Cebu Coal Mine Tragedies: Print Media Effects on Policy Legislation

In crafting policies in the local setting, the study determines how the print media impacts legislation. It would point to the media as either an effective driver in policymaking or as a conduit to such. The researchers combed through the archives of three English newspapers in Cebu and the files of Cebu Provincial Board to substantiate the relation of the coal mine accidents to approved legislation. The study, however, is limited to four incidents that occurred for the years 2005 to 2012. The researchers then compared the newspaper archives with the approved legislation and assessed that print media only has a marginal effect as a conduit and none as a contributor to policy legislation. At the brim of coal mine accidents, policy makers respond immediately to issues which are repeatedly played over in the media and deemed by the researchers as typical for it is a precept that certain governing legislative bodies would often pay attention to certain recurring issues in the newspaper that may affect their image.