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Journalists’ first obligation is to the truth. However, for journalists, searching for the truth has a high price which has only come to our attention within the recent years.

While pursuing their careers, many journalists receive death threats. Many have lost their lives through assassinations and some have been killed in war zones.

Last year for the third year running, the International Federation for Journalists (IFJ) reported a shockingly high number of deaths of journalists and media staff. In 2007, the total of journalists killed came up to 172, again dominated by the number of Iraqi journalists in a war that has now accounted for more than 250 media killings. With this in mind, it’s easy to see why the release of BBC journalist Alan Johnston after being held hostage by Palestinian extremists last March gave light in an otherwise bleak year for journalism.

After Iraq, Philippines is said to be the second most dangerous place for journalists to work thanks to its terrible press freedom and journalist safety situation. Many were murdered for reporting on government corruption. As a Filipino journalism student, I can’t help but feel a tad discouraged. Hopefully I’ll develop the same attitude as those surviving journalists who believe that it is not bravery that motivates them to find the truth, but a sense of duty. The governments, on the other hand, have a duty to do more to protect journalists and with the deaths of journalists rising, they must act now.

Yes, like everyone else journalists are just doing their job, however the major risk which comes with the job seems to be less acknowledged…and perhaps less important.