Members of the Philippine National Police conduct a Comelec checkpoint in Sta. Ana, Manila on October 27, 2023, days before the BSKE 2023 elections. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File 

Members of the media urged on Monday both the national and local government units to ensure "safe and unhampered" media coverage of the upcoming May 2025 midterm elections.

The campaign period kicked off on Tuesday for Senate hopefuls and candidates for party-list seats. 

The "Movement for Media Safety Philippines" called on the Commission on Elections, candidates and their political parties, and law enforcement officials to ensure safe media coverage in the elections.

"It is in the interest of all stakeholders — from government to candidates to Filipino voters — to protect the safety and rights of journalists and media workers covering the midterm polls. A safe media environment is crucial to ensuring clean, credible and orderly elections," it said in a statement.

"Attacks on journalists are considered violations of  the media's role under the Fair Election Act or Republic Act 9006, the Omnibus Election Code, or the Revised Penal Code," it added.

The group also called on members of the media to report any act of threat, harassment, illegal detention, torture, or physical violence during the election coverage to mediasafetyph@gmail.com or to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines Safety Hotline 09602784263.

The signatories of the statement include the following:

• Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC)
• Center for Community Journalism and Development (CCJD)
• University of the Philippines College of Media and Communication (UP CMC)
• Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP)
• Freedom for Media Freedom for All (FMFA) Coalition
• MindaNews
• National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP)
• Peace and Conflict Journalism Network (PECOJON)
• Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ)
• Philippine Press Institute (PPI)
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• Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR)
• International Association for Women in Radio and Television-Philippines (IAWRT)
• Movement for the Safety and Welfare of Women Journalists (We-Move)
• Asian Center for Journalism (ACFJ)
• Photojournalists’ Center of the Philippines (PCP)
• College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP)
• AlterMidya
• Bulatlat
• Rappler
• Sunstar Davao
• Bukidnon News.net
• Gold Star Daily
• Palawan News
• Cordillera News Agency
• The Ilocos Times
• Herald Express
• Newscore
• Sunday Punch
• Northern Dispatch
• The Wednesday Herald
• Balikas News Network
• Mindanao Times
• Lucena Herald
• Kodao Productions
•  
• Iloilo Media-Citizen Council (IMCC)
• Batangas Media-Citizen Council (BMCC)
• Kordilyera Media-Citizen Council (KMCC)
• Central Luzon Media-Citizen Council (CLMCC)
• Davao City Media-Citizen Council (DCMCC)
• Filipino Freelance Journalists' Guild
• Cagayan de Oro Press Club (Froilan Gallardo)
• Media Association of Sorsogon (Bobby Labalan)
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• Inday Espina-Varona
• Marchel Espina
• Julie Alipala (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
• Jun N. Aguirrre (Boracay Island News Network)
• Atty. Ruevivar M. Reyes (Southern Leyte Times)
• Edalyn B. Acta (The Capiz Times Publishing)
• Josephine M. Mendoza (Calbayog Journal)
• Francis Allan L. Angelo (DailyGuardian)
• Ricky Bautista (The Samar Chronicle)
• Rex Maestrecampo (Panay News)
• Mildred Galarpe (SunStar Cebu)
• Alma Grafil (Leyte Samar Daily Express Inc.)
• Rey Garcia (Mindanao Observer)
• Jennifer Aquino (Probe Productions)
• Voltaire Tupaz (Fyt Media)
• Che de los Reyes (International Media Support)