Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 20) — United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression Irene Khan will visit the Philippines next week to look into the government’s efforts to protect freedom of speech and expression in the country.

Khan will be in the Philippines from Jan 23. to Feb. 2.

“This visit signifies the open, sustained and sincere cooperation of the Philippine government with bilateral and regional partners and the UN,” The Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

In a statement dated Jan. 16, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) said it is open to discuss the situation of the press in the country with Khan.

“The National Union of Journalists has documented 109 incidents of attacks and threats against journalists during the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos Jr., indicating that press freedom and the exercise of that right remains challenged in the Philippines,” NUJP said.

Citing the killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid in 2022, NUJP said incidents involving attacks on the media are 74% higher compared with those in the same period during the Duterte administration.