Bryanton Post: October 2006

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

An international cyber-demonstration

Freedom Watch, the institutional blog of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, carries today an urgent release from the Reporters Without Borders.

Reporters without borders urges internet users to join in 24-hour online demo against internet censorship
From: Freedom Watch
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=19459

When: 11 A.M. on 7 November to 11 A.M. on 8 November

No one should ever be prevented from posting news online or writing a blog, but they are in the 13 countries singled out by Reporters Without Borders for a 24-hour online protest against Internet censorship.

Worldwide, 61 people are currently in prison for posting "subversive" content on a blog or website. Reporters Without Borders is compiling a list of 13 countries whose governments are "Internet enemies" because they censor and block online content that criticises them. The Internet scares. Censors of every kind exploit its flaws and attack those who pin their hopes on it. Multinationals such as Yahoo! cooperate with the Chinese government in filtering the Internet and tracking down cyber-dissidents.

The defence of online free expression and the fate of bloggers in repressive countries concern everyone. So Reporters Without Borders is offering Internet users tools to campaign against Internet predators and is calling on them to participate in an INTERNATIONAL CYBER-DEMO.

Read more here.

Publishers of Mohammed cartoons acquitted; Arabs slam decision

With this court ruling, are we seeing an end to this issue? I doubt it.

DENMARK: Publishers of blasphemous cartoons acquitted
Court rules that cartoons not intended to make fun of Muslim community
Dawn
Friday, October 27, 2006

Copenhagen --- A Danish court on Thursday acquitted the bosses of the Jyllands-Posten newspaper who had been sued by Muslim groups for printing 12 cartoons of the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) in September last year.

The judge at Aarhus district court ruled the cartoons were neither offensive nor were they intended to denigrate Muslims, according to court papers.

"Even if the text accompanying the pictures could be read as being derogatory and mocking, the cartoons are not offensive," the court said.

Seven Danish Muslim groups launched legal proceedings in March against Jyllands-Posten's editor, Carsten Juste, and cultural affairs editor Flemming Rose.

They accused the paper of publishing text and cartoons which were 'offensive and insulting' to the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him).

Read more here.

Here's one report on the reaction of the Muslim community to the decision. One Muslim legislator in West Asia described the Danish verdict as an example of Islamophobia.

DENMARK: Arabs slam Danish court over decision on Prophet cartoons

Critics say decision to exonerate newspaper will only 'widen the gap between the Western and Islamic world'
Taipei Times
Saturday, October 28, 2006

Arabs on Thursday criticized a Danish court's decision to exonerate the newspaper that published the Prophet Mohammed cartoons which provoked riots across the Muslim world. Arab politicians and intellectuals said the verdict would widen the gap between Westerners and Muslims, but said mass protests were unlikely.

A court in Aarhus, Denmark, threw out a defamation suit filed by seven local Muslim groups who accused the Jyllands-Posten newspaper of publishing 12 drawings of the Prophet in order to insult him and make fun of Islam.

When the cartoons, first published in September last year, were reprinted in European newspapers in January and February, they sparked mass protests, several of which turned violent.

"This [verdict] will only widen the gap between the Western and Islamic world," said Syrian legislator Mohammed Habash, who heads the Islamic Studies Center in Damascus.

Habash said the cartoons constituted an insult to Muslims.

"The Western mentality still sees in such things a facet of freedom that should be defended. This reflects arrogance because they want to impose their way of thinking on all other nations," he added.

The court conceded that some Muslims had found the drawings offensive, but it found there was no basis to assume that "the purpose of the drawings was to present opinions that can belittle Muslims."

Jyllands-Posten's editor in chief hailed the decision as a victory for freedom of speech. The Danish Muslims who filed the suit said they would appeal.

In Jordan, where two editors were jailed for publishing the cartoons, an Islamist legislator alleged the Danish verdict was an example of Islamophobia.

Monday, October 30, 2006

What's this animal called hyperlocal journalism?

Is this the way to go for journalists in the future?

Meet the new face of hyperlocal journalism
A former NYT columnist explains how a local blog can challenge, and scoop, a local paper while making a business of small-town coverage.

By Sandeep Junnarkar

After her five-year stint as a columnist in New York Times' New Jersey section ended, Debbie Galant began to follow her father's footsteps into the world of running a small publication. While her father was a publisher of newsletters, Galant assumed his modern day incarnation--as a blogger. At first, she blogged personally but after attending a meeting about hyperlocal blogging, she says, "the idea just clicked that here is a pretty cool opportunity."

Along with a business partner, she launched Barista of Bloomfield Ave., a site that covers a small town in New Jersey. "I had name recognition and publisher blood," she says. "I thought it might be better than being a freelancer—always subject to the whims of other people."

Two years later, she has a small staff of reporters and freelancers, and a dedicated Internet server to keep pace with the site's growing readership. Galant spoke to OJR about the challenges of running a hyperlocal site, building its credibility and making a living off the publication.

MA fellowship grants for journalists

From Konrad Adenauer Asian Center for Journalism:

The Konrad Adenauer Asian Center for Journalism at the Ateneo de Manila University (ACFJ) is offering 15 fellowship grants to outstanding working journalists interested in pursuing the Master of Arts in Journalism at the Ateneo starting school year 2007-2008.

The ACFJ fellowships support the graduate studies of seasoned journalists as well as young journalists who have the potential to do excellent work and contribute to good journalism in their communities. The grants cover full tuition and costs of travel, accommodation and books, among others.

The fellowships are given to full-time staff members of a news organization in Asia. Applicants are screened on the basis of their professional and academic record, proven commitment to journalism and leadership qualities.

Fifty-nine journalists from Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Viet Nam have received a grant since the program was established in June 2003.

Ateneo's M.A. Journalism program is a cutting edge distance learning program designed for working journalists. With most of the courses conducted online, working journalists and other professionals are able to follow the program at their own pace and time, and in their own homes or workplaces. Courses in ethics, media law and reporting skills comprise the core subjects, while specialized journalism courses such as reporting about information technology and newsroom management, comprise the electives. The program has drawn journalists from many Asian countries and the courses are taught by lecturers from Asia, Australia, U.K. and the U.S.A.

Applications for the fellowship grant will be accepted until 31 October 2006.

ACFJ, a joint project of the Ateneo and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), was founded in June 2000 to promote good journalism in Asia by providing training opportunities primarily to working journalists. KAS is one of the leading political foundations of Germany while Ateneo, established in 1859 by the Jesuits, ranks among the premier universities in the Philippines.

Applications for the fellowship may be downloaded from http://acfj.ateneo.edu or requested by email at newsroom@admu.edu.ph. The ACFJ may also be contacted by phone at +63 2 926 3253 or at +63 2 426 6001 local 5215, or fax at +63 2 926 3254.

Friday, October 27, 2006

Further down we go

Well, so much for our much-vaunted press freedom.

The Paris-based press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders recently released its Worldwide Press Freedom Index 2006 report.

The Philippines, ranked 142nd out of 168 countries surveyed, was three places down with continuing murders of journalists and increased legal harassment, including by President Gloria Arroyo's husband. The Philippines, including six other countries in Asia, are in the bottom 20 in the Index and none in the top 20.

Read more here.

Thursday, October 26, 2006

They're definitely not Hale or Cueshe

Some readers of this blog ask me why I stopped posting about bands and music in general. Actually, I didn't. It's just that I wanted to highlight in this blog some of the most crucial issues facing media, especially now in these troubled times when press freedom in this country is threatened.

Bands, especially the great indie ones, are often a good reason for me to stop my continuous stream of posts on journalism. Bands like Traces of War.

I asked the band's bass guitarist, a good friend and former bandmate of mine, to tell me something how his band started. Here's Calix on how Traces of War started:

Around 2003, an emo/indie-screamo band was born within the walls of Polytechnic University of the Philippines with the creation of Tears of All by members Manuel Rederico (vox), Dave Guttierez (guitars), Junlie dela Cruz (bass) and Clark Paraiso (drums).

After some time doing indie-screamo type of music, the band members decided to do more Metal music, realizing that this genre is the music they all love.

Junlie eventually left the band due to personal reasons. In 2005, he was replaced by Calix Gualdrapa and Albert Martin (as an additional axeman).

With two new members finally complementing Tears of All's music, the band members, despite the variety of musical influences (ranging from metal, hard rock, even jazz and blues) they have, realized what type of music they should really be doing -- Metalcore type of music. The change in the music direction and the addition of two new members prompted the band to drop the name Tears of All and sport the name Traces of War.

Collectively, Traces of War members listen and are influenced by bands like Shadows Fall, Lamb of God, Unearth, Pantera, Iron Maiden, Exodus, Testament, Sodom, Children of Bodom, Megadeth, Hatebreed to name a few. Tears of All decided to name themselves Traces of War with the present Lineup with Manuel Rederico on Vocals, Dave Guttierez and Albert Martin on guitars, Calix Gualdrapa on Bass, and Clark Paraiso on Drums.

contacts:
09157414093
09162954056
09173511621

email/friendster account:
tearsofalladpr2n@yahoo.com

To hear Traces of War's demo song "Light," click here or click the link below. The Youtube video of the band came from good friend Gotheng (who I heard is also in the band. When will I hear your band, Got? hahaha.).

Click here to watch 'Light-by-Traces-of-War'

Back to posting again

Yes, I know my last post in this blog was last week's, and I have yet to post something on my recent Davao trip which I have promised to do earlier. My apologies. As soon as I am finished monitoring media coverage of various issues (such as the recent decision of the Supreme Court to junk the people's initiative) for the November 2006 issue of the PJR Reports, I'll be busy posting again. Or, as my friends from PulpCommunity would have said to me, back to my old "post-whoring" days.

Speaking of PJR Reports, the October issue has just been released this week. Expect the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) website to post the issue online soon. While waiting for it, you can read the September issue of the magazine.

"The main story in the September 2006 issue of the PJR Reports focuses on a very timely issue," the CMFR blog wrote. "How the government itself has continued in violating the people's right to information."

Veteran journalist Yvonne T. Chua wrote the main story"Keeping Secrets" in the said issue. "At the start of the Arroyo presidency," Chua wrote, "the Philippines was being held up as among the most open democracies in Southeast Asia."

"Apparently," she noted, "Not anymore."

Saying that Filipinos "has suffered major setbacks in obtaining state-held information in the past five years," Chua wrote Malacañang no less leads the government institutions that have put up barriers.

Read more of Chua's article here.

My story for the September issue reviews Bandila, the latest late-night news program of ABS-CBN. My story, "ABS-CBN performs 'act of leadership' -- but who's following?: Rallying behind Bandila, reviewed Bandila's strengths and lapses in its initial weeks of telecast.

Other articles are:
On building credible media
Lessons from the Frontlines
Eugenia D. Apostol

A columnist bashes homosexuals and gets a backlash
Not a Gay Affair
Venus L. Elumbre and Don Gil K. Carreon

How gov't routinely violates the public's right to information
Keeping Secrets
Yvonne T. Chua

TV current affairs program under the glare of the MTRCB
Censoring Documentaries
Nathan Lee

Covering conflict in Mindanao
Terror and the Press
Crysta Imperial Rara

Review
The Lebanon-Israeli war through the eyes of
CNN and BBC
Demonizing the 'Enemy'
Jamal Ashley Abbas

Why I left Puerto Princesa
Yasmin Arquiza

You can also check other sections of PJR Reports posted online -- the Speaking of Media, Monitor, Chronicle, Crisis, and Obit sections.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Buddha beads again, people

From the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines comes this October 18 alert. After the Marlene Esperat case, will Arnulfo Villanueva's case the next one solved? It's time to bring out our Buddha beads again.

Arrest warrants out against killers of Cavite journalist

A judge in Cavite province has issued last October 17 warrants of arrest for three men suspected of killing a community paper columnist in Naic, Cavite more than a year ago.

Supt. Elwin Fernandez, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection group (CIDG) in Cavite, said Judge Nerio Castigador of Branch 15 of the Naic regional trial court issued the arrest warrants for the suspects who allegedly gunned down Arnulfo Villanueva, columnist of Cavite-based Asian Star Express Balita, on February 28, 2005.

Castigador issued the warrants after the provincial prosecutor's office recommended the filing of homicide charges against the supposed gunmen, Fernandez said.

He added that he has already formed an arresting team to go after the suspects who were supposedly hiding somewhere in the province.

He then claimed that they have solved the killing of the journalist with the issuance of the warrants of arrest.

"As far as we are concerned, this case is already solved. We are now focusing on the immediate arrest of the suspects," Fernandez told reporters.

Villanueva, 43, was found dead along an irrigation road shortly after he left his house in Barangay Munting Mapino.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

"Stop the Killings" bar tour goes to Newsdesk Cafe

Newsdesk Cafe hosts the fourth leg of the Never Again: Stop the Killings Bar Tour on Tuesday, 17 October. Performing are Susan Fernandez, Gougou de Jesus, and Bagong Dugo.

Launched last September 21, the bar tour aims to reach a wider audience in calling for peace and a halt to the killing of journalists and activists. Major bands in the entertainment circuit have signed to perform in various bars in Metro Manila.

Among those who have already lent their talents are The Dawn, Sugarfree, Sandwich, Brownman Revival, The Jerks and Radioactive Sago.

Other bands are joining in the remaining 6 performances. To know the schedule text stopthekillings and send to 3940 for Smart and Talk & Text, and 2948 for Globe and
Sun subscribers.

In case you don't know where Newdesk Cafe is, it's at No. 8 Scout Madrinan St., corner Scout Tobias, Barangay South Triangle, Quezon City.

Show starts at 9:30 pm

Court orders arrest of Malaya editors and reporters

The Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility prepared this alert yesterday:

Arrest warrant out for newspaper publisher, staff

Source: Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility

Acting on libel suits filed by Jose Miguel Arroyo, husband of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, a local court issued warrants of arrest against a publisher and several of the newspaper’s staff members, as well as a former senator on 16 October in Manila.

In a resolution released early Monday (16 October), Judge Silvino Pampilo Jr. of the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 26 ordered the arrest of national Malaya publisher Amado Macasaet; editors Enrique Romualdez, Joy de los Reyes, Ma. Teresa Molina, and Minnie Advincula; reporters Ellen Tordesillas, JP Lopez and Regina Bengco; and columnist Francisco Tatad.

A bail of P10,000 (about US$200) for each of the accused was paid, according to Tordesillas, who was reinstated as a respondent after being dropped earlier in the case.

Arroyo’s complaint stemmed from a 19 May 2004 column written by Tatad, who is a former senator, accusing the presidential spouse of manipulating the 2004 presidential elections for his wife, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Malaya also published portions of Tatad’s columns in its news reports in May 2006.

Malaya’s stories alleged that First Gentleman Arroyo, with the help of military personnel and government officials, bought certificates of canvass throughout the country, especially in Mindanao. In his libel complaint, Arroyo denied the allegation and insisted that he was in Manila at the time of the elections.

In recent months, Arroyo had filed at least 10 libel suits against 43 journalists. Philippine media organizations deplored the filing of the cases, saying these were aimed at creating a “chilling effect” on the press.

Arroyo is seeking a total of P70 million (about US$1.4 million) in moral damages from the libel suits.

More than 600 journalists and 30 local and foreign media organisations, including CMFR, have supported a joint petition drafted by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines calling for the decriminalization of libel in the country. (With reports from GMANews.tv)

For a related alert, please go to: http://cmfr-phil.org/libel-8-29-06.htm

Ellen Tordesillas was initially taken out of the list of respondents, but the First Gentleman's camp decided otherwise. "I have just been informed by Malaya that I have to go to court to post bail because there’s a warrant of arrest issued for me in connection with the libel suit filed by Mike Arroyo," Ellen Tordesillas wrote in her blog yesterday. "I was already dropped from the case but Arroyo petitioned that I be re-instated. The judge approved it."

Here's the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines on this latest development:

NUJP Slams Arrest Order for Malaya Editors and Reporters

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) is dismayed at the issuance of warrants of arrest against Malaya publisher Amado Macasaet, executive editor Enrique Romualdez, editor-in-chief Joy delos Reyes, Ma. Teresa Molina, Ronnie Advincula, columnist Ellen Tordesillas and former senator Francisco Tatad.

That it comes at a time when more than 600 Filipino journalists, joined by foreign colleagues and media organizations have signed a petition calling for the decriminalization of libel and decrying the propensity of public officials and figures like Mr. Arroyo of using our outdated laws to muzzle a critical press makes it more galling.

It serves to highlight the dangers Filipino journalists face from those who seek to hide the dark deeds from which they profit from the light of media scrutiny.

Yet, at the same time, it gives us more reason to demand the passage of legislation to make the law on libel more attuned to the times and cognizant of the paramount importance of freedom of the press and the people's right to know.

We call on Congress to pass this legislation as soon as possible as part of its sworn duty to continue strengthening our still threatened democracy and freedoms.

We also challenge President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to prove her oft-declared commitment to press freedom by certifying such a measure urgent and reining in her husband, whose propensity for harassment suits against those he does not agree with can only belie her words and further erode her credibility.

Monday, October 16, 2006

Is the answer removing presumption of malice?

Saying that the "present libel law is already obsolete and out of sync with reality," Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist Neal Cruz wrote today in his column that the libel law should be "amended to remove the presumption of malice that runs counter to our Bill of Rights. "

He wrote:

"While the move to have the libel law decriminalized will remove the fear of landing in jail—which lurks at the back of the mind of every crusading journalist—I do not think that this is the right response to the penchant of onion-skinned public figures for harassing the press with libel suits. (FG Mike Arroyo is a public figure and, therefore, is a “public property” who cannot sue for libel, according to American jurisprudence). Decriminalizing libel will only make judges less conscience-stricken in deciding against journalists since the latter will not be going to jail anyway but will only be made to pay fines and damages. And therein lies the booby-trap. While a criminal case needs proof beyond reasonable doubt to convict, a civil case needs only a preponderance of evidence. And the judges will be more liberal in awarding damages to complainants—especially if they (the complainants) will share some of the amount with the judges. At least two newspapers in the United States went bankrupt because of generous damages awarded by civil courts to complainants.

"I think the meaningful response to libel-happy public figures is to amend the now obsolete libel law to make it conform to the Bill of Rights in our Constitution."

Read the whole column of Neal Cruz here.

The petition continues

The petition signing calling for the decriminalization of libel and lambasting presidential spouse Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo's libel spree against journalists continues, according to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines.

Petition signing continues -- NUJP

"Signatories to the statement calling for decriminalization of libel and an end to the libel filing spree of presidential spouse Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo against journalists have reached over 600 as of today October 14.

"Among the latest signatories to the statement are media stalwarts Philippine Daily Inquirer editor Letty Jimenez-Magsanoc, BusinessMirror editor Lourdes Molina-Fernandez, columnist Conrado de Quiros, ABC 5 news department head Ed Lingao and Newsbreak editors Glenda Gloria and Maritess Vitug.

"It is also not just journalists in Metro Manila who have signed but reporters, editors and broadcasters from various provinces, including a good number of Mindanao journalists like Carolyn Arguillas and Dodong Solis of Davao, and Visayas journalists such as Edralyn Benedicto of Cebu.

"Jose Torres, chairperson of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), said NUJP will bring the petition later to Malacañang and ask the president to certify as urgent a bill decriminalizing libel, and to the Senate and House of Representatives to urge lawmakers to file the necessary bill.

"Torres said NUJP plans to publish a primer on defamation to help journalists avoid libel suits and educate the public on the current libel law's impact on press freedom.

"The NUJP drafted the statement and spearheaded the signature campaign after a roundtable discussion where participants criticized the impact of criminal libel law on press freedom, and after research showed 43 journalists are currently facing libel suits filed by Arroyo. This is the highest number of journalists ever sued for libel by a public figure."

The Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility is a signatory to the statement.

For those who haven't read it, here is the petition and the list of signatories below:

A wanton disregard for press freedom

The law on libel exists to protect private citizens from unwarranted damage to reputation, but in the Philippines libel has been predominantly used by public officials as a tool to cow an independent press.

The most glaring example is the multiple libel cases filed by First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo against 43 reporters, columnists, editors, publishers, and even a subscription manager, of various publications.

We will not dispute the merits of the cases nor Mr. Arroyo's right to defend his honor and dignity, as he and his lawyers insist.

What we decry is his propensity to sue journalists so as to muzzle those he does not agree with and sending out a clear signal to others that they risk the same ordeal should they dare cross him.

Mr. Arroyo is, after all, no ordinary mortal. As Presidential husband, he clearly enjoys immense power and influence, not just by his status but also because he does head the Office of the First Gentleman. And many, if not most, of his deeds and pronouncements dwell in the realm of public interest.

He is, therefore, both a public figure and public official.

That he is aware of this status and has no qualms of wielding it against his perceived enemies is evident in the fact that, when he filed his latest suit against the Tulfo brothers, he gave his address as Malacañang Palace, as if to stress who he is.

The record number of cases Mr. Arroyo has filed highlight how the powerful in this benighted land regularly abuse libel laws to curtail the democratic right of the press to delve into the truth behind matters of public interest and the people's right to know.

It is also the best argument for decriminalizing an outdated law that has been used not so much to protect the innocent as to shield the guilty.

We demand that Congress immediately work to repeal the law on libel, to strike it off the book of criminal statutes, as part of its sworn duty to strengthen our badly eroded and still beleaguered democracy.

We demand that Jose Miguel Arroyo cease and desist from this clear abuse of his power and influence and squarely face the issues raised against him where they are properly addressed, in the arena of free and democratic discourse.

We pledge that neither this nor any other attempts by those in power to trample on the freedom of the press and the people's right to know shall go unchallenged.

We commit ourselves to the continued struggle to realize the true blooming of democracy in our land, when freedom of expression shall be enshrined not just in our aspirations but in practice.

Signed by:
(as of Oct. 11, 2006)

Philippine Media Organizations
1. National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP)
2. Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR)
3. Bandillo ng Palawan
4. Sorsogon Organization of News writers, Announcers and Reporters (SONAR)
5. Manila Chinese Press Club (MCPC)
6. Negros Weekly
7. Negros Daily Bulletin
8. Cobra-Ans
9. Alyansa ng mga Filipinong Mamamahayag (AFIMA)
10. Association of Responsible Media (ARM)
11. Northern Media and Information Network (NMIN)
12. Mindanao Examiner
13. Media Advocates for Reproductive Health and Empowerment (MAHRE)
14. OFW Journalism Consortium Inc.
15. Sunday Punch
16. College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP)
17. Palawan Community Media Council
18. Penn Mindanao Foundation
19. Periodico News Network
20. Periodico Caraga
21. Periodico Diwalwal
22. Periodico Banat
23. Periodico Ini
24. Periodico Norte
25. Periodico Kotawatu
26. Periodico Oriental
27. Philippine Collegian (UP’s official student publication)
28. Solidaridad (UP system-wide alliance of student publications and writers' organizations)
29. KBP Bukidnon chapter
30. Liga Journalista – Negros
31. Kodao Productions

International Organizations
1. International Federation of Journalists
2. Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance
3. Indian Media Centre (India)
4. Reporters Without Borders
5. Committee to Protect Journalists
6. Southeast Asian Press Alliance
7. Hong Kong Journalists Association
8. National Union of Journalists (India)
9. Federation of Media Employees’ Trade Unions
10. Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Individuals
1. Jose Torres Jr. (Chairperson, NUJP)
2. Rowena Paraan (Secretary-General, NUJP)
3. Nonoy Espina (Deputy Secretary-General, NUJP/inq7.net)
4. Inday Espina-Varona (Director, NUJP/Philippine Graphic Magazine)
5. Sonny E. Fernandez (Vice Chairperson, NUJP/ABC 5)
6. Elmer James Bandol (NUJP-Albay)
7. Leti Boniol (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
8. Ruben Alabastro (Inquirer)
9. Julie Aurelio (Inquirer)
10. Elvira Mata (Inquirer)
11. Adelle Geraldo (Inquirer)
12. Lorna Kalaw-Tirol (Inquirer)
13. Juan Sarmiento Jr. (Inquirer)
14. Chito de la Vega (Inquirer)
15. Stephanie Asuncion (Inquirer)
16. Jun Bandayrel (Inquirer)
17. Tina Arceo-Dumlao (Inquirer)
18. Margie Espino (Inquirer)
19. Corrie Salientes-Narisma (Inquirer)
20. Monica Feria (Inquirer)
21. Vangie Baga-Reyes (Inquirer)
22. Mylene Francisco (Inquirer)
23. Miguel Suarez (Inquirer)
24. Ted Melendres (Inquirer)
25. Jun Cinco (Inquirer)
26. A. Noel Velasco (Inquirer)
27. Abelardo Ulanday (Inquirer)
28. Rosario Garcellano (Inquirer)
29. Artemio Engracia Jr. (Inquirer)
30. Jose Ma. Nolasco (Inquirer)
31. John B. Bayarong (NUJP-Olongapo/Subic)
32. Romy Elusfa (Business Mirror)
33. Joyce Pañares (Manila Standard Today)
34. Marlon Ramos (Director, NUJP/Inquirer Southern Luzon Bureau-Laguna)
35. Carla P. Gomez (Visayan Daily Star, Bacolod City)
36. Arman Toga, editor (Negros Daily Bulletin)
37. Ire Jo V.C. Laurente (DWOM-FM, Mindoro)
38. Julie S. Alipala, (Inquirer Mindanao Bureau-Zamboanga City)
39. David Santos (ABS-CBN Zamboanga City )
40. Vicente Jaime Villafranca (Philippine Graphic magazine)
41. Ramon Acasio (Philippine Graphic magazine)
42. Lynette Ordoñez-Luna (Independent)
43. Rollie Espina, Philippine Star and Negros Press Club
44. Ma. Ester Espina (Media Advocates for Reproductive Health and Empowerment)
45. Delfin Perez (Manila Bulletin)
46. Gerry Albert Corpuz (Bulatlat.com)
47. Jofelle Tesorio (Bandillo ng Palawan/Inquirer Southern Luzon Bureau/NUJP)
48. Ansbert B. Joaquin (Director, NUJP)
49. Tony Bergonia (Inquirer)
50. Raul Marcelo (Inquirer)
51. Eric Olona (Inquirer)
52. Linda Bolido (Inquirer)
53. Chelo B. Formoso (Inquirer)
54. Fernando del Mundo (Inquirer)
55. Cenon Bibe Jr. (Inquirer)
56. Sandra Sendoyro (Inquirer)
57. Romina Austria (Inquirer)
58. Princess Daily Omilga (Inquirer)
59. Ernie Sarmiento (Inquirer)
60. Keith Bacongco (Business Mirror)
61. Jun Verzola (Northern Dispatch Weekly)
62. Delfin T. Mallari Jr. (Inquirer Southern Luzon-Quezon)
63. Dodong Solis (Radio Mindanao Networks-Davao)
64. Alexander Martin Remollino (Bulatlat Online Magazine, NUJP)
65. Dennis Maliwanag (inq7.net)
66. Ces Rodriguez (One Philippines)
67. Raffy Jimenez (Manila)
68. Ilang-Ilang Quijano (Pinoy Weekly/NUJP)
69. Noel Sales Barcelona (Pinoy Weekly/NUJP)
70. Soliman A. Santos (Pinoy Weekly, NUJP)
71. Kenneth Roland A. Guda (Pinoy Weekly/NUJP)
72. D'Jay Lazaro (Pinoy Weekly managing editor, NUJP/NCPM Executive Director)
73. Rogelio L. Ordoñez (Pinoy Weekly EIC, NUJP/NPC)
74. Bayani Abadilla (Pinoy Weekly, News Editor/NUJP/NPC)
75. Roel Pareno (Philippine Star)
76. Frencie Carreon (Zamboanga Today)
77. Carol "Rollie" Montilla (Eastern Times, Malaya, KMC Magazine)
78. Carmelito Q. Francisco (BusinessWorld-Mindanao/Mindanao Times)
79. Veronica Uy (inq7.net)
80. Thea Alberto (inq7.net)
81. Noel Godinez (Nothern Dispatch Weekly)
82. Rudy D. Liporada (Editor, Kapitbahay, San Diego, California)
83. Lito Banayo (Columnist, Malaya and Abante)
84. Aquiles Z. Zonio (Inquirer Mindanao Bureau/NUJP-General Santos City)
85. Edith Regalado
86. Iris Cecilia Gonzales (BusinessWorld)
87. Ma. Ceres P. Doyo (Inquirer)
88. Bobby Tuazon (Bulatlat.com)
89. Grace Albasin (Director, NUJP/Inquirer Mindanao Bureau)
90. Danilo A. Arao (Bulatlat.com)
91. Merpu P. Roa (Filipino Express/MindaNews)
92. Ermin Garcia Jr. (Sunday Punch)
93. Susan Palmes (NUJP-Cagayan de Oro)
94. Rommel G. Rebolido (Director, NUJP)
95. Artemio A. Dumlao (Director, NUJP/Philippine Star)
96. Raymond Panaligan (freelance photographer)
97. Ellen Tordesillas (Malaya)
98. Hadrian Hernandez (Gulf News, UAE)
99. Carlos Isagani T. Zarate (Columnist, Kris-Crossing Mindanao, Inquirer)
100. Edwin C. Mercurio (Philippine Press Club-Ontario, Canada)
101. Ninotchka Rosca (Novelist/journalist)
102. Michael Sarcauga (NUJP-Pagadian)
103. Ma. Diosa Labiste (Director, NUJP/community journalist)
104. Nestor Burgos Jr. (Director, NUJP/Inquirer Visayas Bureau)
105. Michael L. Ubac (Inquirer)
106. Ronnel Domingo (Inquirer)
107. Tarra Quismundo (Inquirer)
108. Philip Cesar Tubeza (Inquirer)
109. Marinel R. Cruz (Inquirer)
110. Kathryn L. Reyes (Inquirer)
111. Pamela Samia (Inquirer)
112. Robert Jaworski Abaño (Inquirer Northern Luzon Bureau)
113. Vincent Cabreza (Inquirer Northern Luzon Bureau)
114. Desiree Caluza (Inquirer Northern Luzon Bureau)
115. Jonathan Cellona (photojournalist, BusinessWorld)
116. Voltaire F. Domingo
117. Paul M. Gutierrez (Journal Group)
118. Gerry Kaimo
119. Gene de Loyola
120. Joel Salud (freelance writer)
121. Edralyn Benedicto (Inquirer Visayas Bureau)
122. Cheryll Fiel (Davao Today/NUJP)
123. Grace Uddin (Davao Today/NUJP)
124. Pam Pastor (Inquirer)
125. Psyche Mendoza
126. Gil Nartea (Philippine Center for Photojournalism)
127. Butch Hilario (freelance journalist)
128. Armando Malay Jr.
129. Ares P. Gutierrez (Al Nisr Media-Dubai/Gulf News)
130. Carlos H. Conde
131. Alexander T. Magno (Manila)
132. Ricky Carandang (ANC)
133. Allan M. Mediante (Mindanao Trustee, Philippine Press Institute/Mindanao Gold Star Daily)
134. Jun Galias (NUJP-Sorsogon)
135. Manny Lucila (SONAR)
136. Bobby Q. Labalan (Director, NUJP/Inquirer Southern Luzon Bureau/NUJP)
137. Jose F. Lacaba
138. Jun Godoy (NUJP-Ozamiz City)
139. Aubrey SC Makilan (Bulatlat.com/Silangan Shimbun)
140. Tony Abejo (Malindang Tribune/ NUJP-Misamis Occidental)
141. Florfina Marcelino (The Philippine Times, Winnepeg, Canada)
142. Erwin Oliva (inq7.net/cyberbaguioboy.com.ph)
143. Armin Adina (Inquirer Libre)
144. Ritchie Sabado (Inquirer Libre)
145. Bayani San Diego (Inquirer)
146. Cora Lucas (Inquirer)
147. Heraldo "Boy" Cabrido (Inquirer)
148. Raffy Lerma (Inquirer)
149. Grace Pagulayan (Inquirer)
150. Dennis Eroa (Inquirer Libre)
151. Rommel Lalata (Inquirer Libre)
152. John Nery (Inquirer)
153. Ariel Dim. Borlongan (Balita)
154. Rorie Fajardo (Manila)
155. Darwin Wee (BusinessWorld)
156. Leila Vicente (ABS-CBN Zamboanga)
157. Raul Valino (Philippine Graphic at Business Mirror)
158. Sonia M. Capio (Womantouch Media)
159. Allen V. Estabillo (MindaNews)
160. Al Alegre (Foundation for Media Alternatives)
161. Vi Massart (Chief European correspondent, The Philippine Star)
162. Jon Joaquin (Mindanao Daily Mirror)
163. Martin Marfil (Manila)
164. Val Veneracion (Manila)
165. Clarissa Militante (Manila)
166. Jes Aznar (Manila)
167. Vic Montero (Editorial Chief, ABC 5)
168. Jackie Sierda (Executive Producer, The Big News, ABC 5)
169. Jove Francisco (Reporter, ABC 5)
170. Sherrie Ann Torres (Reporter, ABC 5)
171. Naomi Dayrit (Reporter, ABC 5)
172. Ge-Ann Pineda (Reporter, ABC 5)
173. Jason Torres (Reporter, ABC 5)
174. Michael Carreon (News writer, ABC 5)
175. Eric Montas (Senior Desk Officer, News, ABC 5)
176. Mel Cabigting (Desk Officer, ABC 5)
177. Rowena Garcia (Desk Officer, ABC 5)
178. Paul Mendinuteo (Desk Officer, ABC 5)
179. Mary Grace Navarro (News Desk, ABC 5)
180. Greggy Eugenio (Video Researcher, News, ABC 5)
181. Gigi Gabriel (News Traffic, ABC 5)
182. Rhoneil Amores (Chief Cameraman, ABC 5)
183. Joseph Martin (Graphics Artist, ABC 5)
184. Reggie Agullo (Chargen Operator, ABC 5)
185. Arnold Marquez (Supervisor, VTR Editing)
186. Arnold Macarasig (Playback Operator, News, ABC 5)
187. Norman Balcos (Video Researcher, News, ABC 5)
188. Ambet Quitil (VTR Editor, News, ABC 5)
189. Heinrich Agcaoili (VTR Editor, News, ABC 5)
190. Yancy Consul (VTR Editor, ABC 5)
191. Jim Libiran (Head, Public Affairs Department, ABC 5)
192. Ed Lingao (Head, News Department, ABC 5)
193. Deo Bugaoisan (GMA 7)
194. Lourdes Fernandez (Editor, Business Mirror)
195. Lyn Resurreccion (Business Mirror)
196. Dave Llorito (Business Mirror)
197. Fe Zamora (Inquirer)
198. Butch Galicia (Manila Media Monitor-Toronto/Philippine Press Club-Ontario)
199. Tenny Soriano (Balita-Toronto/Philippine Press Club-Ontario)
200. Mogi Mogado (Balita-Toronto/Philippine Press Club-Ontario)
201. Hermie Garcia (Philippine Reporter-Toronto/Philippine Press Club-Ontario)
202. Mila Astorga-Garcia (Philippine Reporter-Toronto/Philippine Press Club-Ontario)
203. Edwin Mercurio (Philippine Reporter-Toronto/Philippine Press Club-Ontario)
204. Ramon Datol (Philippine Courier-Toronto/Philippine Press Club-Ontario)
205. Paul Dela Cruz (Philippine Times Canada-Toronto/Philippine Press Club-Ontario)
206. Jess Cabrias (Atin Ito-Toronto/Philippine Press Club-Ontario)
207. Arnel Avila (NUJP-Quezon)
208. Ely Suyom (Manila Times)
209. Abner Bolos (Gitnang Luzon News Service)
210. Fred Villareal (Gitnang Luzon News Service)
211. Jay Torres (Pokus-Gitnang Luson)
212. Tonette Orejas (Inquirer Northern Luzon Bureau)
213. Romer S. Sarmiento (Businessworld Mindanao Bureau)
214. Carolyn O. Arguillas (Mindanews)
215. H. Marcos C. Mordeno (Mindanews)
216. Carmela Fonbuena (Newsbreak)
217. Glenda M. Gloria (Newsbreak)
218. Jose Pavia (Mabuhay/Executive Director, Philippine Press Institute)
219. Ruperto Toga (Publisher, Negros Daily Bulletin)
220. Elsie Jolingan (Negros Press Club)
221. Aufred Sa-onoy (Editor, Negros Newsweekly)
222. Modesto Sa-onoy (Negros Press Club)
223. Henry Cestina (Negros Press Club)
224. Jeffrey Gelangre (Negros Press Club)
225. Edmund Aspero (Congress of Active Media Practitioners)
226. Ferdinand Yngson (Congress of Active Media Practitioners)
227. Vicente S. Labro (Editor, Leyte-Samar Daily Express, Tacloban City)
228. Allan Nawal (Inquirer)
229. Nova Clotario-Concepcion
230. Red Batario (Executive Director, Center for Community Journalism and Development)
231. Harley Palangchao (Manila Times Northern Luzon Bureau)
232. Jim Cristobal (Voice of Talamban, Cebu)
233. Arlyn dela Cruz (Net 25)
234. Amalia Cabusao (Mindanao Times)
235. Melvin Gascon (Inquirer Cagayan Valley)
236. Lyn Ramo (Northern Dispatch Weekly)
237. Hazel Villa (Inquirer Visayas Bureau)
238. Jay Hilotin (Al Nisr Media/Filipino Press Club-UAE)
239. Peterson Bergado (NUJP Cagayan de Oro)
240. Charlie Senase (Inquirer Cotabato City)
241. Malu Manar (Program Director, DXND Kidapawan)
242. Noel Punzalan (PNA Cotabato)
243. Andy Cruz (Periodico Banat GenSan)
244. Dodge Dillague (Creative Director, News, ABC 5)
245. Ross Andres (News Programs Director, ABC 5)
246. Jefferson Tan (Associate Producer, Frontlines, ABC 5)
247. Arlene Lim Farol (Reporter, ABC 5)
248. Teresa Andrada (Reporter, ABC 5)
249. Faye Tobias (Reporter, ABC 5)
250. Divine Bucud (Field Producer, ABC 5)
251. Vincent Cristobal (Field Producer, ABC 5)
252. Bart De la Rosa (Technical Director, ABC 5)
253. Rolly Casipit (VTR Editor, ABC 5)
254. Gilbert Edradan (Sound Engineer, News, ABC 5)
255. Noel Malaluan (Sound Engineer, News, ABC 5)
256. Adonis Silverio (Cameraman, ABC 5)
257. Rose Silva (Supervisor, Finance Department, ABC 5)
258. Ariel P. Alimboyao (Lightman, News, ABC 5)
259. Carlos Jizmundo (President, ABC 5 Employees Union)
260. George Aquino (VTR Editor, ABC 5)
261. Peng Lomaad (Property Custodian, ABC 5)
262. Rose Chua (News Administrative Staff, ABC 5)
263. John Javellana (Cameraman, ABC 5)
264. Edward Navarette (Manager, News Operations, ABC 5)
265. Ali Sotto (News Anchor, Sentro, ABC 5)
266. Yvette Lee (Philippine Graphic Magazine)
267. Edgar Cadagat (NUJP Negros Oriental)
268. Julius Mariveles (news director, Aksyon Radyo-Bacolod)
269. JJ Deocampo (station manager, Aksyon Radyo-Bacolod)
270. Ely de los Santos (Congress of Active Media Practitioners)
271. Fred Sapa (Congress of Active Media Practitioners)
272. Fred Salanga (Congress of Active Media Practitioners)
273. Raymond Robert Burgos (Columnist, Abante and Abante Tonite)
274. Williamor A. Magbanua (Anchor/Program Coordinator/News writer, DXND)
275. Christopher R. Lim (Manila Times School of Journalism)
276. Perry M. Calara (Kaiba News and Features/KNF/Pinoy Gazette)
277. Edwin G. Espejo (Sunstar General Santos)
278. Herbie Gomez (Gold Star Daily, Cagayan de Oro)
279. Adrian Cristobal (Philippine Graphic and Manila Bulletin)
280. Nick Legaspi (Managing Editor, Philippine Graphic)
281. Susan Bernas (Philippine Graphic)
282. Louie Jon Sanchez (Philippine Graphic)
283. Malou Francisco (Philippine Graphic)
284. Joel Egco (Manila Standard/Association of Responsible Media)
285. Anthonnette G. Adanza (Davao del Sur Diurnal Newspaper)
286. Arnel Arsolon (DXBB General Santos)
287. Manny Autida (DXBB General Santos)
288. Edwin Espejo (Managing Editor, SunStar General Santos)
289. Bong Gonzales (RMN General Santos)
290. Cris Guarin (DXBB, General Santos)
291. John Paul Jubelag (Phil. Star, General Santos)
292. Jeffrey Jubelag (Mindanao Bulletin, General Santos)
293. Joseph Jubelag (Malaya, General Santos)
294. Al Josol (RMN General Santos)
295. Mel Koronel (RMN General Santos)
296. Isagani Palma (Manila Times, General Santos)
297. Arnie Delfin (Radyo Bombo Koronadal)
298. Jocelyn Uy (Inquirer)
299. Minerva Generalao (Inquirer)
300. Mel Lawrence de Guzman (Inquirer)
301. Maricar D. Tolosa (Inquirer)
302. Kate Pedroso (Inquirer)
303. Cyril L. Bonabente (Inquirer)
304. Sylvia Calderon (Freelance Journalist, Cotabato City)
305. Brenda S. Dacpano (nordis.net, Baguio)
306. Kimberlie Quitasol (nordis.net, Baguio)
307. Pink-Jean Fangon Melegrito (Northern Dispatch Weekly, Baguio)
308. Nestor Guillermo (Northern Dispatch Weekly, Baguio)
309. Arthur Allad-iw (Northern Dispatch Weekly, Baguio)
310. Kathleen Okubo (NUJP-Baguio-Benguet)
311. Benny Antiporda (National Press Club/Alyansa ng Filipinong Mamamahayag)
312. Sharon Felipe (Sunday Inquirer Magazine)
313. Lynett A. Villariba (Inquirer)
314. Hernan S. de la Cruz (Inquirer Mindanao)
315. Roy Luarca (Inquirer)
316. Alya D. Honasan (Sunday Inquirer Magazine)
317. Pennie de la Cruz (Sunday Inquirer Magazine)
318. Marites Danguilan Vitug (Newsbreak)
319. Cheri Mercado (News Anchor, The Big News, ABC 5)
320. John Susi (Anchor, Sentro, ABC 5)
321. Jade Lopez (Head, Research Group, ABC 5)
322. Erel Cabatbat (Reporter, ABC 5)
323. Jesus Ramos (Field Producer, ABC 5)
324. Ed De Guzman (Cameraman, ABC 5)
325. Noli Gaya (Cameraman, ABC 5)
326. Ding Ubaldo (Assistant Cameraman, ABC 5)
327. Arnel Dizon (Assistant Cameraman, ABC 5)
328. Antonio T. Gabriel (Assistant Cameraman, ABC 5)
329. Nonoy Solero (VTR Editor, ABC 5)
330. Roland Bensan (VTR Editor, ABC 5)
331. Mando Covate (Systems Engineer, ABC 5)
332. Crispin Yumang (Audioman, ABC 5)
333. John Alquel Santos (Chargen Operator, ABC 5)
334. Pinky Dichoso (Supervisor, News Administration, ABC 5)
335. Cristina Estacio (Supervisor, Merchandising Dep't., ABC 5)
336. Raymund Generoso (Supervisor, Post-Production, Guinness Show, ABC 5)
337. Gail Ilagan (Columnist, MindaNews)
338. Patrick Cabrillos (dyKA, Catholic Media Network)
339. John Pagunsan (HOT FM 106-9-Hamtic, Antique)
340. Hector S. Udani, Jr. (News Express-Antique Bureau)
341. Romeo Antonio (HOT FM 106-9-Hamtic, Antique)
342. Paul Petinglay (Bombo Radyo-Antique)
343. Jhie Zerrudo (Journal Visayas)
344. Peter Zaldivar (HOT FM 106.9-Hamtic, Antique)
345. Julito P. Balea, Jr. (Express-Antique Bureau)
346. Gina Apostol
347. Imelda Visaya-Abaño (Women’s Feature Service, Philippine Gazette, SEJ)
348. Manuel T. Cayon (Business Mirror)
349. Cesar S. Ramirez (Philippine Star)
350. Villamor Visaya Jr. (Inquirer Northern Luzon)
351. Frank Cimatu (Inquirer Northern Luzon)
352. Maurice Malanes (Inquirer Northern Luzon)
353. Peter La. Julian (Inquirer Northern Luzon)
354. Jo Clemente (Inquirer Central Luzon)
355. Russell Arador (Inquirer Central Luzon)
356. Jun Malig (Inquirer Central Luzon)
357. Franco Emman von Cena (Inquirer)
358. Jani Arnaiz (Maasin City, Southern Leyte)
359. Ramon Tulfo (Inquirer/Bandera)
360. Erwin Tulfo (People's Journal/DZAR)
361. Manny Marinay (Bulletin Today)
362. Ma. Antonieta Lopez (Philippine Star)
363. Gilbert Bayoran (Daily Star, Bacolod)
364. Carla Cañet (Negros Daily Bulletin)
365. Annie Calderon (Media Advocates for Reproductive Health)
366. Rolly Fernandez (Bureau Chief, Inquirer Northern Luzon)
367. Amadis Ma. Guerrero
368. Luis V. Teodoro (Professor of Journalism, UP/columnist, Business Mirror)
369. Oscar Evangelista (Palawan Community Media Council)
370. Ben Serrano (Philippine Star/Caraga Times)
371. Walter I. Balane (MindaNews)
372. Perfecto Caparas
373. Mela Castillo (Antonio Zumel Center for Press Freedom)
374. Edgar Crisostomo Cadano (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)
375. Justin V. Nicolas (PUP Sociological Review)
376. Jeremiah M. Opiniano (OFW Journalism Consortium, Inc.)
377. May V. Rodriguez (NUJP)
378. Joel Saracho (ABS-CBN-News.com)
379. Angelo Gutierrez (ABS-CBN-News.com)
380. Trina Lagura (ABS-CBN-News.com)
381. Aleta Nieva (ABS-CBN-News.com)
382. Leila Vicente (ABS-CBN Zamboanga City)
383. Darwin Wee (BusinessWorld)
384. Jun Tarroza (NUJP-Ormoc)
385. Dabet Castañeda (Bulatlat.com)
386. Mia Gonzalez (Business Mirror)
387. Cher Jimenez (Business Mirror)
388. Robert Gonzaga (Subic Broadcasting Corporation, Subic Bay Online)
389. Allan Macatuno (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
390. Henry Empeno (Business Mirror)
391. Carrie Aspa (Subic Bay Online)
392. Rey Dungog (Bagong Tiktik)
393. Karl Ombion (Panay News/Bulatlat)
394. Guillermo Tejida (Visayan Daily Star)
395. Ritzy Malooy (Negros Daily Bulletin)
396. Adrian Nemes (Negros Daily Bulletin)
397. Larry Trinidad (Radio Mindanao Network-Bacolod)
398. Larry Concepcion (dyRL, Bacolod)
399. Ryan Lachica (Panay News)
400. Ranie Azue (RGMA Super Radyo Bacolod)
401. Dan Alcoriza (Liga Journalista)
402. Brian Morden (RGMA Super Radyo Bacolod)
403. Albert Gener (RMN Bacolod)
404. Rommel Pido (RMN Bacolod)
405. Art Tayhupon (Sunshine Cable Bacolod)
406. Richard Rivera (RGMA Super Radyo Bacolod)
407. Rudy Celis (RMN Bacolod)
408. Noli Aparicio (RMN Bacolod)
409. Clarence Locsin (dyWB Bombo Radyo Bacolod)
410. Ric Filoteo (RMN Bacolod)
411. Richard Pauyon (Liga Journalista)
412. Erwin Salinas (Yes-FM Bacolod)
413. Imee Balandra (freelance journalist)
414. Ely Dejaresco (Publisher/editor, Negros Chronicle)
415. Tina Mendoza (DXMV Valencia City/NUJP-Bukidnon)
416. Jimmie Solis (Station Manager, DXCR-MVC/Board of Director, KBP/NUJP-Bukidnon)
417. Mildred Torrejas (Station Manager, Radyo Natin Kibawe/Board of Director, KBP/NUJP-Bukidnon)
418. Gaudy Balansag (Radyo Natin Maramag/ Board of Director, KBP/NUJP)
419. Mel Velez (DXGT-Valencia)
420. Edwin Aguilar (Editor, Cook magazine)
421. Albert E. Alejo, SJ
422. Marie Yuvienco (Columnist, Philippine Graphic magazine)
423. Dee Ayroso (Bulatlat.com)
424. Jeremiah Opiniano (OWF Journalism Consortium Inc.)
425. Johnna Villaviray, (The Asahi Shimbun, Manila)
426. Dana Batnag (Jiji Press)
427. Krip Yuson (columnist, Philippine Star and Philippine Graphic)
428. Mila Aguilar
429. Anthony Bayarong (Manila Times)
430. Betty Bendicion (DZRH-Zambales)
431. Randy Datu (Balita)
432. Anthony de Leon (inq7.net)
433. Alex Galang (Pilipino Star Ngayon)
434. Rommel Ico (Tanod)
435. Dante Salvana (MBN 4)
436. Jeff Tombado (Pilipino Star Ngayon)
437. A. Mangampo-Ociones (Gitnang Luson News Service)
438. D. L. Mondelo (Pinoy Abrod, Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
439. Neptalie Batolenio (dxDD-AM & FM Ozamiz City and Malindang Herald Newspaper)
440. Joenald Medina Rayos (President, Batangas Press Club/Editor-in-Chief, Dyaryo Veritas)
441. Michael A. Bengwayan (Asia Observer/Gemini News Service)
442. Fe P. Koons (Vice president, Filipino American Press Club of Los Angeles)
443. Rolando B. Tolentino (UP Film Institute/columnist, Pinoy Weekly)
444. Michael Medina (Editor in chief, Mindanao Monitor, Misamis Occidental)
445. Romeo P. Marquez (Editor, Philippine Village Voice, San Diego, CA/member, Asian American Journalists Association)
446. Minnie Advincula (Malaya)
447. Rosario Galang (Malaya)
448. Che Francisco (Malaya)
449. Echie Candelaria (Malaya)
450. Monaly Reas (Malaya)
451. Evangeline de Vera (Malaya)
452. Jimmy Calapati (Malaya)
453. Gerardine Trillana (Malaya)
454. Lito Zulueta (Inquirer)
455. Julius Umali (inq7.net)
456. Fred Magdalena (Fil-Am Courier, Honolulu)
457. Joeffrey Maitem (Inquirer Mindanao Bureau)
458. Froilan E. Magtoto (Manila Times-Pangasinan)
459. Letty Jimenez Magsanoc (Inquirer)
460. Edmund Sestoso (Periodico News Network)
461. Frinston Lim (Periodico Diwalwal)
462. Mords Visitacion (Periodico Caraga)
463. Faith Prieto (Periodico Diwalwal)
464. Dennis Bastatas (Periodico Diwalwal)
465. Lloyd Tambuli (Periodico Diwalwal)
466. Alden Pantaleon (Periodico Caraga)
467. Ariel Digma (Reporter, TV Asahi)
468. Recah Trinidad (Inquirer)
469. Gibbs Cadiz (Inquirer)
470. Floreño Solmirano (Inquirer Southern Luzon)
471. Joanna Los Baños (Inquirer Southern Luzon)
472. Madonna Virola (Inquirer Southern Luzon)
473. Gobleth Moulic (Inquirer Northern Luzon)
474. Arlene Burgos (Managing Editor, Bandera)
475. Beting Laygo Dolor (Editor-in-Chief, Bandera)
476. Rowena Par (Bandillo ng Palawan)
477. Sergio Pontillas (Bandillo ng Palawan)
478. Yasmin Arquiza (Bandillo ng Palawan)
479. Leah Bugtay
480. Charlene B. Belvis (GMA Ratsada, Iloilo)
481. Ronilo L. Pamonag (Philippine Star, Iloilo)
482. Arnold Almacen (Inquirer correspondent-Iloilo)
483. David Sinay (Panay News)
484. Lino D. Interino III
485. Yvonne Chua
486. Dennis Gadil (Malaya)
487. Boying Abasola (Balita)
488. Cynthia Martin (dwXI)
489. Joan Dario (Hataw)
490. Raph Ereña (Tanod)
491. Mylene Gregorio (Police Files)
492. Jojo Sicat (Hataw)
493. Rolly Carandang (Tempo)
494. Rudy Andal (Pilipino Star Ngayon)
495. TJ Burgonio (Inquirer)
496. Ronnie Calumpita (Manila Times)
497. Louie Alonso Belmonte (Silangan Shimbun)
498. Vicky Cervales (Remate)
499. Celyn Ortega (dwIZ)
500. Marco Dalisay (RMN)
501. Rey Marfil (Tonite)
502. Flor Rosales (dzRH)
503. JP Lopez (Malaya)
504. Juliet Labog-Javellana (Inquirer)
505. Marvin Sy (Philippine Star)
506. Roque Glenn Omanio (Kyodo News, Manila Bureau)
507. Isa Lorenzo (PCIJ)
508. Lisa Ito (Bulatlat.com)
509. Cecille Lardizabal (Reporter, ABS-CBN)
510. Ina Reformina (Reporter, ABS-CBN)
511. Adrian Ayalin (Reporter, ABS-CBN)
512. Marian Trinidad (Reporter, NHK)
513. Jonjon Tolentino (Cameraman, NHK)
514. Michaela Del Callar (Reporter, The Daily Tribune)
515. Patrick Paez (Head, News Production, ABC 5)
516. Rochelle Dulalia (Supervisor, Production, ABC 5)
517. Julius Nino Tria (ABC 5)
518. Roi Paolo V. Calilong (ABC 5)
519. Jonathan H. Lintag (Marketing Executive, ABC 5)
520. Venus Ganan (ABC 5)
521. Arwin Fabelico (Cameraman, ABC 5)
522. Manny Francisco (Cameraman, ABC 5)
523. Ihna Figeroa (Associate Producer, Dokyu/Shorts, ABC 5)
524. Emanuel Manalo (News Scorer, ABC 5)
525. Nette Caraig (ABC 5)
526. Concon Beta-Anquilo (ABC 5)
527. Angeli Presto (ABC 5)
528. Arlene B Matienzo (ABC 5)
529. Jennifer Hernandez (ABC 5)
530. Heidi Montero (ABC 5)
531. Jennifer Gali (ABC 5)
532. Alvin Charles Navarro (ABC 5)
533. Cecille Ibanez (ABC 5)
534. Camille Ortiz-Luis (ABC 5)
535. Lyzel Olmedo (ABC 5)
536. Imelda Rimorin (ABC 5)
537. Kenneth Caguloa (ABC 5)
538. Ulysses Zoleta (ABC 5)
539. Jeanneth Aguilar (ABC 5)
540. Aldrin O. Poncio (ABC 5)
541. Delia Asis (ABC 5)
542. Rogelio Bartolome (ABC 5)
543. Rhea Neyres (ABC 5)
544. Michael Borricano (Continuity Announcer, ABC 5)
545. Indi Songhg (ABC 5)
546. Robyn R. Narciso (ABC 5)
547. Anne Yelo (ABC 5)
548. Wineth Kristine Tulabong (ABC 5)
549. Aladin Razo (ABC 5)
550. July Lopez (ABC 5)
551. Paolo Nikko Areno (ABC 5)
551. Peter Art D. Cruz (ABC 5)
552. Edwin A. Ferrer (ABC 5)
553. Pierre Rojan E. Queppet (ABC 5)
554. Jazz Galaura (ABC 5)
555. Jean Yanson (Local Production, ABC 5)
556. Jharysp Ann Domopoy (ABC 5)
557. Jesso Ron Montejo (ABC 5)
558. Pamela Faye Baldevieso (ABC 5)
559. Richard C. Dunque (ABC 5)
560. Anthony E. Titco (ABC 5)
561. Nina Giselle Glorioso (ABC 5)
562. Legrand Tulod (ABC 5)
563. Ramon Del Rosatio (ABC 5)
564. Dian Therese V. Tamara (ABC 5)
565. Aldrianne I. Macaraig (ABC 5)
566. Melissa G. Concan (ABC 5)
567. Elizel Joy D. Taylan (ABC 5)
568. Eugenio Rodriguez, Jr., (ABC 5)
569. Ces Alfonso (Research, ABC 5)
570. Angelo Macantan (News and Public Affairs, ABC 5)
571. Renato E. Regualos (News and Public Affairs, ABC 5)
572. Hermogenes Velasco (News and Public Affairs, ABC 5)
573. Fabian Bonus (News and Public Affairs, ABC 5)
574. John Cuba (News and Public Affairs, ABC 5)
575. Edsel Agcaoili (ABC 5)
576 Perla Leoncio (ABC 5)
577. Bernadette Bolivar (News and Public Affairs, ABC 5)
578. Annalyn Mabini (News and Public Affairs, ABC 5)
579. Ramon Bautista (Director, Dokyu/Shorts, ABC 5)
580. Bingo Cregencia (Segment Producer, News and Public Affairs, ABC 5)
581. Jennifer Caunca (ABC 5)
582. Jenny Gerardo, (ABC 5)
583. Ronald Diwata (Local Production, ABC 5)
584. Moises Dungo (News and Public Affairs, ABC 5)
585. Melchor Caspe (People’s Journal)
586. Orly Navarro (GMA Super Radyo Dagupan)
587. Alberto Ada (NUJP-Leyte)
588. Lucille S. Sodipe (Probe-Philippines)
589. Daniel R. Abunales (Probe)
590. Aldrin L. Pacheco (Probe)
591. Zaneth Tafalla (Probe)
592. Kathlyn Hernandez (Probe)
593. Kala Reyes (Unlimited Productions/Probe)
594. Benjie Oliveros (Bulatlat.com)
595. Marvin N. Benaning (Manila Bulletin)
596. Roy Medina (ABS-CBN-News.com)
597. Dennis Gasgonia (ABS-CBN-News.com)
598. Paolo Romero (Philippine Star)
599. Arnnel Ozaeta (Philippine Star/DZBB/Batangas Newswriters Association)
600. Conrado de Quiros (columnist, Inquirer/consultant, ABC 5)
601. Tetch Torres (inq7.net)
602. Gina Mape (DZME)
603. Dona Dominguez (DZXL)
604. Ludy Bermudo (Pangmasa newspaper)
605. Stella Arnaldo (columnist, Business Mirror)
606. Ben Domingo (Journalism professor, Central Luzon State University/broadcaster, Nueva Ecija)
607. Lira Dalangin-Fernandez (inq7.net)

From Abroad
1. Christopher Warren (Chairperson, International Federation of Journalists)
2. Aidan White (General Secretary, IFJ)
3. Jacqueline Park (IFJ)
4. Emma Walters (IFJ)
5. Pi James (IFJ)
6. Laxmi Murthy (IFJ)
7. Mike Dobbie (IFJ)
8. Roby Alampay (Executive Director, Southeast Asian Press Alliance)
9. Ashok Malik (Chandigarh Journalists Association, India)
10. Sonia Randhawa (Centre for Independent Journalism, Malaysia)
11. H.Naranjargal (Globe International)
12. D.Munkhburen (Globe International)
13. G.Narangarav (Globe International)
14. T. Davaahuu (Globe International)
15. D.Enkhtuul (Globe International)
16. J.Enkhjargal(Globe International)
17. Ch.Munkhzul (NTV)
18. B.Galaarid (individual)
19. Byanbajal (Confederation of Mongolian Journalists)
20. Sarangerel (CMJ)
21. Gerard Noonan (The Sydney Morning Herald, Australia)
22. Jim NOlan (Barrister, Australia)
23. Alan Kennedy (President, Media Alliance, Australia)
24. Ruth Polland (President, Media Alliance NSW Branch, Australia)
25. Wesley Chua (Ming Pao Daily, Toronto, Canada)
26. Yuko Takei (freelance journalist, Tokyo)
27. Jojo Pasion Malig (Committee of Concerned Journalists, Washington D.C./Newslink Services Phils.)
28. Yoshi Okuda (freelance journalist/former president of Japan Broadcasting Labor Union)
29. Ati Nurbaiti (The Jakarta Post / Alliance of Independent Journalists)
30. Darma Lubis (freelance journalist, Medan City, North Sumatra)
31. Brent Edwards (Chairman, The Print and & Media Council of the NZ Eng., Printing and Mfg. Union)
32. Dr. N.K.Trikha (President, National Union of Journalists or NUJI)
33. P. Chaudhuri (Secretary General, NUJI)
34. Heru Hendratmoko (President, Alliance of Independent Journalists, Indonesia)
35. Abdul Manan (General Secretary, the Alliance of Independent Journalists, Indonesia)
36. Khairuzzaman Kamal (Editor, Human Rights News of Bangladesh)
37. Dharmasiri Lankapeli (Federation of Media Employee's Trade Unions)
38. Daniel Coronell (Semana Magazine, Colombia)
39. Serenade Lai Wan Woo (President, Hong Kong Journalists Association)
40. Tien Hsi Ju (President, Association of Taiwan Journalists)
41. Liu Kuei Lan (Secretary General, Association of Taiwan Journalists)
42. Carol Chou (Journalist, Liberty Times, Taiwan)
43. Esong Chiu (Editor, Weekly Department, Taiwan)
44. Ho Jung Shin (Senior journalist, China Times,Taiwan)
45. Maria Hartiningsih (Kompas, Jakarta, Indonesia)
46. Vanitha Nadaraj (The Star, Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia)
47. Prakash Adhikari (General Secretary, National Union of Journalists -NUJ, Nepal)
48. Yuko Takei (freelance journalist, Tokyo)

Friday, October 13, 2006

Bananarama

Thanks to MLQ3, I was able to read this insightful post from Iloilo City Boy on the raging controversy on the cheating in the recent nursing examinations.

In his October 11 post "Nursing is the Pinoy Middle Class's 'Wowowee'," Iloilo City Boy wrote:

"And to those who are bewildered by the 'irrational' aggressive behavior of our nursing graduates, I would like to offer this explanation: nursing is seen by many middle-class Filipinos as their only remaining ticket to a good life, much like how the poor masses viewed the popular noontime TV show Wowowee and its six-figure cash prizes. Nursing is to the middle-class what Wowowee is to the poor -- a ticket to riches and a good life. The only difference is that Wowowee offers a false sense and/or temporary financial security for the lucky contestant while a nursing job abroad can permanently uplift the fortunes of a Filipino family. The other difference, of course, is that no one has died or has been hurt (maybe psychologically but not physically) in the nursing exam fiasco while many poor people had died in the mad stampede for Wowowee tickets."

Read more here.

Fellow journalist and colleague Jose Bimbo Santos also took a similar track on the issue a few weeks earlier. In his blog, he wrote:

"(One) thing that I could remeber though (from attending a training workshop sponsored by the Asian Institute of Management) is how MBC (Makati Business Club) executive director Guillermo Luz lamented the recent Nursing fiasco as a reflection of how the nursing phenomenon has degraded the passion for the profession as nothing more than all-out desperation. It's passing the exams at all costs, whatever the means."

"Though happening on a completely different plane," Bimbo explained, "Isn't this mentality the very same dagger that claimed the lives of many in the Wowowee stampede? Whenever Filipinos see a crack of getting out of our personal hell holes, we really push the envelope, even to the craziest and unreasonable limits, like horses with side-blinders yearning for freedom at the edge of a cliff."

Read his complete post here.

Nice point you got there, Brando, err, Bimbo.

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Only in the Philippines

I mentioned in an earlier post the mauling incident involving a Laguna journalist cited in this report below from the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines.

I wrote in my post: "Cases of attacks against journalists in the Philippines are never caught on camera. The only local case caught on-cam was the attack against Laguna-based journalist Iring Maranan by a city council in San Pablo City. The attacks received by Maranan may be lesser than (John) Mattes (who is an award-winning investigative American journalist mauled while on cam), but this does not mean that what happened to Maranan was not an attack."

We welcome the dismissal of the libel case against Maranan and fellow columnist Dodie Banzuela. Additional points for Banzuela for saying: "Where in the world can you find a public official filing libel against a journalist after beating him up? It's only here in the Philippines."

Below is the video of the mauling incident:

Libel vs 2 Laguna journalists dismissed

The prosecutor's office of San Pablo City has dismissed a libel case filed by a city councilor against staffers of a community newspaper who had published articles about the physical and verbal attacks of the said government official on one of the newspaper's columnists.

Citing the constitutional provision on the freedom of the press, assistant city prosecutor Perla Abril-Pawang dropped the libel case filed by Councilor Edgardo Adajar against the publisher and two columnists of San Pablo-based tabloid Diretso Balita.

Youtube owners talk about Google sale

You probably heard the news that Google is buying Youtube for a whopping amount of $1.65 billion. The Google/YouTube deal, will turn YouTube founders, Chad Hurley and Steven Chen, into instant multi-millionaires.

The two made a video posted in -- wherelse? -- Youtube about the acquisition.

Gal Beckerman discusses the deal in CJR Daily:

YouTube Deal is Doomed Just Because It Is
Gal Beckerman

The business world is filled with unprecedented moments. Deals happen that don't resemble anything previous, a stock surprises, a new CEO has personal qualities that don't fit the mold. This is obvious, right? It should be, but there are a surprising number of journalists who seem to expect every business event to fit neatly into established patterns and tired assumptions.

Take today's news that Google is buying YouTube for $1.6 billion. Let's see: we've got a couple of geeky Silicon Valley kids who want to get filthier rich and a large amount of money being dished out for a product that has never been monetized. What does this sound like? "It sounds like a tale from the late 1990's dot-com bubble."

So says the New York Times today in an article titled, "Dot-Com Boom Echoed in Deal to Buy You-Tube." Apparently, these echoes are "eerie." The price tag, the Times tells us, is too high because it can be compared "to the mind-boggling valuations that were once given to dozens of Silicon Valley companies a decade ago. Like YouTube, those companies were once the Next Big Thing, but some soon folded."

The story milks this parallel--down to describing how the deal went down at a booth at Denny's. So dot-com investors are generally over-exuberant. They (ie. the class of people broadly known as dot-com investors) cannot generally be trusted. Big is bad--generally. But amidst all this generalization, there are precious few of the details that would allow readers to judge the deal on their own.

Past deals went bad, we're told, but who asked? The question is, can this particular deal, orchestrated by this group of individuals, with their specific attributes and resources, succeed in today's marketplace? We don't know. But buried in the piece, someone who should know -- Dmitry Shapiro, chief executive of Veoh, a YouTube competitor that is backed by Time Warner and Michael D. Eisner--says only that the "deal has to feel a little like the 1990's, but it isn't."

We might add that many failed investments in the 1990s were in wildly speculative companies with no track record and inflated guesstimates as to how many eyeballs they might capture. YouTube, by contrast, is already showing 100 million videos per day. How much advertising revenue might that translate into? A basic question, but the Times leaves us guessing.

Either way, the Times seems shocked that "the price tag Google paid may simply have been the cost of beating its rivals -- Yahoo, Viacom and the News Corporation." That seems to us like just another way of saying that it was the cost of doing business.

But then, what do we know? All we did was read this article.

Journalism graduate? Check this post

The Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR), publisher of the PJR Reports (formerly the Philippine Journalism Review) and serves as the Jaime V. Ongpin Awards for Excellence in Journalism (JVOAEJ) secretariat, is currently looking for a

Full-time staffwriter

Applicants should be:

- Graduates of journalism course
- Must be able to speak and write well in English
- Knowledgeable in Microsoft programs, Adobe Pagemaker and Photoshop
- Knowledge in online publishing and networking an advantage
- Previous work experience in newspapers and magazines a plus

Applicants should submit their resumes and samples of work (including school work) to staff@cmfr-phil.org.

Check http://www.cmfr-phil.org or call (02) 894-1326 / (02) 894-1314 for more information.

New site looks at press freedom in the world

Freedom House recently expanded a section of its website to provide additional information about press freedom around the world, includng main trends at regional and global levels.

Available at the site are the group maps of press freedom. The photos below are the 2006 global and Asia-Pacific region maps. The photo at left is the map of press freedom for the Philippines. The site describes the Philippine media as "partly free."

"The Philippine press has historically ranked among the freest, most vibrant, and outspoken--if often sensationalized-- in Southeast Asia," Freedom House begins its current press freedom situation in the Philippines. Despite the lack of laws infringing on the freedom of the press, Freedom House noted the high number of journalist killings in the country. "Journalist-targeted violence remains the greatest threat to press freedom in the country," it said.

"Despite the Arroyo administration's launch of a US$92,000 Press Freedom Fund to curb violence against the media, a general culture of impunity continues to predominate," the site said.

Check out Freedom House's new section on press freedom here.

Freedom House Launches New Web-Based Resource on Press Freedom Freedom House is proud to announce an expanded section of its website dedicated to press freedom.

Freedom House today released a new web-based resource providing comprehensive information about press freedom around the world. The website includes global and regional pages highlighting the main trends for each year, as well as detailed historical data since 1980 from the organization’s annual Freedom of the Press survey.

“Freedom of the press is a fundamental right; without it, there can be no freedom of religion or freedom of expression, and there can be no accountability of governments,” said Karin Karlekar, managing editor of the Freedom of the Press survey. “The information posted on Freedom House’s new web pages will equip those who care about press freedom—including reporters who are working tirelessly for a freer media environment in their countries around the world—with information and tools that can increase their effectiveness,” she added.

Other features of the new web pages include annual overview essays summarizing the state of global press freedom, interactive maps showing the state of press freedom for each year since 2002, and reports and ratings for every country in the world. The web pages also contain links to press freedom resources, including Freedom House press releases, op-eds, programmatic activities, and other press freedom and media support groups.

The enhancement of Freedom House’s press freedom website was made possible by the generous support of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Annenberg Foundation.

Considered an authoritative assessment of media freedom around the world, Freedom of the Press: A Global Survey of Media Independence covers 194 countries and territories and rates each country's media as Free, Partly Free, or Not Free. Country narratives examine the legal environment for the media, political pressures that influence reporting, and economic factors that affect access to information.

Freedom House also undertakes advocacy efforts on the issue of press freedom through the publication of special reports and press releases highlighting specific issues such as media controls in China. The organization is also actively involved with other groups in the global press freedom community in organizing events and programs designed to expand the space for free expression around the world.

Freedom House is an independent non-governmental organization that supports the expansion of freedom in the world, through policy advocacy, analysis and publications, and assistance programs to journalists and pres freedom groups in various parts of the world.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Cavite journalists arrested for libel

The Committee to Protect Journalists reacts to the recent arrest of Cavite journalists on libel charges.

Authorities arrest, detain journalists on libel charges

New York, October 4, 2006-The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns this week's arrest of Rudy Apolo, a columnist and publisher of the Asian Star Journal and Asia Star Balita, and three members of his editorial staff on a criminal defamation charges related to reports on alleged government corruption.

The four were arrested Monday morning in the city of Barangay Santa Fe, Cavite province, on a complaint filed by the provincial governor, Erineo Maliksi, according to two Philippines-based press freedom advocacy groups. The complaint stems from a series of unbylined reports detailing corruption allegations surrounding a local government rice purchase, the groups reported.

The editorial staffers arrested along with Apolo included two of his children, Reynaldo Apolo and Michelle Apolo, and Editor Ed Lara Cuvinar.

They did not immediately post bond of 10,000 pesos (about US $200) each. Regional Judge Norberto Quisumbing Jr., who issued arrest warrants for the four, did not set a date for pretrial hearings, according to the National Union of the Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP).

"We call on the governor to drop his criminal complaint and allow the release of these journalists, who have been jailed in violation of basic press freedom standards," said Joel Simon, CPJ's executive director. "Criminal defamation charges have a deeply chilling effect on news reporting, and their use by public officials does great damage to the Philippines' rich tradition of press freedom."

The Philippines has seen a recent rise in criminal defamation complaints filed by public officials and their associates, according to local sources. NUJP said that Jose Miguel Arroyo, husband of
President Gloria Arroyo, has filed at least 42 different criminal defamation suits against reporters, columnists, editors, and publishers since 2001.

Downright absurd

And now, officials are even questioning a poem?

Below is an invitation from the Provincial Council of Palawan to the editors of Bandillo ng Palawan, a local paper, to appear at the question hour of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for publishing a poem criticizing the provincial government.

The poem is said to be part of a paid ad of the municipality of San Vicente which has been longing that their municipal road be repaired.

Republic of the Philippines
Provincial Government of Palawan
Office of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan
City of Puerto Princesa

October 4, 2006

MR ROBERT BAGALAY and
MR SERGE FONTILLA [sic]
Editorial Boards [sic]
Bandillo ng Palawan
2nd Floor Escamilla Building
Rizal Avenue
Puerto Princesa City

Sirs:

Greetings!

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan would like to invite your goodselves [sic] to appear before the August [sic] Body during its Question and Answer Hour of the Regular Session on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 at 10:00 in the morning at the Session Hall of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Legislative Building, this city.

Matters relative [sic] to the poem entitled [sic] "AY DIOS KO" which was published under the section of "Balitang San Vicente" of Bandillo ng Palawan, September 25, 2006 - October 1, 2006 issue will be tackled.

Your attendance and usual cooperation will be highly appreciated.

Very truly yours,

NORMAN C. NAVARRO
Board Secretary V
Officer-In-Charge

The poem, published in Bandillo ng Palawan that had criticized the local government, is posted below.

Ay Dios Ko!

Kalsada na Ay Dios Ko ginagamit na panlinlang
Ng Probinsiya sa mamamayan, sa kanyang pagkukulang
Pagpapabaya sa maintenance ng kalsadang kailangan
Matagal nang nangyayari, ngayo'y nais na pagtakpan

Sa Caruray di-umano double purpose ang Kapitolyo
Kahit na hindi pwede, igigiit ang Ay Dios ko
Dahil kailangan ang kalsada, tatanggapin na ng tao
Bandang huli iaatras, sisisihi'y Munisipyo

Pero mas lalo daw pabor kapag project ay matuloy
Sa 46 milyong pondo, computed na ang pangsuhol
Kay Pedro at kay Juan, pawang mga trabahador
At kay Jay-R na PORSYENTO, sa paghahanap ng CONTRACTOR

In Thailand, raised questions

Filipino journalist Roby Alampay, executive director of the Southeast Asian Press Alliance, flags our attention to the questions raised at Thailand's interim constitution.

He wrote:

Concern and debate are growing over Thailand's interim constitution.

SEAPA has posted a PDF copy of the The Nation's English translation of the charter, which you can access via this entry on our blog: http://seapa.wordpress.com/2006/10/04/thailands-interim-constitution/

The general who led the coup that ousted former prime minister says the charter adequately assures Thais of civil liberties and of media freedom. Many legal experts and academics are not so sure. A wiki on the issue and the ongoing debate is up on Wikipedia, which is accessible here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_Interim_Constitution_of_Thailand

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

A conference and jamming night in one tomorrow

Here's an invitation from Rowena Carranza-Paraan, secretary-general of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines:

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines is having a press conference cum jamming night tomorrow 7 pm at Newsdesk Cafe. NUJP will present the signatories to the petition against criminal defamation.

Attached is the list of journalists facing libel charges courtesy of the First Gentleman and the pooled statement/petition with the list of signatories as of Oct. 9. As of today Oct. 10 however, the number of signatories has already surpassed the 500 mark, with the signing of several Senate reporters.

It would be an honor if you could join us in this activity, including the jamming session, both for fun and in pursuit of the ideals of press freedom, free expression and the people's right to know.

Rowena Carranza-Paraan
Sec-Gen, NUJP

For inquiries, please call 411-7768.

Still on Arroyo's libel spree

The Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) makes this alert in light of the recent libel spree of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo. The Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility is a founding member of SEAPA.

Journalists demand repeal of libel law following multiple lawsuits from president's husband
Source: SEAPA

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) is petitioning Congress to repeal the law on libel, calling it "an outdated law that has been used not so much to protect the innocent as to shield the guilty."

The move came following the revelation that Jose Miguel Arroyo, husband of Philippine President Gloria Arroyo, has filed libel cases against 42 reporters, columnists, editors and publishers of various publications (see IFEX alerts of 19 September and 30 August 2006).

The NUJP's petition has found support from local media organisations, the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, Bandillo ng Palawan and Sorsogon Organization of News writers, Announcers and Reporters (SONAR), as well as international journalist organisations, including the International Federation of Journalists and Reporters Without Borders.

"The record number of cases Mr. Arroyo has filed highlights how the powerful in this benighted land regularly abuse libel laws to curtail the democratic right of the press to delve into the truth behind matters of public interest and the people's right to know," said NUJP, in the petition that has also received the endorsement of more than 200 journalists within and outside the country.

"We demand that Congress immediately work to repeal the law on libel, to strike it off the book of criminal statutes, as part of its sworn duty to strengthen our badly eroded and still beleaguered democracy," said NUJP.

The NUJP acknowledged that the law was meant to protect private citizens, but noted that it has mostly been used by Philippine public officials "to cow an independent press."

They also demanded that Jose Miguel Arroyo stop "this clear abuse of his power and influence," and challenged him to address his critics by engaging them in a "free and democratic discourse".

Community journalists can help

One of the outputs from the Training the Trainors Workshop the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) in Davao City was a press alert made by the participants on the case of Herson Hinolan, a broadcaster from Aklan who was killed on November 3, 2004.

The report/press alert was sent to the International Freedom of Expression Exchange or IFEX (a global network of press freedom and free expression organizations of which CMFR is a member) the same day. IFEX posted the alert the next day, to the delight of some participants and some of us from the staff like Nathan and I.

CMFR encourages journalists, especially those working in the provinces, to report press freedom threats and attacks to the organization. Given the rise of press freedom violations in the country, community journalists should really help defend press freedom in the country by reporting such threats and attacks to CMFR and other national organizations.

Police hot on trail of Aklan broadcaster's killer
Source: CMFR/IFEX

The town mayor charged with the killing of Aklan broadcaster Herson Hinolan has gone missing, following the upgrading of the case from homicide to murder.

Police are saying that they cannot serve a warrant of arrest for Lezo Mayor Alfredo Arceno as they have been unable to locate him. Arceno, whom Hinolan had attacked in some of his commentaries, used to be a military sergeant.

The arrest warrant was issued on 7 September 2006 by Aklan Regional Trial Court Branch 7.

On 13 November 2004, Hinolan was shot seven times in different parts of his body by a gunman near a carnival along a local street in Kalibo, Aklan, about 350 kilometres south of Manila.

Hinolan was a commentator and station manager working for the Kalibo-based radio station dyIN. Aside from criticizing Arceno, Hinolan had criticised illegal gambling activities in the province.

Hinolan was the 17th journalist killed in the line of duty during the Arroyo administration, according to the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility. He was also the second broadcaster killed in Aklan province in a span of three years.

Philippine media groups are saying that a weak judiciary and poor law enforcement are feeding on the so-called "culture of impunity."

Monday, October 09, 2006

The demise of the information dinosaur

Are we going to see the end of newspapers?

Philippine Daily Inquirer's Amando Doronila takes on the issue in today's edition of the paper:

Are days of newspapers numbered?

"AS YOU READ this piece this morning, it has to be asked if you are reading it in a newspaper or on the Internet on a computer in front of you.

"If dire predictions come true, the newspapers 'in their current form will cease to exist within a decade or two.' Some say that newspapers have a 'use by' label tucked to their ears, like perishable consumer commodities.

"Doomsday prophecies, such as this, have filled newspapers in the wake of a cover story in The Economist magazine (Aug. 26-Sept. 1) with the head, 'Who Killed the Newspaper?'

"A search on the Internet yielded hundreds of items under the label 'death of newspapers,' indicating the widespread concern in the media community over the fate of newspapers. This soul-searching emanates from journalists themselves, not from governments, officials, terrorists, corporate racketeers and underworld gangs -- all of whom have lived an uneasy coexistence with newspapers.

"They all may have tolerated newspapers as a necessary evil, but the days, if trends are correct, are fast approaching when there may no longer be newspapers or newspapermen and women to bash with torrents of libel cases or with assassins’ bullets.

"The threat to the existence of newspapers does not come from those afflicted by newspapers, but from the technological innovations spawned by the Internet -- a rival vehicle for news and information dissemination.

"According to The Economist, 'at their best, newspapers hold governments and companies to account. They usually set the news agenda for the rest of the media. But in the rich world, they are an endangered species. The business of selling words to readers and selling readers to advertisers, which has sustained their role in society, is falling apart."

Witnesses too, not just the journalists

From Reporters Without Borders comes this September 25 alert on the capture of Edgar Amoro's alleged killer. The Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) does not include him in its list of "journalist/media practitioners killed in the line of duty" because CMFR believes that Amoro got killed primarily because he was a key witness to the killing of Edgar Damalerio, and not because he was a journalist.

That does not mean however that CMFR does not condemns Amoro's killing. Without witnesses like him to journalist killings, it will be hard -- if not downright impossible -- to indict those who are behind the killings.

If there's one thing that the killings of witnesses to media murders show, it reflects the pattern of impunity and the prevalence of lawlessness and violence in the Philippines.

Journalist Edgar Amoro's alleged murderer caught by Pagadian police -- RSF

Mohammed Maulana, the alleged murderer of journalist Edgar Amoro, was arrested on 18 September 2006 in Pagadian (the capital of Zamboanga del Sur province on the southern island of Mindanao). Maulana was caught with three accomplices while committing a robbery and is now being held in Pagadian's provincial prison. He is suspected of murdering Amoro in February 2005 because Amoro was the key witness in the May 2002 murder of fellow journalist Edgar Damalerio, 13 May 2002.

For background information on this case, see: http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=12446

Condemn other attacks and threats as well

Attacks against journalists, like journalist killings, are grave threats to press freedom. We should unite together in condemning not only the killings but other attacks and threats as well.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines came out with this statement last September 23:

PNP should investigate attack against Baguio NUJP officer

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) Baguio-Benguet chapter strongly condemns the attack against a member of its council on her way home last September 19, 2006 at 7:30 pm in the Benguet State University (BSU) compound in Betag, La Trinidad.

Abigail Taguba Bengwayan, 25, is former editor of the Northern Dispatch Weekly and a council member of the NUJP's local chapter. She is an occasional contributor to various media outlets and is a writer of the publication of the Cordillera Peoples' Alliance (CPA).

Abigail just got off the jeepney in front of the BSU main gate and crossed the street towards their compound where her family lives when an unidentified man rushed and grabbed her and put a knife to her neck threatening to cut her if she screams. But she resisted and screamed for help. This startled the assailant to drop her and run. Witnesses said the attacker, whose face was covered with a cap and handkerchief, had a companion who served as a lookout or accomplice.

A team of human rights lawyers and paralegal activists assisted Abigail in filing the report of the attack to the Philippine National Police (PNP) office in La Trinidad.

We strongly urge the PNP to immediately investigate, pursue and arrest the perpetrators of this crime against Ms. Bengwayan, a member of media and an activist. We equally demand the speedy delivery of justice for her as well as to the whole community vigilant against crime and injustice.

References:

Arthur Allad-iw – 09202442202
Junjun Dumlao - 09209053169

Friday, October 06, 2006

The fight for press freedom continues

Other organizations came out with their statements on the Esperat case today.

Another Victory for Press Freedom -- NUJP

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines welcome the conviction on Friday of three persons charged with the murder of journalist Marlene Garcia-Esperat, the Philippines' Erin Brockovich, who blew the whistle on multi-million peso anomalies in the Department of Agriculture.

"We welcome the decision. It's another victory for press freedom," said NUJP chairman Jose Torres Jr.

Torres also welcomed the decision of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales to immediately reinstate the murder charge against Osmena Montaner and Estrella Sabay, the alleged masterminds of Esperat's murder.

"We appreciate the immediate action of Secretary Gonzales to order the prosecution of the alleged masterminds of the killing," Torres said.

"We hope it would be the start of a serious pursuit for the resolution of other murders of journalists in the country," Torres said.

Judge Eric Menchavez of the Cebu RTC-Branch 21 handed down life sentences against gunman Gerry Cabagay, and co-accused Randy Grecia and Estanislao Bismanos

Torres lauded Mechavez's decision, but noted that the battle for press freedom is still far from over.

A total of 86 journalists have been slain since the ouster of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos in 1986.

Meanwhile, 46 media practitioners have been murdered under the administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who took over the reins of government in 2001.

International media watchdogs have described the Philippines as among the most the perilous places in the world for media practitioners, second only to war-torn Iraq.

The verdict is only the fourth conviction on cases involving journalist murders. The other convictions to date are related to the deaths of Nesino Paulin Toling, Odilon Mallari and Edgar Damalerio.

SEAPA hails convictions in Esperat case, but echoes call to go after masterminds behind journalist killings

BANGKOK – The Southeast Asian Press Alliance today welcomed the conviction of journalist Marlene Esperat's murderers, even as it joined Filipino journalists in reminding that the masterminds behind this heinous crime have yet to be brought to justice.

"This is an important victory that, if followed through and allowed to create momentum, can hopefully stem the tide of journalist killings in the Philippines," SEAPA Executive Director Roby Alampay wrote from Bangkok where SEAPA is based. "There is an environment of impunity that is encouraging attacks on journalists and human rights workers in the Philippines, and without positive developments such as what we now have in the Esperat case, that climate can only worsen."

The Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, a member of SEAPA and one of the founders of the Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists, says there have been at least 60 journalist killings in the Philippines since 1986, the bulk of which took place under the incumbency of current Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

SEAPA congratulated the Filipino journalists and media groups that closed ranks behind the Esperat case and that are struggling to end the rash of violence directed against their sector. At the same time, the Bangkok-based alliance praised the Cebu judicial system which, it said, "in recent months has demonstrated independence and courage, and provided encouraging space" to prosecute killers of journalists. SEAPA noted a report from the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility which acknowledges how the Esperat judgment "was the third straight recorded journalist killing conviction in Cebu City. Earlier, Guillermo Wapile, the gunman of Pagadian journalist Edgar Damalerio, was convicted on 29 November 2005; while, Cebu photojournalist Allan Dizon's killer, Edgar Belandres, was convicted last 19 January."

The Esperat case, in particular, was transferred to Cebu City precisely on the argument that the city provides a safer and more neutral environment for hearing witnesses and receiving evidence than Esperat's hometown of Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat, ever could.

In the presence of her three young children, Esperat was murdered in Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat, on March 24, 2005. A government agricultural chemist-turned-journalist, Esperat was believed assassinated in reprisal for her exposés on corruption in her department. The suspected masterminds behind her murder are Department of Agriculture Region XII finance officer Osmeña Montañer and accountant Estrella Sabay. Barua, a former military intelligence officer, who was also Sabay's bodyguard.

The case against the two had been dismissed by the local courts in Tacurong. But with the successful prosecution of the gunmen in Cebu, a motion has been filed in the city to reinstate the murder charges against Montañer and Sabay.

"So the case is encouraging and provides an important victory, but it is not closed," SEAPA stressed in a statement. "Until masterminds behind the killings of journalists are brought to justice, the climate of impunity will continue to threaten the Philippine media."

Justice for murdered journalist as three accused found guilty in the Philippines -- IFJ

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is heartened by today's conviction of three persons charged with the murder of journalist Marlene Garcia-Esperat, dubbed the local "Erin Brockovich" by the Philippines press.

Esperat, a columnist for Midland Review in the southern island of Mindanao, was reportedly murdered on March 24, 2005 in her own home in the city of Tacurong after uncovering multi-million peso anomalies in the Department of Agriculture.

According to local reports, Cebu RTC Judge Eric Menchavez sentenced gunman Gerry Cabagay, and co-accused "masterminds" Randy Grecia and Estanislao Bismanos to life in jail for the murder of Esperat.

The three accused were also reportedly ordered by the court to pay the heirs of Esperat P75,000 (approximately USD 1500) in civil indemnity, P75,000 in moral damages, and P25,000 (approximately USD 500) for exemplary damages.

"This is a rare win in the battle for justice for the overwhelming numbers of journalists brutally murdered in the Philippines," IFJ President Christopher Warren said.

Since 2001, 46 media practitioners have been killed in the Philippines under the rule of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Yet this verdict is only the fourth conviction in a journalist murder case. The other convictions to date relate to the deaths of Nesino Paulin Toling, Odilon Mallari and Edgar Damalerio.

"We are hopeful that this victory for press freedom will set a solid example for future trials of journalist killers and send a strong message to those who seek to silence the media through brutal murders that they will be brought to justice," Warren said.

Marlene's case incomplete victory -- FFFJ

Here is the statement of the Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists, Inc. (FFFJ) on the conviction of Marlene Esperat's killers today. Got this from the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility site, which also prepared a primer on Esperat and the case.

FFFJ statement on the conviction of Esperat killers

Today's conviction of Marlene Esperat's killers is a welcome, though incomplete, victory for press freedom.

After nine grueling months, the Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists, Inc. (FFFJ) is more than happy that the trial had concluded with a sentence of life imprisonment for hit men Gerry Cabagay, Randy Grecia, and Estanislao Bismanos, who killed Marlene Esperat in cold blood while she was taking supper with her children on March 24, 2005.

However, this victory remains incomplete until the identified masterminds, Department of Agriculture Region XII finance officer Osmeña Montañer and accountant Estrella Sabay, are likewise tried for murder.

The victory is likewise incomplete because this is only the second successful conviction among the 28 cases of journalists slain in the line of duty under the Arroyo Administration.

Despite the constitutionally protected freedom of the press, the recent spate of journalists' killings has unfortunately earned the country the reputation of being "the most dangerous place for journalists," in international media circles.

The pursuit of justice in the case of Marlene Esperat would not have been possible without the support of concerned citizens and media organizations, both local and international. FFFJ hopes that today's victory will set the ball rolling for other cases of slain journalists even as it signals media's determination to pursue the cases until both assassins and masterminds are behind bars.

Currently pending in Manila courts are the murder cases of publisher-editor Philip Agustin and radio journalist Roger Mariano. Meanwhile, some 23 cases have yet to be filed even as police have failed to come up with the necessary evidence for the prosecution.

Center for Community Journalism and Development
Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility
Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas
Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism
Philippine Press Institute
Philippine News

Court finds three suspects to journalist's slay guilty

Sun.Star reported in its blog at 11:00 am earlier:

Court finds 3 accused guilty of journalist’s murder

Three persons accused of shooting to death journalist and whistleblower Marlene Garcia-Esperat were convicted of murder charges by Cebu City Regional Trial Court Branch 21 Judge Eric Menchavez.

Menchavez in his decision read by clerk of court Maria Teresa Jaca finds Gerry Cabagay, Randy Grecia, and Estanislao Bismanos guilty of murder.

He further said in his decision that the element of treachery was present in the commission of the crime.

Read more here. Who is Marlene Esperat? Read here.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Esperat case decision due tomorrow

Before I post more Davao-related entries, I'm flagging this post first so that journalists can cover this tomorrow. I definitely hope that everyone, journalists and non-journalists alike, will monitor the outcome this case, as this would most likely have an effect with the other cases of journalist killings in the country.

“Unlike in the other slain journalists’ cases, this one (Esperat case) seems to have a very promising outcome as there is a clear identification of the masterminds and full cooperation from the witnesses,” said private prosecutor, Atty. Nena Santos in the Esperat primer.

TO: Editors/News and Current Affairs heads/Station Managers
FR: Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists, Inc.
DATE: October 5, 2006
SUBJECT: Decision and Promulgation on the Marlene Esperat murder case trial

The promulgation on journalist Marlene Esperat murder trial is set on October 6, 2006, at Cebu RTC Branch 21, Hall of Justice, Cebu Provincial Capitol Compound, Escario St., Cebu City. After the court proceedings, there will be a press conference with the two eldest children of the late Esperat, their legal counsel, Atty. Nena Santos, FFFJ representative and Philippine Press Institute executive director Jose Pavia, and Cebu Citizens-Press Council board member Atty. Pachico Seares.

In view of this, the FFFJ has prepared an in-depth primer (available here in the site of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility) on the Esperat case to show the significance of this case on the national scale. Coverage of the promulgation by the media outlets is strongly requested.

Please see the attached primer for more details about the case.

For inquiries, please contact Nathan (0915-998-7247; 632-840-0903; email: staff@cmfr-phil.org) or the Cebu Citizens-Press Council (032-414-7980; email: admin@mbfpressctrcebu.org.ph).

Please visit http://www.sunstar.com.ph/blogs/esperat for a running account
of the trial.

Back in Manila

Just came back from Davao City last week for two activities made by the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR). The outrageous Internet cost at Waterfront Hotel there (at least P100 per 15 minutes) and the busy schedule we had hindered me from posting anything in this blog for two weeks. Sigh.

But now that I'm back here in Manila, I'll try to resume my post-whoring activities again. Hahahaha.

The PJR Reports in the upcoming October 2006 issue will feature the two
activities, but just to start it up, here are brief reports on the event from CMFR's site:

CMFR holds training the trainors workshop on safety and alerts reporting

Around 30 journalists and citizen press council representatives from various parts of the country have been trained on work safety and reporting on press freedom attacks and threats by the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility‘s (CMFR) last Sept. 28 to 30 in Davao City.

The workshop, “Training of Trainors: Safety and Alerts Reporting,” was organized to train a network of alerts writers in the country to complement CMFR’s efforts in its press freedom protection work. CMFR sends out alerts, or reports on attacks against and threats to press freedom in the country, not only to local media organizations but also international press freedom organizations such as the International Freedom of Expression Exchange, the Reporters Sans Frontieres, Article 19, and the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA).

CMFR also presented its latest study on the journalist killings under the Arroyo administration in the workshop.

Roundtable Discussion on Citizen Press Councils

Representatives from regional citizen press councils in the country convened in the Roundtable Discussion on Citizen Press Councils (CPCs) organized by the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) last September 27 in Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao.

Participants from the established CPCs in Cebu, Palawan, and Baguio shared the developments and issues in their respective CPCs since the workshop last year. They also discussed the problem of awareness of CPCs as reflected by the few complaints filed to them. CMFR helped in the establishment of these three CPCs in 2002.

The establishment of a fourth CPC in the country, the Dumaguete Press Council, was also presented in the meeting.

More details about the roundtable discussion on citizen press councils in the October 2006 issue of the PJR Reports.

If you want to know more about the CPCs, go to CMFR's Citizen Press Councils page.

The Cebu Citizens-Press Council (CCPC) has just launched its website. Know more about CCPC 's functions and activities by visiting their site.

Will post something on the issues that came out of the two activities sometime soon. Promise.

But one thing I got to tell you: Davao is really such a lovely place! Photo at left taken in the hotel. That's me with colleague Don.

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Monday, October 30, 2006

Friday, October 27, 2006

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Monday, October 16, 2006

Friday, October 13, 2006

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Monday, October 09, 2006

Friday, October 06, 2006

Thursday, October 05, 2006

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