The Powerful Move to Freedom of Expression 

Jazmine Claire Basa

PUBMAT | Anthony Beronque

On October 8, 2021, a 58 year old journalist and the CEO of Rappler, Maria Ressa, became the first Filipino Nobel Peace Prize laureate to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace alongside the Russian Journalist, Dmitry Muratov.  

Maria Ressa was a Filipino-American journalist and author. She was born on October 2, 1963, in Manila but was raised in the United States. She became a journalist for 35 years in Southeast Asia. Ressa was one of the co-founders and CEO of Rappler, an online media company in the Philippines. Before Rappler was established, Ressa was CNN’s Bureau Chief for almost two decades.

Maria Ressa was Time Magazine’s Person of the Year 2018, 100 Most Influential People of 2019, and was hailed the Most Influential Woman of the Century. A documentary film was made about her entitled, “A Thousand Cuts,” directed by Ramona Diaz, which shows the danger and risks in Ressa’s life as a journalist and the freedom in defending the press media to President Duterte’s War on Drugs. She also published two books and has one upcoming book to be published in April 2022. 

According to Rappler, Maria Ressa has been at great risk for using her freedom of expression to reveal the Philippines’ violence and the strict governance during President Duterte’s administration. The government had been harassing, threatening, and even arresting Ressa all while repeatedly naming her a fraud. Ms. Ressa was found guilty of cyberlibel last June due to accusations of fake news about Wilfredo King, but the case was dismissed last August. The journalists and Human Rights Organizations see the mistreatment of Ms. Ressa as a danger of the freedom of the press media. 

Maria Ressa’s award is a victory for all journalists in the world. She expects that this award will help journalists live with courage and bravery as being a journalist today brings so much danger in their lives. She hopes this award will help journalists do their jobs without any fear or hesitation.