2	Blog, bloggers

Scores of bloggers from across Asia have gathered here in Hong Kong for the first Blogfest.asia event which banners the theme "Change and Responsibility". While we continue to to establish friendships and exchange links, our thoughts go especially to Asian bloggers who, in one way or another, are prevented by authorities from freely expressing themselves and those who are persecuted and punished for what they say online.

Filipino bloggers appear to be among the freest in the continent. Simply put, we remain generally immune from the many restraints that limit other Asian bloggers. We can generally put up blogs at whim, with no fear of persecution from both the state and the private sector.

There are at least two instances of persecution of Filipino bloggers on record.

First, the suspension early this year of several Quezon City Science High School scholars whose "offense" was having published blog posts critical of their school principal. The Department of Education thankfully defended the students' fundamental rights and invalidated the suspension order. It was also reported that the erring principal was transferred to another school, in an apparent punishment for what she did.

Second, the reported expulsion of student journalists from the West Negros University in the Visayas. Their "offense", according to reports, was putting up a digital version of the student-run publication WesNeCo Torch. If we go by the stories published on Facebook, WNU authorities appear to be liable for serious violations of students' fundamental rights to free expression and to due process. It is no secret that the Constitution, the Campus Journalism, US and Philippine jurisprudence and even a memorandum by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) uphold students' rights to free expression and that students do not leave their rights at the school door.

The WNU incident must be corrected and should never be repeated again. Perhaps organizations such as the College Editors Guild of the Philippines and the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines could look into the case of the expelled students and assist them to obtain redress from government. CHED and the Commission on Human Rights should also play a role in teaching school authorities about respecting and upholding the basic rights of students who unfortunately are widely and falsely viewed under the educational system as "mere kids" that have "no or less rights". They only appear to be appreciated when its payment time for tuition, when they bring honor to schools in competitions and when they docile and uncritical of what's happening inside the schools.

Bloggers across the Philippines meanwhile should vigilantly guard against any and all attempts to limit free expression. We be alert over any possible case of harassment and persecution of bloggers and citizen and campus journalists.

The moment we surrender even one inch of the blogosphere to censors would be the start of its demise. We may no longer get that one inch of freedom back and we may lose more in a matter of time.