BAGUIO CITY – Filipino journalists are tagged as better than their colleagues in Southeast Asia – not materially though, but their reporting and coverage on cases of child trafficking.

This was bared in a study conducted by the Asia against Child Trafficking (Asia Acts), which stated that the Philippine media is generally better, if not at par, than journalists in Burma, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

Last December 12, the International Day Against Trafficking was observed around the globe, including the Philippines and the ASEAN countries.

Asia ACT information officer Maggie Jacinto said they conducted a press analysis on the top three newspapers in six countries, including the Philippines.

The top three newspapers in the Philippines – Manila Bulletin, the Philippine Daily Inquirer, and the Philippine Star – were among those studied by the group.

The press analysis was based on the UNICEF principles for ethical reporting on children, the Guidelines and Principles for reporting on issues involving children and the Terre des Homes six parameters which are: media and education; media and child participation; media and minority; media and the right to privacy; media and pornography; and media and protecting children from harmful materials.

In doing the study, Asia ACT collected 20 articles on child trafficking on the whole 2007 issues of the top three Philippine newspapers and analyzed them.

Based on their data, they discovered that Filipino journalists observed high journalist ethics on child trafficking, better than their Asian neighbors who like in Indonesia and Malaysia in a few occasions in their coverages identified “children-victims” unlike Filipino journalists who observe confidentiality principles, especially on child victims.

It also found out Philippine journalists are guided by the Philippine guidelines for the protection of the trafficked children and the UNICEF guidelines.

Philippine media, Jacinto quoting the study, observe positive coverage, which avoided stigmatization of victims.

Jacinto however admitted the limitations of the study because it did not include Philippine tabloid newspapers that oftentimes observe less tact on confidentialities and sensitivities.

Baguio-based journalists present during the presentation of the study here recommended that a study on radio, television and online reporting should also be conducted to find out if Philippine reportage on child trafficking cases is okay in these mediums.