BONGABON, Nueva Ecija— Officers and members of the Central Luzon Media-Citizen Council (CLMCC) raised concerns on the re-strengthening of community papers in the region and the re-empowering of the traditional media over ”social media news reporting” during its Organizational Workshop held on Saturday, Dec. 9 in this town.
Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Central Luzon Governor Maria Imelda Quiambao-Tuazon with Pampanga IBP President Alejandro Buan, former IBP Pampanga President Gener Endona and former Philippine Daily Inquirer Correspondent, Atty. Jo Clemente of Tarlac IBP assured Carmela Reyes-Estrope,
Executive Director Ariel Sebellino during their Organizational Workshop in Bongabon, Nueva Ecija on Dec. 9. Contributed photo
president of the CLMCC and Correspondent of the Philippine Daily Inquirer and publisher editor-in-chief of NEWS CORE Bulacan in addressing the re-strenthening of community newspapers in the region particularly in the re-accreditation before the regional trial courts.
Estrope had earlier experienced court re-accreditation concerns and problems together with other Bulacan local weeklies. One single fellow publisher opposed all their re-accreditation and were favored by the court to the detriment of all the local newspapers in favor of the single oppositor.
The newspapers opposed have already successfully operated earlier after they were approved by the court and were only seeking re-accreditation.
Quiambao said the matter can be brought up with the Office of the Court Administratof of the Supreme Court.
Philippine Press Institute (PPI) Executive Director Ariel Sebellino also assured publishers of community papers in the region with the same dilemmas of his support in raising the concern to the proper high authority.
Vic Vizcocho Jr., vice president of CLMCC and president of Central Luzon Media Association (CLMA) wants a regulation among “social media news reporting”. He said anybody could just make a social media page and post incident reports or events in news writing forms and claim themselves as “journalists” and or as a legitimate “news company” when unlike the genuine reporters or media companies whose business names are registered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), secured and paid business permits and taxes with the Bureau of Internal Revenue and loacal government units, they do not have any obligation to the government and have no real identity of their own except the page name in the social media.
Vizchoco added that worse, they are not real and actual reporters and journalists.
Other than members of the IBP, the CLMCC is also composed of representatives from the academe, semi-media, religious, business group, agriculture or the farmer’s group, Indegenous People (IP) and the student or the youth.
The following are the officers and members of the CLMCC:
Estrope and Vizcocho as president and vice president respectively. Rogie Pangilinan, a reproter from Pampanga as secretary, Jason de Asis from TV in Aurora and Philippine News Agency (PNA) as treasurer, Dyan Grace Crespo of Bulacan State University from the acaemde and semi-media and Erick Silverio of Manila Tomez as auditors and Aileen Sanchez of Radyo Bandera in Zambales as PRO.
The Baord of Trustees are Chairman Atty Jo Clemente, Vice Chair Atty. Maria Imelda Quiambao-Tuazon, Secretary Atty. Gener Endona and Atty. Alejandro Buan, Atty. Angelo Lopez, Nenita L. Carlos, Melicia DC Ciriaco, Mark Anthony Miranda
and Ronilo Gines.
The following are the committees and their respective chairman: Grievance and Review Committe, Atty. Maria Imelda Quiambao-Tuazon, Atty. Aljandro Buan, Atty. Gener Endona, Atty. Jo Clemente and Atty. Angelo Lopez III.
For the Membership Committee, Carmela Reyes- Estrope, Melicia DC Ciriaco and Fr. Arvin Ray Jimenez.
For the Ways and Means Committee, Benjanin Antonio III, president of Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Nenita Carlos, Chairman of the Council of Leaders of the CLMA, Ronilo Gines from the agriculture sevtor and Lilibeth Alcaraz of Bulacan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI).
For the Social Media Engagement Commitee, Aileen Sanchez and Mark Miranda, from Wesleyan University in Nueva Ecija and President of CLMA Nueva Ecija and Clarence May de Guzman, a journalism student from Bulacan State University.
For the Election Committee, Atty. Alejandro Buan and Atty. Angelo Lopez III and Indigenous People Mandatory Representative (IPMR) Councilor Edwin Abuque of Porac, Pampanga.
The PPI through Sebellino and its complete training team in partnership with the International Media Support (IMS) group under its head in the Philippines Che delos Reyes are intensifying the establishments of the Media-Councils in the country both for the protection and accountability of the media members and maintaining their harmonious and good relationship with their sources from the community sectors through responsible journalism.
