OFFICIALS of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas (KBP) Pampanga Chapter criticized officials of the Department of Health (DOH) in Central Luzon for alleged "second-class treatment" of the media in the coverage of the deadly coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
In a statement circulated to television and radio stations on Saturday, February 29, KBP Pampanga chairman Benny Guinto and vice chairman Billy San Juan said they were not pleased with how the DOH in Central Luzon is handling the issuance of timely information.
"We decry the second class treatment of local media from Pampanga and Central Luzon by the Department of Health officials. The residents of Pampanga and Tarlac need information and assurance that the Covid-19 crisis is being handled and managed well by the concerned authorities. All the more that the 445 repatriates are staying at New Clark City in Tarlac and the earlier three suspected cases and the additional two today being brought to Jose B. Lingad Regional Memorial Hospital in Pampanga," the statement said.
The KBP in Pampanga said that it is difficult to source out information and even more to ask pertinent questions if television stations would only depend on the social media streaming of the DOH.
"Central Luzon is the hotspot. And the government has always touted that they will move the government center away from imperial Manila to Clark. We are dealing with sensitivities here. We cannot ask our questions through FB live which we were asked to do by the media relations officials of DOH," the KBP added.
The KBP said that the best thing government can do is hold the press conference here in the front lines and not stay at the comforts of their offices in Metro Manila.
