MANILA, Aug. 13 (Xinhuanet) -- The Philippine military said Friday that it is planning to embed journalists in actual counter-insurgency operations to train soldiers to cope with radio and TV reporting.

    Military spokesman Daniel Lucero said that the military is looking at the possibility of embed journalists in the government troops to actual counter-insurgency operations.

    "We are currently looking at possible effects of allowing the journalists to cover such dangerous operations," he said.

    Under the plan, Lucero said that journalists who wish to be embedded have to undergo training so that their safety will not becompromised in the operations.

    "They (journalists) will have to undergo training like maneuvering, tactical movement, noise discipline, patrolling, jungle survival, movement of security, among others. They will be informed of the dos and don'ts in operations," the spokesman said.

    The journalists will be demanded to wear Kevlar helmets and other protective gears but will not take weapons and join the actual fighting against enemy forces, Lucero clarified.

    Opposing to the embedding plan, the National Union of Journalist of the Philippines said that it "could mislead the public into accepting outright propaganda as legitimate news."

    But, Lucero clarified that the plan is just a public affairs program of the military to allow its soldiers "to understand the freedom of speech and the press, prepare press materials and how to run a public affairs office."

    Lucero said that the plan is also aimed at fostering transparency and openness of the operations and enlisting public support to the government troops.

    "There is no discreet and malice in this training. All we want is to make our soldiers understand the principles of free press and free speech. The better we understand the media, the more effective that we can relay our messages to the people," Lucero said. Enditem