Filipino Media and Public Opinion on the Philippines‐China Disputes in the South China Sea: A Preliminary Analysis 1 Sascha M. Gallardo & Aileen S.P. Baviera 2 University of the Philippines Introduction The role of the press in politics or governance has been widely discussed and for quite a long period of time. Mark Hampton, for example, explained how the press initially gained the status of being a “fourth estate” in the eighteenth century whereby ‐‐ although not provided for by the constitution ‐‐ the press enjoyed a certain form of power because of its relationship with the public or readers. It was thought even then that the press serves as a venue to discuss differing ideas in order to come up with the ‘truth’ or that which will benefit everyone. 3 Whenever the role of the media is discussed, it is almost always in relation to democracy. It is even believed that for democracy to exist, there must be the presence of a free press. 4 It is the media that guarantee the responsibility of the government 5 , bridge the people and the government and therefore encourage discussion towards the improvement of government policies. 6 This role of being a “watchdog” and “guardian of public interest” continues to be played not only by the press but by the media in general even up to the present time. 7 In the Asian region, Philippine media is considered a good example of a press that serves such a purpose. As is widely known, “Philippine media is among the oldest and the most free in Asia” 8 and its top journalists are also well‐known for their aggressiveness. 9 That the media affect public opinion and politics in the Philippines is an understatement considering its role in toppling two former presidents Ferdinand Marcos in 1986 and Joseph Ejercito Estrada in 2001. 1 Paper presented at the 4th International Workshop on "The South China Sea: Cooperation for Regional Security and Development", organized by the Diplomatic Academy of the Vietnam and the Vietnam Lawyers’ Association, 18‐21 November 2012, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. 2 Dr. Aileen S.P. Baviera is a professor of Asian Studies and International Relations, while Sascha M. Gallardo is a researcher, both at the Asian Center, University of the Philippines. 3 Mark Hampton, “The Fourth Estate Ideal in Journalism History,” in The Routledge Companion to News and Journalism, ed. Stuart Allan (London and New York: Routledge, 2012), 3. 4 Sheila S. Coronel, “The Role of the Media in Deepening Democracy,” United Nations Online Network in Public Administration and Finance, 2004, Accessed December 30, 2012, http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/un/unpan010194.pdf, p. 4. 5 Ibid., 4. 6 Ibid., 5. 7 Ibid. 8 Raul Pertierra, The New Media, Society & Politics in the Philippines (Berlin: fesmedia Asia, 2012) accessed December 30, 2012, http://library.fes.de/pdf‐files/bueros/asia‐media/09241.pdf, p.13 9 Ibid., 13