Topnotch speakers banner media-citizen council gab in Iloilo

Students in the fields of media, communication, journalism, and law will gain more insights and knowledge from the first regional conference on Media-Citizen councils at UP Visayas auditorium in Iloilo City on September 16, 2023, 8 am to 4:30 pm.

The “Media Citizen Councils: For the Media and Citizens, By the Media and Citizens” conference, which is supported by the Philippine Press Institute (PPI) and the International Media Support (IMS), will feature topnotch journalists and academics around the country who will discuss the state of Philippine Media.

Among the resource persons are Bea Cupin of Rappler, Paul Nicholas Soriano of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, and Catherine Valente of The Manila Times who will lead a panel discussion on “Press Freedom, Self-Regulation, and Media under the Marcos Administration.”

Meanwhile, Arlene Burgos of ABS-CBN News, Janvic Mateo of UP Diliman, and Celine Samson of Vera Files will lead the discussion on “Digital Trends: Opportunities and Challenges for Community Media.”

The panel discussions, which will be moderated by PPI Executive Director Ariel Sebellino, will happen between 2 pm and 4:15 pm on September 16, right after the presentation and formal launch of the Iloilo Media-Citizen Council (IMCC) and the Western Visayas Journalists’ Guide.

Former Supreme Court Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza, a UPV alumnus, will lead the oath-taking and induction of officers of the IMCC.

After the launch and oath-taking, the IMCC will present its Draft Operational Frameworks to the public, to be followed by feedbacks from a panel of reactors that includes Justice Francis Jardeleza, Mia Embalzado-Mateo of the Cebu Citizens Press Council, Jane Cadalig of the Kordilyera Media-Citizen Council (KMCC), and Charley Sta. Maria of the Peace and Conflict Journalism Network and KMCC.

The presenters of the frameworks are IMCC interim chairperson Francis Allan Angelo of Daily Guardian, IMCC interim executive director Atty. Jeremy Bionat of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP)-Iloilo Chapter, and IMCC interim vice chairperson Ted Aldwin Ong of People’s Domain.

The IMCC is a multisectoral initiative that aims to strengthen independent co-regulation of the media in Iloilo. Its members include leading publications and media organizations in Iloilo, as well as representatives from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, the academe, business, church, and other sectors.

The media-citizen council was established with the support of PPI, its partners, and several media practitioners and advocates who took part in the International Training Programme on media self-regulation funded by Swedish International Development Agency.

Among the founding members representing local media are Aksyon Radio, Bombo Radyo, RMN 774, dySI Super Radyo, Panay News, Iloilo Metropolitan Times, Daily Guardian, and Iloilo Bloggers Society; UP Visayas and West Visayas State University from the academe; the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Iloilo Chapter) and Iloilo Business Club from the private sector; and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (Iloilo Chapter), the Commission of Human Rights-VI, iWrite of UP Visayas for the youth sector, and the LGBTQ group.

As of this writing, media studies and journalism students and teachers from the University of San Agustin (USA), West Visayas State University (WVSU), and UP Visayas have registered for the conference.

Other invited schools are the Colleges of Law of USA and WVSU.

The Media Council conference is also supported by Metro Pacific Iloilo Water, MERALCO PowerGen Corporation-Global Business Power, The Manila Times, and the Peace & Conflict Journalism Network (PECOJON).