CHED Cordillera in upbeat mode/ Caroling in Baguio/ Pregnancy in hiring women

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon

BAGUIO CITY – I was talking to one of students from tertiary schools all over the region who participated in a journalism seminar organized by the Commission on Higher Education Cordillera Administrative Region headed by Director Demetrio P. Anduyan Jr. in this summer capital last week.
    During a break in my lectures, she commented it was a welcome development the CHED-CAR was so active nowadays in involving tertiary schools and students in a lot of activities.
    I could attest to that, I told her considering that Yours Truly and speakers from the media among other stakeholders were involved in the activities, courtesy of the tireless Dr. Mariano D. Marchan Jr., CHED education supervisor 11.
    Marchan, along with other officials of the government agency organized events which included those on oratory, essay, cultural, poetry, music and journalism.
   **
Just last month, a video entry made by a student from Cordillera particularly from Kalinga was adjudged first place in a national  CHED competition.
    It was the real life story of a young woman, who despite hardship in life, persevered and became a teacher. Even when she was a kid, she had to fetch water, carry it and bring it to her ancestral home walking a long distance.
    She later married and was able to build a house along with her husband where they now live with their children.
   ***
Over the past months, we could see the students were excited and upbeat in wanting to learn new things through these events. Last week’s question and answer portion was revealing. We could see they had a thirst for knowledge.
    Anyhow Frank Cimatu, my then co-writer with the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Palanca awardee handled feature and poetry writing.
    Frank is now writing for Rappler and Baguio Chronicle.
    Libel was handled by lawyer Delmar Carino, also our peer then at PDI. Carino is now legal counsel and human resource manager of Benguet Electric Cooperative.
    Aldwin Joseph Quitasol, president of Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club and Daily Tribune writer, talked on opinion writing.
    Yours Truly handled news and editorial writing. Masters of ceremony were Doctors Marchan and Josephine Aguirre of CHED. Vender, of the regional office, like in past events, also helped during the journalism seminar.
    The national tertiary schools competition, according to Dr. Marchan, may be held early next year, depending on health protocols due to the still prevailing Covid-19 pandemic.
    Congratulations to the CHED-CAR. Let us have more of these events.
    We hope the national government will allot a higher budget to the CHED-CAR for such events as it may only be the only regional office of the government agency which is doing these.       
             ***
The Baguio office of the City Social Welfare and Development Officer under officer-in-charge Liza Bulayungan said that Christmas carolers are not required to get solicitation permits.
    “Under Dept. of Social Welfare and Development Memorandum Circular No. 05 series of 2021, caroling is one exemption for solicitation permit,” she said.
    However, Bulayungan said carolers are required to observe health protocols especially that there is still active coronavirus disease transmission in the city.
    “House-to-house and main thoroughfare caroling is still discouraged and minors who engage in caroling must be under the supervision of parents to ensure health protocols are properly observed,” she was quoted by Aileen P. Refuerzo, chief of the city public information office.
   ***
If you think that a woman should not lose out on a job just because she could potentially get pregnant, then this bill is for you.
    The House of Representatives recently passed on second reading House Bill (HB) No.4479, or the proposed Act expanding the prohibited acts of discrimination against women on account of sex.
    The measure seeks to amend for this purpose Presidential Decree (PD) No.442, as amended, otherwise known as the Labor Code of the Philippines.
    The pro-women bill went from sponsorship on the House plenary floor all the way to second reading approval during the course of the session on Monday, Nov.21.
    Sponsoring HB No.4479 was lead author Calamba City lone district Rep. Charisse Anne Hernandez.
    According to her, the measure will prohibit employers from choosing not to hire women on account of “her monthly period and her ability to get pregnant”.
    “A woman being a woman has nothing to do with their work ethics, productivity, and efficiency as a member of our labor force,” Hernandez, who is a vice chairperson of the House Committee on Labor and Employment told media.
    “Women can do things equally as men,” she said.
    Specifically, the bill–endorsed to the plenary by the labor and employment panel–aims to revise Article 135 of the Labor Code.
    Deputy Speaker and Pampanga 3rd district Rep. Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr., who presided over Monday’s session, later announced the second reading approval of the measure after a  voice vote (ayes vs. nayes), an article sent to media outlets said. This paves the way for HB No.4479’s possible approval on third and final reading by House members next week.
 

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Press assembly for local practitioners

A nationwide assembly of local Press practitioners is set on June 24 to push forward media advocacies in view of the post-election dynamics.     
    Johnny Dayang, chairman emeritus of the Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PAPI) and chairman of the convenors group, said “amid the threats of disinformation and fake news in social media, there really exists an urgent need redefine the way media pursues its critical role as a social catalyst.”
    According to Dayang, the whole-day assembly, convened jointly by the country’s leading media groups, will seriously dwell on:
    Catalytic role of the provincial press under the New Dispensation;
·         Creation of local press council in cities and provinces;
·         Establishment of a cooperative news agency;
·         Expanding the role of the community press organization in tackling critical issues.
The media gathering will also endeavor to recommend:
·         Legislation pushing for the passage of a law to Decriminalize Libel;
·         Endorse to Congress the Passage of Stringent Laws against Fake News;
·         Propose to Congress Bill that Defines Human Rights and the Press; and
·         Pass a Law that Protects Legitimate Media Organizations and Practitioners;
    The community press, is also expected to discuss its vital role in pushing economic development and nation-building.
    A joint project of the Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc., Federation of Provincial Press Clubs of the Philippines, Inc., and the Boracay Global Press Corps, Inc. in cooperation with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and Horizons news publishing house, the Local Press Assembly will take place at the PEZA Auditoruim located at DoubleDragon Center West Bldg, DD Meridian Park, Macapagal Ave., Pasay City and at the Makati Sports Club for its fellowship dinner and raffle games.
    Expected to participate are print and broadcast journalists, publishers, editors, provincial media organization officers and members, commentators, writers, columnists, school campus journalists, journalism students, book authors, vloggers, online journalists and other digital media practitioners, some trade and press attaches, representatives of foreign chambers of commerce, public relations and information officers.     
Individuals and institutions interested to participate may contact 09491294777 or email pressclubsfed@yahoo.com.

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Press assembly for local practitioners scheduled June 24

A nationwide assembly of local Press practitioners is set on June 24 to push forward media advocacies in view of the post-election dynamics.     
    Johnny Dayang, chairman emeritus of the Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PAPI) and chairman of the convenors group, said “amid the threats of disinformation and fake news in social media, there really exists an urgent need redefine the way media pursues its critical role as a social catalyst.”
    According to Dayang, the whole-day assembly, convened jointly by the country’s leading media groups, will seriously dwell on:
        Catalytic role of the provincial press under the New Dispensation;

        Creation of local press council in cities and provinces;
        Establishment of a cooperative news agency;
        Expanding the role of the community press organization in tackling critical issues.
    The media gathering will also endeavor to recommend:
        Legislation pushing for the passage of a law to Decriminalize Libel;
        Endorse to Congress the Passage of Stringent Laws against Fake News;
        Propose to Congress Bill that Defines Human Rights and the Press; and
        Pass a Law that Protects Legitimate Media Organizations and Practitioners;
    The community press, is also expected to discuss its vital role in pushing economic development and nation-building.
    A joint project of the Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc., Federation of Provincial Press Clubs of the Philippines, Inc., and the Boracay Global Press Corps, Inc. in cooperation with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and Horizons news publishing house, the Local Press Assembly will take place at the PEZA Auditoruim located at DoubleDragon Center West Bldg, DD Meridian Park, Macapagal Ave., Pasay City and at the Makati Sports Club for its fellowship dinner and raffle games.
    Expected to participate are print and broadcast journalists, publishers, editors, provincial media organization officers and members, commentators, writers, columnists, school campus journalists, journalism students, book authors, vloggers, online journalists and other digital media practitioners, some trade and press attaches, representatives of foreign chambers of commerce, public relations and information officers.     
Individuals and institutions interested to participate may contact 09491294777 or email pressclubsfed@yahoo.com.
 
 
 
 

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Gov’t TV network expands in Bongbong Marcos turf

By John Michael Mugas

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte—The state-owned People’s Television Network Inc. (PTNI) has set its sight on expanding in Ilocos Norte, hometown of incoming President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., with a P39.5-million transmitter station which will soon rise in the province.
    The transmitter station, which would be built at Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU), would include a four-legged, 250-foot television broadcast tower and a building. Construction is set to begin in September and it will be fully operational by December this year.
    Officials from MMSU and PTNI held a groundbreaking ceremony at the site on Tuesday (June 14).
    The station “will broadcast relevant information and updates about national and regional development projects, especially highlighting that of Ilocos Norte,” according to MMSU.
    Last May 2021 plans to build a transmitter station were finalized after PTV and MMSU signed an agreement to install a 1 kilowatt digital and 1 kilowatt analog transmitter on university grounds.
    PTV would set up the transmitter in exchange for a 500-square meter property in MMSU, according to the deal.
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    Speaking to reporters, PTNI general manager Katherine Chloe De Castro said that having a PTV station in the provinces would allow the public to know more about the programs of the government and what it does, especially in times of disasters.
    With the station, De Castro said government information dissemination would be enhanced, calling it “timely,” especially with the transition from President Rodrigo Duterte and his successor, Marcos Jr., who hails from Ilocos Norte.
    The transmitter station would also become a training ground for university students enrolled in BA in Communication, BS in Development Communication, and BS in Electronics and Communications Engineering, among others, according to MMSU president Dr. Shirley Agrupis.

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DILG: Local absentee voting system set for gov’t workers, media

By Pamela Mariz T. Geminiano

BAGUIO CITY— The Dept. of Interior and Local Government Cordillera urged  all government officials, employees and  media who would not be able to vote in the actual May 9, 2022 polls to file their applications for local absentee voting (LAV).
    DILG Cordillera regional director Araceli San Jose said DILG Sec. Eduardo Año, in a directive, urged all provincial governors, city and municipal mayors and the Department's attached agencies to support and ensure the effective implementation of the Commission on Elections' LAV system, and other initiatives.
    “We encourage all of our officials and employees assigned outside their jurisdictions to exercise their right to vote via LAV on any day from April 27 to 29, 2022, beginning at 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.," she said.
    She said LAV may be used by government officials and employees, including Armed Forces of the Philippines personnel and the Philippine National Police, media practitioners who are duly registered voters.
    Government employees, may submit their application forms to their heads of offices/supervisors/commanders/officers next-in-rank.
    RD San Jose also said that under LAV, voters are allowed to vote for national positions; such as president, vice president, senators and party-list Representatives, in places where they are not registered voters but where they are temporarily assigned to perform election duties on election day, or in case of media, those who will not be able to vote due to the performance of their functions in covering and reporting on the elections.
    Adding, “Government officials and employees who will be posted abroad to perform election duties on election day may also avail of the said system.”
    The LAV will use manual voting, counting, and canvassing system. 
    LAV is a voting system in which any person who, due to public functions and duties, is not in his/her place of registration on election day may vote in the city/municipality where he/she is assigned on election day if he/she is a duly registered voter.
    Meanwhile, according to Comelec resolution 10725, individuals who like to be part of the LAV must file their duly accomplished forms (LAV Form 1 and LAV Form 2) not later than March 7, 2022.

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Groups hit Cordillera execs’ 'tokhang' plan vs ‘leftists’

Media taken out from list this time 

BAGUIO CITY – Cause-oriented organizations denounced a proposal of top officials in the Cordillera to  revive a proposal to use "tokhang" tactics used in the government's "war on drugs" against activists and rights workers.
    The proposal, which would have barangay officials talk to supposed leftists to convince them to not be leftists anymore, was raised earlier this year but stopped over criticism that it would be open to abuse.
    Neither being a leftist or even a communist are actual crimes in the Philippines.
    “Tokhang” by name or not, ‘Dumanon Makitungtong’ strategy only opens more floodgates for waves of intensified rights violations and extrajudicial killings against activists, as it did in the Duterte administration’s bloody campaign against drugs,” said Jeoffrey Mhar Larua, secretary-general of Tongtongan ti umili Cordillera Peoples Alliance.
    “Already, we have documented numerous accounts from activists, community leaders, and organizations who have been subjected to such visitations by the military and the police. The visits were laden with threats and intimidation, attempts of coercion, and is tantamount to the violation of the civil and political rights of these individuals and communities,” he said in a statement. 
    “These cases, along with the latest Tokhang edict, concretize the fact that there is no truth to Mayor Benjamin Magalong’s claim that “activists are safe” in the city, and as chairperson of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC), he will be an accessory to countless rights violations waiting to happen. To equate left ideals and principles to being communist fronts is inaccurate and will not solve the country’s decades-long insurgency problem. 
    “We reiterate, Tongtongan, and its affiliate organizations are legal, legitimate, and democratic organizations. We are not terrorist organizations or recruiters for revolutionary armed groups, as opposed to what state security forces make us out to be. 
    “If the mayor would be true to his word on the safety of his activist constituents, we urge him as chairperson of the RPOC to strike down this absurd resolution endorsing a crackdown versus dissent.”
    The RPOC passed a resolution recently adapting the “Dumanun Makitungtong” (Seek and Talk) strategy against alleged "known members of left-leaning organizations."
    The government equates being left-leaning as support for and membership in the Communist Party of the Philippines and New People's Army.
    An assertion that is inaccurate and has been used to justify what activists called a crackdown on legitimate and legal organizations.
    Cordillera Regional Law Enforcement Coordinating Council (CRLECC) Number 06, Series of 2021, or "A resolution enjoining the members of the law enforcement agencies together with the representatives of local government units (LGUs), religious sector, and NGOs to conduct 'Dumanun Makitungtong' strategy to known members of Communist Front Organizations (CFOs)" was adopted during the third quarter CRLECC meeting in Baguio City.
    The strategy includes house visits to members of supposed front organizations to persuade them to stop dealing with or supporting the CPP-NPA-National Democratic Front in the region. 
    Araceli San Jose, OIC-regional director of Dept. of the Interior and Local Government, who heads secretariat of Cordillera Regional Peace and Order Council, said the strategy "is in support of the priority thrust of President Rodrigo Duterte in addressing the insurgency."
    The CRPOC urged the Provincial and Highly Urbanized City Peace and Order Councils to adopt the RLECC resolution and strategy and to have their component Local Peace and Order Councils also adopt the strategy.
    A petition against a similar proposal was filed in February over fears of political repression.
    The Baguio City court where the petition was filed declined to issue a Temporary Restraining Order.
    Police Brig. Gen. RWin Pagkalinawan, regional director at that time but who has since retired, said the proposal "was not a bloodthirsty campaign, but the same strategy of visiting or actually knocking on homes of left-leaning personalities (including the media and government personnel) around the villages and making a plea to shun support for the CPP-NPA-NDF."
    The new resolution does not include media as targets of the "tokhang"-type campaign.
    Police Brig. Gen. Ronald Lee, the new regional director and a former chief of the Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group that primarily implemented the "tokhang" campaign, has been silent on the proposal.

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Dar to gov’t info officers: Inform public on gov’t programs, no sugarcoat

GOV'T COMMUNICATORS -- Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) and Dept. of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar on Aug. 25, said government information officers play a role in properly informing the public of various government programs, projects, and activities, especially during the pandemic. Dar was in Baguio City for the third quarter meeting of the Strategic Communications cluster of the Regional Task Force to End the Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC). (Screenshot of the meeting) 

By Liza Agoot  

BAGUIO CITY – Agriculture Secretary William Dar said government information officers play a role in properly informing the public of government programs, projects, and activities, especially during the pandemic.
    “As we continue to live in the realities and challenges today, I encourage you to continue promoting a positive public image of the government, not to sugarcoat, promote what is right and proper, the good over the bad, as we also provide enabling patterns for a harmonious relationship with the local media outlets and the general public as well,” Dar told government information officers in the Cordillera during the third quarter meeting of the Strategic Communications (StratCom) cluster of the Regional Task Force to End the Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC) here recently.
    Dar, who is also the Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) for the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), encouraged government information officers to maximize their learnings and experiences in the implementation of different programs and projects.
    “Aside from disseminating the correct information, capture the lessons learned, good practices and innovations which we can share to others for their consumption and possible adoption as applicable in the respective programs and projects,” he added.
    The DA Secretary recognized the relevant role of the government information officers amid the Covid-19 pandemic and urged them to continue to play the role of an important partner in bringing truthful and relevant information in the region.
    “Having the right information at the right path enables the stakeholders to make a sound decision,” he said.
    The third quarter meeting of the RTF-ELCAC StratCom cluster has a theme “Strengthening government communications toward resiliency and recovery”, which Dar said is very relevant considering the developments that the nation is facing not only in the agriculture sector.
    He lauded the DA-Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) in Cordillera for being the number 1 among the 12 other areas in the country in terms of production and releasing of timely and accurate press releases about the program’s initiatives.
    The SAAD is a special program designed to address the unique development concerns of marginalized communities, bringing livelihood to the people in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas and the ELCAC barangays in the region.
    The agriculture chief said that seeing the need to drum up the communication plan to inform the public about the government’s program, the DA expanded its key strategies to 18 by adding the communication strategy.
    “We aim to pursue comprehensive and proactive communication strategies to strengthen awareness among stakeholders, partners, and the public,” he said. -- PNA

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Magalong: No sugar- coating in Baguio Covid-19 reporting

BAGUIO CITY — Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong said the local government is providing factual information regarding the Covid situation in the city.
    Magalong said no “sugar-coating” was done as truthfulness is vital in informing residents about the situation, especially since it concerns public health.
    “We don’t lie to you. The worst thing that a local chief executive can do is to lie to his constituents and tell them that the situation is OK when it is not,” Magalong said.
    He said people deserve to know the truth and telling them the true situation would make them more conscious of their health and do something to protect themselves.
    Magalong clarified that there was never an intention to sow fear.
    “Just the facts straight up, no alterations so nobody gets misled,” he said.
    As this developed, Magalong issued Executive Order 89, prohibiting minors from going out of their homes.
    The age-based home restriction will be in effect beginning today until Aug. 29.
    The restriction came after the city recorded 164 confirmed COVID cases involving minors from Aug. 1 to 20.
    Minors are exempted from the restriction when going to recreational or leisure activities in areas where ventilation is good.
    They are also allowed to go out if they need to attend to important matters that require physical appearance such as medical appointments and emergencies.
 
 
 
 
 

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PCOO kicks off FOI campaign in Benguet as Phl ‘pilot area’

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet --The Presidential Communications Operations Office through the Freedom of Information Program Management Office started the barangay FOI  campaign at the  Benguet Provincial Capitol  here on June 28. 
    PCOO Undersecretary and FOI program director Kristian Ablan and Asec  Marie Rafael led launching with  an FOI orientation among stakeholders and   turnover  of Barangay FOI Kiosk and  information materials to Gov. Melchor Diclas with Board Members Fernando Balaodan and Jeston Balong-angey.  
    The Barangay FOI Kiosk signifies the local government unit is a partner of transparency and accountability.
    Ablan said this year, the awareness campaign on the FOI was intensified through the barangay FOI program with Benguet as pilot area.
    “This year 2021, our office has intensified the awareness campaign on the FOI as the citizens are the primary consumers of information. We are bringing you the FOI as a transparency initiative of the government,” Ablan said.
    President Rodrigo Duterte  signed executive order 2 or the EO on FOI in July 2016 to provide full public disclosure of all government records involving public interest, provided that it shall not put into jeopardy privacy and matters of national security.  With this, the public could access  information from  government.
    As Filipino citizens, we have the constitutional right to ask information from the government, Ablan said as he enjoined the participants from the different sectors and municipalities to be part of the growing community of transparency and accountability seekers.
    Balaodan also presented the salient features of the FOI ordinance of Benguet and encouraged the public to access the FOI  program  for the  information they  need.
    Rafael commended the province of Benguet for being the second province in the country to pass its own FOI ordinance in 2018.
    “In behalf of Secretary Martin Andanar and the PCOO, we commend the provincial government of Benguet for passing provincial ordinance No. 88234 and we encourage the local government units of Benguet to pass their FOI ordinances and register with the e-FOI Portal and partner with us. Having an FOI ordinance translate to a transparent local government which increases a degree of trust to our constituents,” Rafael said.
    Diclas thanked the PCOO for conducting the FOI orientation to Benguet stakeholders. He said  the provincial government is promoting transparency and accountability  by allowing the public to access information  through FOI and through traditional and social media.
    The governor encouraged FOI participants to inform other people in their barangays about the FOI program so more people will access information that they need from the government. -- PIA Cordillera

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NL photojourn gets Covid; dies

BAGUIO CITY— Another journalist in Northern Luzon succumbed to Covid-19 Tuesday morning.
    Cesar Reyes, 61, a photojournalist for the People's Journal, died Tuesday morning here at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center, where he had been confined since May 19. 
    Reyes tested positive for Covid-19 on May 18 after two weeks of having difficulty in breathing and a fever.
    He was brought to the BGH's Covid-19 isolation facility and three days later moved to the BGH Intensive Care Unit (ICU) because of very low oxygen levels.  
    He had been comatose since then.
    On Tuesday morning, his heart stopped beating. Medical personnel managed to revive him two times but he eventually died.
    Cesar — Cez to his colleagues — was a member of the board of the Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club Inc. (BCBC),  the longest running media club north of Manila and was a member of the National Press Club.
    He also once headed the Cordillera PNP Press Corps and was also affiliated with the Baguio Media Shooters' Association, Inc.
    Reyes, born on Sept. 2, 1959 in San Fabian, Pangasinan, is survived by his wife Isabelita and three children.
Reyes' demise from Covid-19 came after Philippine Star Cagayan correspondent Raymund Catindig also succumbed to Covid-19 towards the end of April in Ilagan City, Isabela.

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Reporter Raymund Catindig writes 30

NORTHERN LUZON-based news reporter Raymund Catindig, 56 died morning of April 29 due to Covid-19.
    “The Philippine Star lost to Covid-19 our Isabela-based correspondent Raymund Catindig. He covered Northern Luzon. Raymund was our most prolific and diligent one,” said Philippine Star columnist Marichu Villanueva in a Facebook post.
    Catindig, who studied Mass Communication at Far Eastern University,  was writing news articles even just before his death.
    He also wrote for the Northern Philippine Times articles on crime, politics, environment among others.
    He suffered a heart attack some years ago.

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Baguio media club helps colleagues hit by pandemic

BAGUIO CITY -- The Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club Incorporated (BCBC) been at the forefront in helping members badly hit by the worldwide pandemic. 

The BCBC is grateful for the aid in cash and in kind given by donors and supporters of the free media in the community which has enabled to the media club to aid the men and women in the frontlines delivering the news in this time when the truth has to be told. 

BCBC partner newspapers, television stations, cable companies as well as radio stations have been working to bring the city the latest news, all day, every day, in these times where the need for information is great.

Cash sponsorships have totaled P239,000 on the process of being distributed as a first wave of cash aid and to bankroll an insurance for members in partnership with the Philippine Red Cross. 

The BCBC membership stands close to 300 represented by its active members comprising the media men and women in television, radio and print media, who have not wavered to the call to serve the public despite the threat of infection. 

Cash donors have responded to the call of the BCBC to give aid for members as well as prepare for the urgent emergency needs each may face in the this time of crisis, establishing an emergency fund on standby for members to access in case Covid 19 befalls. 

Benguet caretaker Eric Go Yap of ACT CIS led the group of donors with telecommunication giant, SMART, Mountain Province Rep. Maximo Dalog Jr, Baguio Water District, Dept. of Agriculture, ACT CIS party list Rep. Nina Taduran and Baguio Entrepreneurs Credit Coop., Erickson Felipe and Brandy Abeya. 

Donations in kind which comprise weekly food packs and care kits distributed to members since start of the Luzon wide Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ)  has been led by Baguio Representative Mark Go, Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong, Baguio City Administrator Boni Dela Pena, Peter and Jeff Ng of Hotel Supreme and Fil-Chinese Chamber of Commerce Baguio-Benguet Chapter, Assistant Secretary Marie Rafael of the Presidential Communications Operations Office, Philippine Information Agency (PIA)  Cordillera, Agot Balanoy of the League of Associations in La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post (LTVTP) Inc., BARP Foundation, Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan, the Baguio City Health Office, the Baguio City hall Public Information Office, Bayanihan Cordillera, Dean Cuanso of WatWat World,

The Baguio Benguet Electric Cooperative, Peter Go of the Lions Club International, former Mayor Mauricio Domogan, Ryan Mangusan, La Trinidad Councilor Nestor Fongwan Jr.,  Narda’s Weaving, John Height and Team Lakay  and City General Services Office.

Aid has been given to colleagues most in need which the media club has serviced for close to two months in terms of cash, food and personal protective equipment. 

Each week, the BCBC distributes food packs to members and non-members comprised to rice and vegetables dividing whatever contributions to the general membership in a bid to augment personal needs of each member in the wake of the pandemic.

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Kibungan crafts law to allow folks check projs

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- The local government of Kibungan crafted its Freedom of Information (FOI) measure in recognition of the importance of the people’s right to government information and check government projects.

Guided by President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order No. 2 operationalizing people’s constitutional right to information and the state policies to full public disclosure and transparency in the public service,the LGU passed its own FOI operationalization through Municipal Ordinance Number 92 series of 2019.

Under the FOI, information that could be accessed are official records, public records and documents and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions or decisions as well as government research data as basis for policy development.

However, access to information shall be denied if the information requested falls under the inventory of FOI exceptions. 

The measure also underscores set of procedures to follow in the filing and processing of requests such as  written request to concerned office, provision of reasonable assistance of public official receiving the request, tracing of status of requests through a system,   and if granted a notification to the requesting party.

While providing access to information, public records and official records, the LGU’s FOI measure ensures the full protection to individual’s right to privacy consistent with the Data Privacy Act of 2012. It also provides local mechanism for its offices where the people’s right to information is respected and upheld.

The offices of the Mayor and the Vice Mayor are designated as FOI offices tasked to oversee the implementation of the ordinance. (JDP/SCA-PIA-CAR, Benguet)

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DepEd Benguet trains mentors on journalism

By Augustin A. Dao-anis

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- To equip elementary teachers with skills in coaching and mentoring pupils on campus journalism, the Benguet Schools Division Office held campus journalism training for 70 new school paper advisers here at the Cordillera Regional Science High School here May 22-24.

In her inspirational message, curriculum instruction division chief Rizalyn A. Guznian urged participants to learn as much as they can to be effective and efficient school paper advisers.

“I hope that after this seminar you will come up with your school paper in your own respective school,” she added.

Macarthy B. Malanes, education program supervisor for Filipino, mentioned said participants held workshops on news writing, sports writing, editorial writing, photojournalism, editorial cartooning, feature writing, column writing, copyreading and headline writing, science writing, and layouting.

EPS for English Francis F. Peckley said participants needed to undergo intensive training on basics of campus journalism because they were first-time school paper advisers.

Some participants still needed to establish their own school paper.

He said a few schools have not yet established their school publications. thus pupils who were interested in journalism could not join division schools press conference because school paper is the main qualification.

Participants said they were thankful for the training because they learned campus journalism from experienced school paper advisers who served as resource speakers and facilitators.

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Steer a president

LETTERS FROM THE AGNO

March L. Fianza

A wild guess that could be true, the reason why the countryside does not seem to move on is because local issues are hidden away from the President by people who are supposed to connect him with the communities.

As President, he should be provided with information about local issues confronting certain communities by any means available so that he is not put on the spot and be called as a president who is not knowledgeable about problems surrounding his administration.

The best and simplest manner of informing or misinforming a president is through media networks – via newsprint, radio, television and social media. If his people under him take all of these away from the President, you know what happens next.

Take the case of Boracay. If its cesspool condition did not catch the attention of President Duterte, I am sure the open drainages could still be polluting the island’s waters until now.

 That also means, Boracay’s environment problem was never mentioned to then President Noynoy. Otherwise, if he knew it, he could have ordered the island’s closure and clean-up, just like Duterte did.

            Who else can open up a crucial local problem with the President other than his cabinet, his advisers, consultants and people under the office of the Presidential Management Staff?

Another case is President Duterte’s drug war. The Philippines has around 689,251 elected government officials including 18,083 national and local positions from the President down to the last councilor of a city or municipality.

There are 41,948 barangay chairpersons with an equal number of SK chairpersons; and 293,636 barangay councilors with an equal number of SK councilors.

Of these figures consisting of public officials, the President said a percentage of them are directly or indirectly linked with drugs, either as members of a syndicate, drug pushers or merely users.

The President could not have simply guessed the percentage or number of elected officials or the identity of narco-politicians benefiting from the drug trade. Certainly, he was informed by people close to him.

The situations above are brought to light to demonstrate the relationship of a president with the media. The argument then comes following situations where the President happens to meet locally-based members of the media.

              In the past, prior to Tita Cory’s reign, the President’s men or whoever was in charge sets schedules for interview with the press, radio and television outfits. In addition, the secretary or minister of information doles out news releases to media outfit representatives.

The situation for the local press changed after a spat between the late Louis Beltran and then revolutionary president Tita Cory.

From that time, all questions had to pass through a team under the president’s communications group that will sanitize the questions to be asked to make sure that the President is not embarrassed on the spot.

That is still alright. But for a Malacanang team to provide members of the local press the questions to be asked in a press conference arranged for the President of the republic is going beyond an honest to goodness process of gathering truthful information. It is a “moro-moro” press conference to make the President look good.

Protecting the president from embarrassment by telling the media about what to ask is not moving a community forward. That is hiding the real issues about a local community from the President. 

That style of setting up press conferences with the President is usually arranged through the concerned regional line agencies. But, the situation of government workers below the hierarchy ladder is understandable. They have to comply.

But there are plenty of available means that the President’s men can employ so that a pre-arranged press conference ends up with both sides happy and satisfied. The President’s men through their people in the line agencies will have to spend extra effort to diagnose local problems.

Submit the issues to the boss in Malacanang, and certainly with that, the President with his very wild imagination, has a solution and an answer in his mind to any media question.

I admire President Fidel Ramos when it comes to meeting the local press. The questions are not collected prior to the conference, especially when it is an abrupt meeting.

He does not get embarrassed with unfamiliar questions asked because he simply tries to answer to the best of his knowledge after a minute of briefing.  

For Duterte, it appears like he does not know what his people below him are doing when it comes to arranging town meetings and press conferences. The style of moro-moro and sanitized questions in local press conferences is passé.  

This must change. And change must start from people around Duterte, including us. If they cannot change their style then they must at least allow the President to change them, including the information secretary.

There is no point staying in their highly-paid jobs if they cannot satisfy the communities that they are supposed to connect with the President.

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Ilokano scribes meet in Apayao

By Freddie Lazaro

LUNA, Apayao – At least 200 Ilokano writers and journalists in the country and from abroad are attending the 51st annual convention of the Gumil Filipinas, the Ilocano Writers Association in the Philippines and Overseas, at the Apayao Eco-Tourism and Sports Complex here.

The two-day convention, and language and literary seminar workshop. dubbed as Dap-ayan 2019, ended April 28.

“Our GUMIL Filipinas annual convention is our commitment in connection to the observance of the National Literature Month as mandated by the Presidential Proclamation No. 968 issued in 2015,” Vilmer Viloria, Gumil president, said.

“Gumil Filipinas had always been supportive to the observance to the National Literature Month lead by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF), both headed by Virgilio S. Almario, and the the National Book Development Board (NBDB) chaired Flor Marie Santa Romana-Cruz,” Viloria said.

Among the prominent Ilokano literary writers and journalists honed and discovered by the Gumil Filipinas are Bannawag managing editor Cles Rambaud, multi-awarded writers/journalists Honor Cabie Blanco, Dionisio Bulong, Johnny Hidalgo, Linda Lingbaoan, Reynaldo Duque and Godofredo Reyes.

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5-K campus journalists told: Know truth from falsehood

By Merlina Hernando-Malipot

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – Amid the prevalence of fake news, Education Secretary Leonor Briones urged campus journalists to enhance their skills to discern journalism from propaganda to be able to tell the “difference between truth and falsehood.”

Briones, during the opening ceremony of the 2019 National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) held at Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center Grandstand underscored that enhancing their skills to be able to discern journalism from propaganda is one of the many lessons that campus journalists may get from the event.

“How can you discern propaganda vis-à-vis professional, competent journalism?” Briones asked the campus journalists coming from both public and private schools nationwide. “Now, it is very hard to tell the difference between truth and falsehood, between manufactured news and real news – so you always have to seek the truth,” Briones urged.

With the theme, “Fostering 21st Century Skills and Character-based Education through Campus Journalism,” the 2019 NSPC was held from January 28 to February 1. The annual activity aims to “equip and provide students with knowledge, skills, and experience in campus journalism.”

Braving hours of land travel, around 5,000 students across all regions gathered for this year’s NSPC.

DepEd Bureau of Curriculum Development Director Jocelyn Andaya said that the event was successful despite minor snags. “I think it’s successful based on how the region and the division prepared for it,” she explained. “There were very minor concerns but there were also many positive feedbacks in the opening ceremony, the accommodation afforded to all the delegation and how the helpful and accommodating the principals in the billeting schools are – I think this is the hallmark of a successful hosting of the NSPC,” she added.

In 2018, Briones promised the student journalists that the registration fee will be waived because the Central Office will pay it. “But because of the reenacted budget, the participants were made to pay it first and later on, we will reimburse [it to them] once the 2019 budget has been approved,” Andaya said.

She added that “many of the regions took the initiative of paying for the entire region so it was not a problem for the student journalists” for both public and private schools.

The DepEd directed participants included in the official list of delegation to this year’s NSPC to pay for their registration fee (Php 4,000 for each participant) pending the approval of the 2019 national budget.

The said amount is chargeable to the School Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE)/local/regional Funds or the school Campus Journalism Fund. DepEd is currently operating under a reenacted budget.

Earlier, some concerns were raised that the number of participants might be reduced due to lack of budget.

However, Pangasinan 1 Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Maria Celia Fernandez said that the number of expected participants was not affected: “Sumobra pa nga.” As host, she noted that the major “concern was not really the budget but how could we prepare for it.”

For Andaya, the biggest challenge was hosting the NSPC, itself, because of the “sheer number” of participants. Fernandez said that hosting big events like this is really challenging. “It depends on how you handle it and how you use your previous experience in attending the NSPC,” she said. The local government unit, the DepEd officials added, was also involved in terms of giving support.

With regards to the contest, Andaya said the DepEd makes sure that it is “always above board” because “we would want the people, especially the parents and the students, to trust the NSPC – meaning that if you win, you win fair and square” and not because there were irregularities.

Changes, moving forward

The 2019 NSPC, Andaya said, becomes a “pilot year” for Online Publishing before it becomes mainstream in the coming years. Fernandez added that one of the major changes this year is the “centralized venue of competition” – a very first in the history of NSPC.

The exclusion of School Paper contest from the overall scoring or ranking is also implemented this year. “In the previous years, in the competition of the total scores, we have the School Paper, Individual Contests and Group contests,” Andaya explained. “There is still a contest for School Paper but there is a separate awarding and the scores there will not be counted to the overall because we want to ensure that this is the work of the students because of the input we got from advisers,” she added.

As early as now, DepEd has already identified the 2020 NSPC host which is Region 2 – Tuguegarao City. Since there is no bidding, Andaya said that the NSPC host is chosen based on the history of hosting. “It has become our practice that there should always be two hosts for Luzon, one for Visayas, and one for Mindanao – they rotate,” she said.

For the 2020 NSPC, Andaya said that a DepEd order will be out soon requiring the conduct of the Schools Press Conference first where “everyone gets to join” and the best will be “plucked out for the division and regional.”

Andaya said that DepEd will also be looking forward to more articles on Developmental Communication (DevCom) or something that has community relevance “so the school paper will not just be about the school but will also be about the community so they [learners] will be aware that they are part of this community.”

Moving forward, Andaya said that there will be more changes in the conduct of the NSPC. Aside from making sure that the “budget is there,” she noted that strict policies in choosing judges will be continued. “We have to make sure that the judges are not from the regional and division press conference because somehow, there will be a bias – we want to eliminate this to make sure that the integrity of the contest is observed,” she said.

Meanwhile, Andaya noted that initial preparations for the centenary or 100 years of the NSPC in 2021 are also being discussed.

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Cordillera gov't info officers tackle good info dissemination

By Pamela Mariz Geminiano

BAGUIO CITY -- Over a hundred government information officers (IOs) from various government line agencies in Cordillera are attending a two-day workshop here to further hone their skills and increase their knowledge in disseminating government programs to the public.

Titled “Capacity Building for Government Information Officers,” the workshop, from Nov. 27 to 28, was organized by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in partnership with the Association of Government Information Officers in the Cordillera and the Department of Energy.

“This event aims to equip you with knowledge and skills to capture developmental activities in your respective agencies or local government units (LGUs) and relay the same to the public through the private media,” PIA-Cordillera Regional Director Helen Tibaldo said at the start of the activity.

At the end of the two-day seminar workshop, the 107 participants are expected to have strengthened their network with media, to improve communication services, and become effective development communicators using various media, from traditional and indigenous to new media.

The participating information officers came from local governments of Apayao, Kalinga, Abra, Mountain Province, Benguet, Ifugao, and Baguio City, as well as the national line agencies in the region.

Tibaldo said IOs play an important role in circulating what the government is doing, particularly in far-flung communities rarely visited by the media.

“Our clients are the public and we can reach them through the use of traditional media, new media, aside from indigenous media, or simply “tongtongan” (face to face conversation)," Tibaldo said.

She also mentioned the importance of government IOs having a good interpersonal relationship with the private media.

“Our aim is to mainstream the stories from our respective agencies and local governments for wider dissemination,” Tibaldo said.

Jane Cadalig, Baguio Midland Courier Assistant Editor, emphasized the importance of the IOs' role. “You know better what is happening in your places. If you give us press releases, provide us the complete details and other information that you want the public to know,” she said, adding that the private media appreciate stories other than signing of memorandum of agreements, ribbon cutting, and the like.

“We appreciate it if you can also write about the volunteerism of the people in your community, the good practices, which are worth telling the public,” including tourist attractions in their towns, she said.

Among the topics set to be tackled in the workshop are fuels and alternative sources of energy, photography or video post-production using a smart phone, social media, use of infographics, HIV/AIDS, disaster risk reduction, climate change, and federalism. --  PNA

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