Philippine Council for Print Media as the Sole Regulatory Council for Print Media

August 19, 1977

LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS NO. 587

WHEREAS, Section 2 of Presidential Decree No. 576, provides as follows:

"Sec. 2. For purposes of this Decree, mass media shall be divided into two groups: Print Media and Broadcast Media. "Print Media" includes all newspapers, periodicals, magazines, journals, and publications and all advertising therein, the billboards, neon signs and the like. And "Broadcast Media" includes radio and television broadcasting in all their aspects and all other cinematographic or radio promotions and advertising. The Print Media group and the Broadcast Media group hereby authorized to organize and determine the composition of a body or council within each group which shall be responsible for instituting and formulating systems of self-regulation and internal discipline within its own ranks." acd

WHEREAS, pursuant to the above directive, the Print Media group organized itself and formed the Philippine Council for Print Media composed of the following five mass media leaders, to wit: Brig. Gen. Hans M. Menzi (Bulletin Today), as Chairman; Raul L. Locsin (Business Day), as Vice Chairman; Juan A. Perez, Jr. (Daily Express), Rosario B. Olivares (Times Journal) and Kerima P. Tuvera (Focus), as members;

WHEREAS, this office has officially recognized the Philippine Council for Print Media as composed above as the sole regulatory council for print media envisioned by Presidential Decree No. 576, charged with the duty of undertaking the self-regulation of all publishers, outdoor advertising operators, ad agencies and print advertisers;

WHEREAS, the Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc. is not the council or body envisioned by the aforementioned decree and possesses no regulatory powers under the law, being a purely private organization with a legal personality distinct and separate from the Philippine Council for Print Media;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby direct: acd

1. The Philippine Council for Print Media as hereinabove constituted shall continue the task of self-regulation of print media and shall remain vested with all the powers necessary and incidental for the accomplishment of the purpose set forth in Presidential Decree No. 576.

2. The five council members as originally organized by the print media group and accordingly given official recognition by this Office shall continue to hold office as each and discharge their duties and functions in accordance with the provisions of Presidential Decree No. 576 until such recognition is withdrawn by me.

3. It shall be the responsibility of the Philippine Council for Print Media to elevate the standards of excellence of, and impose discipline on, all newspapers, periodicals, magazines, journals and publications and all advertising therein, and all outdoor advertising such as billboards, neon signs and the like.

4. Towards this objective, the Philippine Council for Print Media shall also exercise jurisdiction over all print advertising, including legal and judicial notices as far as their acceptance by publications is concerned, and shall promulgate guidelines, rules and regulations for professional conduct and excellence in advertising as they pertain to the print media.

5. The Philippine Council for Print Media shall determine how many newspapers, magazines, periodicals or publications may be allowed to publish and circulate nationally, regionally, or provincewide.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 19th day of August, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Seven.