Plane Films, hands the microphone to the individuals who are typically the ones behind the camera and the print. Spanning across generations of experience in the industry, journalists Max Limpag, John Sitchon, and Reina Aureo sit down to speak about and address the public’s attitude of skepticism towards media credibility. In their words, painted by years of familiarity of the ever buzzing mise en scène of media, the communicators of every story that has existed since yesterday, today, and tomorrow set the ensemble of facts arising from a sea of opinions. 

Max Limpag is the past. As a seasoned journalist, he has written about multiple issues for top media companies in the Philippines, such as Rappler, Esquire, and Cebu Daily News, and is now working independently as a freelance journalist who, according to him, perseveres in the industry because he feels a sense of personal fulfillment from what he does and the changes it brings about in society. Limpag represents the eyes of a journalist who has witnessed many things and is currently watching the reshaping of media in modern society. He symbolizes the foundation and the shoulder from which the journalists of today stand and gain strength from. His voice that asks “Is news still important in your life?” is quiet yet patient, possessing the stillness of a reporter who has sat through countless interviews and still knows that the certainty of his questions could never prepare him for the uncertain answers he would get. It is a voice that already knows and continues to want to know all at the same time because it is one that recognizes the dynamic nature of journalism as if it were a news angle that acquired the qualities of a Hydra, springing two more heads after one is cut off. 

John Sitchon is the present. He stares straight through and firmly into the camera as he asks, “Do you wanna live like this forever?”—Aa question that reverberates across the walls surrounding the Filipino people so comfortably that the constricting traps and structures have begun to morph into houses that they would gladly enter instead of break down. It ends with a question mark, and yet Sitchon’s words feel like a statement, a bold challenge that needs no answer for its response has been long embedded into the history and bloodlines of people who have systematically lived through variations of the same patterns of oppression, dishonesty, and incompetence. His conviction is a mirror of the current generations’ whose grit is a tool powerful enough to spur the nation into action. Sitchon himself calls for more attention to be brought towards the marginalized sector, highlighting the need to shed light on issues like reclamation projects and how it is affecting the livelihood of the ordinary Filipino. In the present world where political and social landscapes are set up by the affluent and influential, their faces on display along with their ostentatious wealth, journalism strips their glittering exhibit down to unveil the stain in their faux purity and to shift the spotlight into the lives of the everyday Filipino who wakes in the early morning to brave another day of hardship, and though their homes are not decorated in jewels that glimmer, their sacrifices seep through the solid ground that steadies the path they walk each day. 

Reina Aureo is the future. In her quest to lead a new generation of lightbearers who are actively redefining norms and traditional beliefs, she asks, “Will you still stand with us?” The youth is often looked at to as the bringers of change, yet she nudges the focus to her audiences as she inquires whether or not the people are prepared to stand behind them when they tackle the difficult truths. Amidst the increasing need for more transparency from the individuals delivering news to the public, both student and professional journalists alike are experiencing issues that hamper their ability to improve their practice. As Aureo cites, there is a significant lack of student spaces in educational institutions, such as Cebu Normal University, which is a reflection of the less discussed realities faced by the country’s young minds because of the prevailing ideology of resiliency. This nation is filled with passionate students who are more than capable and determined to walk down the streets that many would refuse to pass, but until the steps they take are well supported by those who have already gone down the same road before, there is greater risk of finding and repeating the same sentences in the history books.

Journalism is a two way street. No media organization or practitioner would be able to successfully disseminate any journalistic piece without an audience. The public or anybody who benefits from the media is a part of this, and as the audience, they have the right to demand accountability from the sectors of society that are serving them. In the same analogy as holding government officials accountable for issues surrounding transparency in billions of pesos in infrastructure spending, the public has the same responsibility to keep the media accountable in identifying the accuracy and objectivity of their news sources and reports. A silently yet deafening question resonates throughout the documentary: “How can the media regain or strengthen the trust of the public for them?” In the current, tumultuous political climate, the people’s skepticism towards the media only grows each day. However, perhaps this query is not meant to be answered by providing practical, methodical rhetoric to convince the general public. Perhaps the media is not meant to lay the bricks of trust in all of its entirety; rather, a balance could be struck between instilling trust and expecting criticism as a way of encouraging discourse. In the pursuit of delivering credible information, recognizing biases also means recognizing the fact that media organizations will possess biases of their own. At the end of the day, media is a business. As much as maintaining objectivity and neutrality is paramount in the practice of ethical journalism, these realities riddled with political and social influences are an undeniable phenomenon in society. Leaving room for scrutiny, therefore, allows opportunities for influences and power to remain in check. Nevertheless, it is through media prevalence that democratic citizens enjoy the fruits of the hardworking newspeople who have sought difficult leads, journeyed hazardous areas, and tangled with scheming figures who would willingly spend large sums of money if it meant keeping their secrets tightly sealed.

Journalists are the bearers of light. The lamp they carry shines the brightest in moments when the dark attempts to blanket even the littlest sliver that exists; but the fire that burns within it, the fuel that keeps the blaze roaring is the voices, the stories, and the hearts of every Filipino soul. The narrative that truths are created is a lie that ultimately reveals itself because the actual truth is uncovered, and not built. These are existing realities in the diverse yet common human experience. For every cry unheard, every tale twisted, and every perspective blinded, there will always be a blank paper ready to write, rectify, and cement the story of a progressive future for every Filipino whose blood, sweat, and tears have been spilled to ink the vision that the people collectively strive towards. As the country polishes its dirty shelves and Cebu celebrates the legacy of media in Press Freedom Week, let it be a reminder that the fight for truth and justice is not a quarrel to be taken up against one another, but against the forces that take and misuse the people’s power as their own. Freedom of speech is not just an inherent right of human beings as outlined in the Constitution; it is the instrument that can forge a smoother path, a weapon for accountability that a person no longer has to bleed for in order to wield. So, if one is to afford any degree of loyalty towards anything or anyone, let it be to the people.