U.P. Diliman: Remembering 32 journalists killed in Maguindanao

By Chanda Shahani

Last August 23, 2013, Cyd Godinez and I went ot to the College of Mass Communication at U.P. Diliman to attend the commemoration of the November 23, 2009 massacre in Maguindanao where some 32 journalists died, out of a total of 58 victims.

On hand were the faculty and students of the College of Mass Communication, headed by CMC Dean Roland Tolentino. There were some talks, and then candles were lit to commemorate the victims. 

Coming before the August 26, 2013 million person march to Quirino Grandstand to protest the existence of the priority development assistance fund (PDAF) or pork barrel resulting in losses of at least PhP 10 billion to the Filipino people; Dean Tolentino and fellow CMC professor, Danilo Arao, collectively made the point that PDAF was an egregious instance of the misuse of government resources towards unethical ends. On the other hand, the machinery of the local government: local police, personnel, even a backhoe were used to massacre 32 journalists and other people. These assets employed were paid for with the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) of the local government units (LGUs).

In other words, even IRAs are subject to abuse, and even IRAs, PDAFs should be looked into and be subjected to oversight and inspection so that abuses of such horrendous proportions can never be repeated again.

In both instances - that of the PDAF and that of the Maguindanao massacre - presidential patronage allowed actors to act with impunity. In the case of the Ampatuans, who delivered valuable votes to former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in Maguindanao, and are still seen as political assets to the President benigno S. Aquino III, the trial seems to drag on with an ever elusive sense of justice for the families and friends of those who died in Maguindanao. 

Dean Tolentino called for the abolition of the Presidential and Congressional pork barrel.He urged those who attended the commemoration of the murder of 58 people, to attend the million person march towards Quirino Grandstand and other points of Metro Manila and throughout the Philippines to march with the PDAF in mind, and the Maguindanao massacre in mind.

"Makibaka tayo at huwag tayong matakot," Dean Tolentino reminded his audience.

At issue regarding the IRAs, it turns out is that the IRAs reflect the same kind of greed for resources and power that are reflected in the presidential and congressional pork barrels, said Danilo Arao, a professor of journalism at the CMC.

Arao also urged journalism students to stick to the time honored University of the Philippines ideals of honor and excellence as part of their public service as working journalists; which included letting concealed information come out to be scrutinized by the public. 

He also said that other issues that need to be kept on the front burner through activism were:

• Justice for the Maguindanao massacre victims and other victims of extra judicial killings.
• The retention of freedom of speech.
• Stop the killing of journalists

Arao said that the high survey satisfaction ratings of President Benigno S. Aquino III were not an excuse to collectively make the public's heads spin with distorted information related to PDAF ore pork barrel, which he said might simply be given a new name.

UP CMC calls for abolition of pork barrel, investigation of corruption, arrest of plunderers

N.B. – This is the official statement of the UP College of Mass Communication on the pork barrel issue, signed by 29 faculty members and 14 staff led by Dean Roland Tolentino and former deans Luis Teodoro and Georgina Encanto.

Statement of the University of the Philippines
College of Mass Communication
August 23, 2013

THE FACULTY, students and staff of the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication (UP CMC) will join the people’s assembly and march at the Luneta on Monday, August 26 to express our collective outrage. We demand the abolition of the pork barrel system; the immediate arrest of, and the filing of appropriate charges of plunder and other high crimes against those involved in the P10-billion pork barrel scam from both the private and public sector; and a thorough and non-partisan investigation into the entire system of which the scam is only a small part of the estimated P250 billion lost to corruption in the public sector.

Together with the rest of the Filipino people, UP and its constituents, as well as the other state universities and colleges, are among the victims of the corruption that has metastasized throughout officialdom as well as the private sector. While our budgets are being reduced to the detriment of our mandates to train those among our young men and women with the most potential to serve this country and its people, billions are funnelled annually into the pockets of scoundrels and thieves both in and out of government so they may indulge their greed for fleets of luxury cars, palatial homes, and shopping binges abroad.

This is a horrendous crime for which those guilty of it should be penalized. President Benigno Aquino III should first of all forthwith cause the withdrawal from the 2014 General Appropriations Act of the P27 billion in pork barrel funds for Congress, selected agencies, and his own office the Department of Budget and Management has appropriated. He should immediately organize an investigative body credible enough to look into the extent to which not only pork barrel but also other funds have been and are being misused, while ordering the Department of Justice to file the appropriate charges of plunder against those involved in the P10-billion pork barrel scam.

President Aquino’s “bosses” have spoken. His defense of the pork barrel and his insistence on keeping the system intact despite widespread outrage and opposition of the Filipino people are unacceptable. These are completely at odds with the people’s sentiments and the objective interest in seeing to it that taxes are well-spent for the people’s own benefit rather than that of a handful of rapacious individuals whose greed knows no limit.

COLLEGE OFFICIALS
Dr. Roland B. Tolentino, Dean
Prof. Danilo A. Arao, Associate Dean
Prof. Randy Jay C. Solis, College Secretary

Dr. Georgina R. Encanto, Former Dean
Prof. Luis V. Teodoro, Former Dean

Prof. Jane O. Vinculado, Chair, Broadcast Communication Department
Prof. Lucia P. Tangi, Officer-in-Charge, Journalism Department
Prof. Patrick F. Campos, Director of Office of Extension and External Relations

FACULTY
Broadcast Communication Department
Dr. Elizabeth L. Enriquez
Dr. Perlita G. Manalili
Prof. Rosa Maria T. Feliciano
Prof. Victor C. Avecilla
Prof. Josefina C. Santos, DZUP Radio Station Manager
Prof. Fernando A. Austria, Jr.
Ms. Ma. Ivy A. Claudio

Communication Research Department
Prof. Jacques Rusanna Yves DM. Gimeno

Journalism Department
Prof. Evelyn Katigbak
Prof. Ma. Diosa Labiste
Ms. Teresa Congjuico

UP Film Institute
Prof. Shirley P. Evidente, Faculty Coordinator for Academic Programs and Research, UPFI
Prof. Eduardo J. Lejano, Jr., Faculty Coordinator for Film, Theater and Extension Services
Prof. Jose C. Gutierrez III, College Webmaster
Mr. Roy C. Iglesias

LECTURERS
Broadcast Communication Department
Prof. Melba S. Estonilo
Prof. Marinela M. Aseron
Mr. Dexter Mantes

UP Film Institute
Maria Lourdes De Guzman
Carlo Gabriel Pangilinan
Bryan Quesada

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF AND REPS
Gina Villegas
Marianita P. Cinco
Rosalita S. Burlat
Armando H. Hirao
Nemesio B. Faulan
Clarissa S. Concepcion
Raquelita Bacarra
Jacqueline Manalo
Teresita Santos
Irene Sia
Hermana Dela Paz
Ma. Christine Hernandez
Jam Tolentino
Janette Pamaylaon

CMC Student Council (composed of 13 elected student leaders)

Monico Atienza Educational Festival at CMC, U.P. Diliman

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FOUR YOUR EYES ONLY:The UPTV Online and New Programs Premiere

FOUR YOUR EYES ONLY:The UPTV Online .Friday, October 22, 2010

Time:  Friday, October 22 · 6:00pm - 11:30pm

Location: uptvonline.net

Created by: Ginoong Marjohara, Eunice Beatrice Braga, Genelie Sta Ana, Ron Rollorata, and Fritzie Rodriguez

More Info A new world will unfold right before your eyes.

Four daring new programs.

One site to watch them all.

On October 22, 2010, all address bars lead to one URL: uptvonline.net.

FOUR YOUR EYES ONLY:The UPTV Online and New Program Premiere

Feast your eyes with the latest programs of UPTV Online, the unofficial online program hosting site of the University of the Philippines-Diliman:


DISENYO

In 2035, genetically-engineered babies are the norm. But in a world where perfection is planned and carefully crafted, babies with minor defects are rejected and thrown to third world countries. Catch Gemo, a "rejected" child of two of Hollywood's top stars, and his friends as they search for contentment in a world of rejection and imperfection.


TWISTED TALES OF LOLO ISKO

Familiar characters. Not so familiar story. Fairy tales with a real world twist.


STREETSMART

Art is not confined in museums and exhibits. Art is not only for the elite and the culturati. Art is everywhere and is for everyone. Rediscover art in everyday life.


UPTV Team Special Program

(details to be announced)


Four new shows that will redefine online programming.


UPTV.

Iba. Orig. Astig.


Brought to you by the BC172 Programming Class (1st semester, AY 2010-2011) and the UPTV Online Team.

U.P. College of Mass Communication Student Council's Mass Media Awareness Month Highlights 'imMEDIAcy'

September marks the Mass Media Awareness Month (MMAM), the annual month-long celebration of the UP Diliman College of Mass Communication (UP-CMC) which aims to promote the importance of media. One of MMAM’s goals is to make people aware of the current condition of our country’s media industry, which is best represented with this year’s theme: “imMEDIAcy.” MMAM hopes to involve the members of the UP community with the media and acquaint them with its role in society through its line-up of activities.

First among them is “Retracing the Campaign Trail: Assessing Media’s Role in the 2010 National Elections.” It is a forum which seeks to assess media’s performance in the 2010 national elections and discuss the issues encountered during the election coverage. Another is the “Biga10 2010: MMAM Pop Media Debate Cup,” a series of friendly debates among CMC students about the Pinoy pop culture. Another is the “Mass Exhibition”, which are week long satellite exhibits in different colleges of the University of the Philippines – Diliman that will feature the top ten newsmakers for the first and second quarters of 2010.

The college’s departments also prepared their own activities for MMAM. The Communication Research Department will tour their students to their future employees through the field trip “Xsite,” while the Broadcast Communication Department will invite alumni working in the broadcast industry to share their experience in the forum “Balik Broad.” The Journalism Department’s “Coffee Write” will tackle the current state of UP’s student publications in different colleges, and each of the Film Department’s four student organizations will present socially relevant films in “Film Focus.”

MMAM is brought to a higher level by bringing it out of CMC through its satellite exhibits. “Mass Xhibition” will feature the top ten newsmakers of 2010’s first half, and these are week-long exhibits in the different colleges of the university throughout the whole month of September. Also, the Metro Manila Alliance of Communication Students (MMACS), composed of communication students from the big schools in the metro, will have a forum entitled “Heyday!” discussing youth empowerment through the use of media.

A “Grand Pakain” by the CMC’s Council of Representatives, composed of the college’s student organizations, will conclude the event.

imMEDIAcy: The Mass Media Awareness Month is presented by UP College of Mass Communication Student Council and UP Diliman Office for Initiative in Culture and the Arts. In cooperation with Sanuk and also brought to you by John Robert Powers.

Our official media partners – Business World, The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Media G8Way Corporation, PC World Philippines, Computerworld Philippines, ClickTheCity.com and NU 107.

For more information you can contact the CMC Student Council Hotline at 09152330441.

U.P. College of Mass Communication Dean, Faculty and Students score Media, Aquino Administration for bungled performances in Quirino Grandstand hostage taking incident

This is a press statement from concerned faculty members, students and staff from the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication (UP CMC).

Journalists and media workers should know crisis reporting,
Aquino administration must be held accountable for disorganized police

Statement from 10 faculty members, 155 students and 4 staff
from the UP College of Mass Communication led by Dean Roland Tolentino
dated August 27, 2010

As the police need to review the handling of crisis situations, it is necessary for journalists and media workers to reflect on the strengths and weaknesses in reporting the hostage-taking last August 23 which left nine dead (including the hostage-taker) and seven wounded. Even if the media’s role is to help shape public opinion, the reporting of relevant information should be also in the context of ensuring the safety of civilians.
While our friends in the media should be commended for providing up-to-date information on what transpired, some media organizations should be criticized for the same reason because they ended up giving TOO MUCH information.

Commendation, however, cannot be given to the police as it failed not only to properly coordinate with media but also to ensure the peaceful resolution of the hostage-taking. Those responsible for the failed operation should even be punished. The disarray in the police operation reflects the disorganization and chaos in the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Aquino administration.

We need to remember some basic rules in covering hostage-taking incidents. First, journalists and media workers should refrain from interviewing a hostage-taker and reporting the latter’s statements while the situation is not yet resolved. Second, broadcast news anchors and field reporters who give live reports must not engage in speculation and innuendo as they try to “kill time” during a lull  in their reportage. Third, journalists and media workers should avoid interviewing elements of the police (e.g., snipers taking aim of their target) while an operation is ongoing. Fourth, they cannot report a hostage-taker’s state of mind or mental condition while there is still a standoff because it can make the situation worse. Fifth, they should be very careful when interviewing family members or friends of a hostage-taker as their statements could either even more agitate the latter. Sixth, they cannot give a live, blow-by-blow account of actual police operations as doing so eliminates the element of surprise in ending the crisis.

In analyzing the media’s coverage of what happened last August 23, there was  information that proved to be relevant not to the public but to the hostage-taker as he became desperate and ended up killing the hostages.

That media covered live the arrest of the hostage-taker’s brother apparently did not help in resolving the situation.

It is appalling that the live coverage was done not to help the public make sense of the situation but only to milk it for all it is worth. The competition for higher ratings among broadcast stations was evident as they tried to provide “exclusive” reports, even going to the extent of interviewing another hostage-taker in 2007 who expressed no remorse in what he did. He even claimed that he did it for the country.

Just like the police, media should use the time to reflect. Journalists and media workers, after all, should not allow themselves to be held hostage by their  ignorance of ethical practice because they will end up doing a disservice to the victims and the public. And on the part of the Aquino administration, it should be resolute in resolving crisis situations affecting not only visiting tourists but also the majority of the Filipinos.

I vote for MDGS: A Citizen Journalism Workshop

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Want to learn how to tweet the way newsmen do it? Want to learn how to use everyday gadgets like your cellphones, digicams, iPod, laptops PDAs, and smartphones for citizen journalism? Want to become a certified CITIZEN JOURNALIST?

Join “I Vote for MDGs!” A Citizen Journalism Workshop” on August 21-23, 9-5pm at the UP College of Mass Communication. Open and FREE for all UP Diliman students. You don’t have to be a mass communication student to join. Even if you’re taking up Biology, Engineering, Food Technology, Political Science, European Languages or any course in Diliman, you’re welcome to join! As long as you’re an ISKO or an ISKA!

This FREE workshop will be held for 3 days and it will include discussions on journalism ethics and lectures on how to use everyday technology (digi/videocams, cellphones, laptops, mp3s) in producing stories for broadcast. A hands-on exercise will be part of the workshop, where participants will be divided into groups, will be asked to do filming and editing to create a 3-minute news story. These stories will then be screened and critiqued on the last day by Probe’s producers and UP College of Mass Communication’s faculty.

The training will focus on the basics of journalistic storytelling with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as the framework. The MDGs are 8 time-bound goals, set by member states of the United Nations which addresses global concerns such as poverty and hunger, universal education, gender equality, child health, maternal health, HIV/AIDS, environmental sustainability and global partnership between first and third world countries.

“I VOTE FOR MDGS! A CITIZEN JOURNALISM WORKSHOP” presented by UP Journalism Club in partnership with Probe Media Foundation, Inc., Probe Productions, Inc. and the United Nations.

For more information and to reserve slots: PRE-REGISTRATION IS A MUST!

- You may contact Iya Cailao at 09065005867

- Send an e-mail to upjc1011@yahoogroups.com

UPDATE

This workshop has been indefinitely postponed. To get updated on the new workshop dates, please communicate by utilizing the contact details above.