In the end, a person’s name is all that matters.

This was a message by renowned media practitioner Cecilia “Che Che” Lazaro as she and other media panelists closed the College of Mass Communication Foundation Week with a discussion held earlier today at the CMC Auditorium.

“Our name is the most valuable thing we have,” she said.

Lazaro, a former Broadcast Communication department chairperson,  said a journalist’s name is the most important thing they must protect because journalists thrive on credibility in the field.

She said the practice of envelopmental journalism is rampant in the country because the profession only entitles little money for the reporter.

“Money evaporates, but your name proceeds well beyond your grave” Lazaro remarked.

RPN 9reporter and Broadcast Communication professor Marie Ann Los Banos said peer pressure is a key factor as to why journalists accept bribes in the first place.

She said journalists who are given the money usually receive it at the same time with other reporters, making it harder for the journalist to refuse the money due to fear of being ostracized.

Philippine Daily Inquirer reporter Alcuin Papa said journalists who engage in this practice are often marked for life because by merely accepting the gift entitles the receiver to have a debt of gratitude to the one who gave the money.

“Once you participate, you are instantly marked as one of them,” Papa said in Filipino.

He suggested that the first thing a journalist should do is not to spend the money and consult the desk immediately, because they know how to deal with the issue.

Covering elections

Papa said one of problems in covering elections is the over-focus on the national elections over the local ones.

“Local elections have a bigger impact on our lives,”he said.

He said most of the coverage on local elections fall under the Metro pages with reporters still green at handling election issues.

Papa said one of the reasons why the media centers on the national elections because it rakes in a lot of revenues with all the hype on election polls and mudslinging.

He said it may be because they treat media as a business, and the juicier the story is the more ratings the companies get.

“Celebritification”

Papa discussed why many politicians do not follow the election code and said it was because the public lets them get away with it.

“If they don’t follow election laws, why put them in office?” he said.

Lazaro explained Filipinos have a concept of famous personalities being above the law.

She said there is a trend where most personalities go unpunished because the public believes it is okay for these people to break the rules since they are special.

Lazaro said this is something that should be changed and proper knowledge is the key for solving it.

The right questions

When covering elections, Lazaro said all politicians loved using motherhood statements like “pagbabago” and “resolba ang kahirapan” without giving any actual solutions for their statements.

“They are not looking at the gut issues since they want to be on the safe side,” she said.

Most politicians never reveal their stands on pertinent issues like the RH Bill because they fear doing so would lose a lot of votes, she said.

“They’re trying to please all sectors,” Lazaro said.

She said it is the media’s job to find their answers since most politicians do not respond to the issues directly.

One of those means, Lazaro said, was to do extensive research and give out the facts on the issue.

Los Banos said politicians are tricky, that is why journalists should continue asking questions even if the politician will not answer the issues.

“When it comes to coverage, we need to have the right prerogative,” she said in Filipino.

Ethical reporting

Papa said what students learn in school actually acts as a foundation on their future role as journalists.

He said ethics is important no matter what other people say because it is the reporter’s judgment whether that story will be published.

He said journalists will have biases, but they have a “moral north star” to guide them.

“Even if you just sit down and write, ethical considerations already applies,” Papa said.

Lazaro advises the students not to lose the focus on ethical writing because it is the responsibility of a media practitioner to exercise ethical reporting at all times.

“Keep your ideals, don’t be fooled by the system,” Lazaro said.

Educate the illiterate

DZAS radio broadcaster Eric Maliwat said it is the journalist’s job to educate the masses into telling them what to think and what to think about, especially election related matters.

“If the public becomes literate, they will find [an]electorate who will reflect them,”he said.

He said the masses are having a hard time thinking because they can’t even have enough food to feed their family, that is why journalists should stand up for the role of being their guide.

“We need to teach them to think,” Maliwat said.

Total Voting Population: 1,086 enrolled CMC students

Voter Turnout: 370 enrolled CMC students

Percentage: (Turnout over Voting Population): (34.07%)

Scores:

Richard Gordon – 139

Gilbert Teodoro – 107

Benigno Aquino III – 48

Manuel Villar – 37

Nicanor Perlas – 15

Eduardo Villanueva – 5

Jamby Madrigal – 3

Joseph Estrada – 1

Vetallano Acosta – 0

JC delos Reyes – 0

ABSTAIN – 15

Percentages (score over turnout)

Richard Gordon – 37.57%

Gilbert Teodoro – 28.92%

Benigno Aquino III – 12.97%

Manuel Villar – 10%

Nicanor Perlas – 4.05%

Eduardo Villanueva – 1.35%

Jamby Madrigal – 0.81%

Joseph Estrada – 0.27%

ABSTAIN – 4.05%

Percentages (score over total voting population)

Richard Gordon – 12.80%

Gilbert Teodoro – 9.85%

Benigno Aquino III – 4.42%

Manuel Villar – 3.41%

Nicanor Perlas – 1.38%

Eduardo Villanueva – .46%

Jamby Madrigal – .28%

Joseph Estrada – .09%

ABSTAIN – 1.38%

After voting in the college and university council elections held inside the CMC auditorium, the students were asked to vote at the mock polls “precinct” outside the door. 645 out of 1084 CMC students or 59.5% of the college population voted in the CMC Student Council/University Student Council elections.

Amid the detention of the Morong 43, three student leaders of the College of Mass Communication (CMC) said the next president should reverse the culture of corruption, enforced disappearances and impunity.

In an open letter for the next president read in a press conference organized by the Journalism Department yesterday, CMC Student Council (CMC SC) chairperson Rupert Mangilit reiterated the call for the release of the 43 health workers arrested in Morong, Rizal for alleged links to communist rebels.

Included among the 43 is former CMC SC chairperson Jacqueline Gonzales, who along with other volunteers were on a health training seminar when they were arrested, an act condemned by activist, medical and international lawyer groups.

CMC SC chairperson-elect Sherwin Su said the biggest challenge for the next president is to change the culture of corruption and injustice, to lay the grounds for transparent leadership and uphold free speech.

Kathy Molina, secretary-general of the Student Alliance for the Advancement of Democratic Rights in UP CMC (STAND UP CMC), said the president must “dispel the culture of impunity,” coming from an administration with a worse record of enforced disappearances and journalist killings than Ferdinand Marcos.

Journalists targeted

Local human rights organization KARAPATAN identified over 800 extrajudicial killings since President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed office in 2001.

According to the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, 165 journalists have been killed since 1986, 112 of which were killed in the line of duty. 74 journalists were killed during Arroyo’s term.

Mangilit urged the next president to release other illegal detainees and the next council to continue the call for the Morong 43’s release.

Mangilit said journalists who choose to air the concerns of marginalized and far-flung groups, whose needs are not addressed by the national government, are often targets of human rights violations. He cited the cases of Gonzales, sociology student Karen Empeno and College of Human Kinetics student Sherlyn Cadapan, all from the University of the Philippines (UP).

In 2006, Empeno and Cadapan were conducting research in Bulacan when they were allegedly abducted by military groups.  Activist groups have been demanding their release since then, but they have not yet surfaced.

“Ikinalulungkot namin sa panahong ito na ang maglingkod sa bayan ay mistulang isang malaking kasalanan,” Mangilit said.

Mangilit said the next president should improve the health sector, among other basic services. He urged Congress to pass stronger laws against human rights violations and the next president to ensure the punishment of violators.

Su said the next president should have a “clear and defined focus” directed to education, the arts and sciences, which would lead to the empowerment of the people.

Challenges, plans

The next CMC SC faces the same challenge to enact change that would address immediate needs and allow venues for more student involvement in issues, said Su.

Su said the council would prioritize policies for unity and representation through the empowerment of student groups, which included the formation of marketing, publicity and web teams, formalization of organizations of registration assistants (RAs) and the empowerment of Tinig ng Plaridel, the official CMC student publication.

Molina, who went up against Su in the college elections last Feb. 24, called on the next president to secure justice for victims of human rights violations and to hold President Arroyo accountable for the slew of disappearances and killings that happened during her term. She cited investigations of the United Nations that showed the killings were perpetrated by military officials and political personalities.

Molina urged Congress to pass laws against the intimidation of journalists and the Right for Information Act, which would allow the people access to government data without procedural difficulty.

The next president should prioritize education and increase the budget for courses that build national identity and encourage critical thinking, like mass communication courses, she said.

Molina called for a public broadcasting system which serves the people instead of being “mouthpieces of the government,” encouraging government stations RPN9 and IBC13 to grow as media entities.

More about the Mar. 2 press con in TNP’s print issue, which will be released on Mar. 19-Ed.

“Comment is free, but facts are sacred.”—C.P. Scott

Due to the sensitivity of some of the comments we have been receiving on this website, the Tinig ng Plaridel Editorial Board found it necessary to deliberate on their publication. However, we have also decided that totally disallowing any comments would be against TNP’s duty of being a student medium.

We have then decided to post all comments from readers while observing the following conditions:

1. Obscene, vulgar and profane language are avoided.
2. The Editorial Board reserves the right to delete spam comments.

Furthermore, the comments posted on this site do not reflect the opinion of TNP or of its Editorial Board or staff.

Thank you and we hope to continue to hear from you.

Let your voice be heard. Inform and be informed.

TINIG NG PLARIDEL EDITORIAL BOARD 2010-2011
University of the Philippines

1 p.m.
CMC Auditorium
Forum 2
PolEthics, Petiks: Mass Media Ethics and the 2010 Elections (Mr. Lito Banayo)
Department of Communication Research

Wednesday (March 03)
10 a.m.
CMC Auditorium
Forum 3
The Filipino Cinema in the 1990s (Dr. Nicanor Tiongson)
UP Film Institute

1:30 p.m.
CMC Auditorium
Journal Launching of the 13^th Issue of Plaridel (Dr. Aleli Quirante)
Office of Research and Publication

3 p.m.
SportsFest: Philippine Games (Students, Faculty, and Staff)
CMC Student Council

Thursday (March 04)
9 a.m.
Media Center TV Studio
Forum 4
COMELEC: The Computerized Elections of 2010 (Mr. Jaime JimenezO
Commission on Elections

5 p.m.
Alumni Center Bowling Lanes
SportsFest: Bowling (Students, Faculty, and Staff)
CMC Student Council

Friday (March 05)
10 a.m.
CMC Auditorium
Forum 5
On the Campaign Trail (Ms. Cheche Lazaro)
Department of Broadcast Communication

7 p.m.
Aldaba Lim Hall
Diliman Classics (Prof. Victor Avecilla)
Impressario

By Franz Jonathan de la Fuente

The six latest additions to the College of Mass Communication’s facilities were inaugurated today at a program kicking off Mass Communication Week at the CMC auditorium.

The college’s various benefactors behind the facilities were also recognized in light of the college’s 45^th anniversary.

These facilities include the new DZUP transmitter, the Samaskom Suite (formerly A107-A), the Menchu Esteban computer laboratory, the Philippine Star Seminar Rooms, the DZUP Radio Circle Booth, and the Media Center Film Building.

“Through our college’s partners, we are able to construct spaces into platforms, and we are ever remindful of the college’s role in the university and society as a whole,” said Prof. Alfonso Deza, chairperson of the Communication Research department who hosted the program with Broadcast Communication Prof. Jane Vinculado.

Carmencita “Menchu” Esteban, after whom the new Communication Research computer laboratory will be named, said that she did not hesitate when requested by former Dean Elena Pernia to donate to the college.

“I immediately agreed,” she said. “Mass media is all about being able to communicate what is right and being able to persuade others—marketing and opinion research—and this is really close to my heart.”

Other sponsors included Senators Edgardo Angara, a former president of the University of the Philippines, and Loren Legarda, who is now running for vice-president.

Legarda, through Commission on Climate Change Executive Director Victoria Evangelista, said in a statement that she wished to “bridge the disconnect between media source and its target audience” through her advocacies for the college.

Also present were Jay Sarmiento, Corporate Communications Manager for the Philippine Star, CMC Dean Rolando Tolentino, UP President Emerlinda Roman, and UP Diliman Chancellor Sergio Cao.

The college is now celebrating its 45^th year as a degree-granting unit.

The Institute of Mass Communication was first established in 1965 under the College of Arts and Sciences, with Dr. Gloria Feliciano as its first dean.

It later transferred to its current home in Plaridel Hall in 1969.

After more than two decades, the Institute was then elevated to college status in 1988 under the tenure of dean Georgina Encanto.

Alyansa ng mga Mag-aaral para sa Panlipunang Katwiran at Kaunlaran (ALYANSA) bagged eight college representative seats while Nagkakaisang Iskolar Para sa Pamatasan at Sambayanan (KAISA UP) and Students Alliance for the Advancement of Democratic Rights in UP (STAND-UP) both won five positions out of the total 20 colleges.

For the second straight year, an independent candidate won from the College of Mass Communication while the College of Fine Arts failed to field any candidate for the position.

The university’s largest voting bloc, the College of Engineering, split their two college representatives, Michael Brian Bien and Cyrus Cruz between ALYANSA and KAISA, respectively.

Meanwhile, representatives Maria Kriselda Sebastian of CAL, Englebert Chua of CBA, Montana Amir Dominguez of Educ, Angelo Flores of CHK, Carlo Go of Econ, Nigel Patrick Cornel of CMC, Nicole Roxanne Aldiosa of Music, Marie Gold Villar of CSWCD and Heverly Bravo of Stat ran unopposed with the plurality rule evident for their win.

Unlike other university student council positions, the college representative post is specifically voted by students of their respective college units.

Candidates running for this position usually have been a part of their local student council.

This year, nine of the 19 candidates are incumbent officers of their respective college’s student councils.

Newcomers who do not currently hold a position in their college council

ARCHI- ALEXANDER DOMINIC MAYORALGO (ALYANSA)
CAL- MARIA KRISELDA SEBASTIAN (STAND UP)
CHE- KARMELA VICTORIA ABESAMIS (KAISA)
CHK- ANGELO FLORES (KAISA)
CMC- NIGEL PATRICK CORNEL (Independent)
CSSP- JUAN CARLO TEJANO (ALYANSA)
CSWCD- MARIE GOLD VILLAR (STAND UP)
ENG’G- MICHAEL BRIAN BIEN (ALYANSA)
NCPAG- DESIREE ICO (KAISA)
SLIS- JOHN RONALD ALMONINA (STAND UP)

Incumbents who currently hold a position in their college council

AIT-JUAN CARLO DANGANAN (KAISA)
CBA-ENGLEBERT CHUA (ALYANSA)
CS- JACKIE CANLAS (ALYANSA)
ECON- CARLO GO (ALYANSA)
EDUC- MONTANA AMIR DOMINGUEZ (STAND UP)
ENG’G- CYRUS CRUZ (KAISA)
LAW- MA. FLORENCE THERESE MARTIREZ  (ALYANSA)
MUSIC-NICOLE ROXANNE ALDIOSA (ALYANSA)
STAT- HEVERLY BRAVO (STAND UP)

Breakdown per party

ALYANSA: Archi, CBA, CS, CSSP, ECON, Eng’g (1), Law, Music
KAISA: AIT*, CHE, CHK, Eng’g (1), NCPAG
STAND-UP: CAL, CSWCD, EDUC, SLIS, STAT
Independent: CMC

*Local party START-AIT is an affiliate of KAISA.

Photo by Joshua Dalupang

By Katherine Elona

Interdependent Student-Centered Activism (ISA) won all the top positions in the College of Mass Communication (CMC) elections, while Student Alliance as the Advancement of Democratic Rights in UP-CMC (STAND-UP-CMC) only clinched five spots as the department representatives.

ISA’s Nigel Cornel won as CMC Representative with 457 votes, with 188 students voting to abstain.

The next CMC-Student Council (CMC-SC) will be led by Sherwin Su of ISA, who won as chairperson with 319 votes, beating STAND-UP’s Katherine Molina who got 296 votes.

ISA’s Rix Migriño, who got 346 votes as opposed to STAND-UP’s JR Remigio’s 182 votes, will be the next CMC-SC Vice Chairperson.

ISA’s Pam Po won as secretary with 341 votes, and B-an Catubay from the same party won as treasurer with 360 votes. Their opponents from STAND-UP Kirstin Bernabe as Secretary and Abigail Lingbaoan as Treasurer got 243 and 215 votes respectively.

ISA’s Jake Rivera and Rox Uy who both got 144 votes are the next Broadcast Communication Representatives. STAND-UP’s Den Yalung got 79 votes.

All representatives from the journalism and film departments are from STAND-UP. Gail Orduna, with 102 votes, and Norman Riego with 84 votes are the next journalism representatives, while Dreps Tatad, with 61 votes and Jan Pineda with 65 votes are the next Film Institute Representatives.

ISA’s candidates for journalism representatives Mica Yu and Jacques Jimeno got 65 and 80 votes respectively, while their bets for Film Institute representatives Vinnie Pacleb and Maika Gomez only got 43 and 40 votes respectively.

The next communication research representatives are ISA’s Cheska Teresa, with 98 votes, and STAND-UP’s Ainah Punzalan, with 58 votes. Oya Olalia of STAND-UP got 35 votes.

Andrea Galindo won as graduate studies representative with 6 votes, as 5 graduate students opted to abstain.

CMC garnered a 59.68% voter turnout this year, a marked improvement from last year’s 57%.

Photo by Roehl Nino Bautista

STAND- UP and ALYANSA bagged most of the University Student Council seats (12-12)as the Diliman Halalan Team officially announced the results of the 2010 elections at about 7:30 p.m. today at Vinzons Hall, with the party’s standard bearers also winning the two top USC posts.

Rainier Astin “Rain” Sindayen emerged as the USC Chairperson with 3,091 votes followed by Gabriel Jose “Beng” Villamil of KAISA with 2,972 votes and Mario Cerilles, Jr. of ALYANSA with 2,923 votes.

STAND-UP Vice Chairperson bet Fermina Carmen “Amme” Agudo also won with 4,046 votes followed by Beverly “Bevs” Lumbera of ALYANSA with 2659 votes and Froilan Antonio “Ton” Bacungan with 2038 votes.

Five councilors from STAND-UP, four from ALYANSA and three from KAISA were elected with Marck Bryan “Chorva” David of KAISA topping the polls with 4,159 votes. David was followed by Kristine “Tin” Borja of ALYANSA with 3,827 votes; Kristine Kamille “KKK” Kalinking, KAISA, 3,633 votes; Rafael Dominic “Nico” Ibaviosa, ALYANSA, 3,587 votes; Sarah Jane Elago, STAND-UP, 3,263 votes; Jemimah Grace “Gem” Garcia, STAND-UP, 3,080 votes; Daniel Ramos, STAND-UP, 2,922 votes; Jeanine Jerusha “Duday” Duran, STAND-UP, 2,910 votes; Jessica “Ezie” Mariazeta, STAND-UP, 2,895 votes; Richard Estrella, ALYANSA, 2,790 votes; Simoun Antonio Salinas, ALYANSA, 2,739 votes and Marvee Dela Resma of KAISA with 2642 votes.

With reports from Peter Angelo Blaza, Nephele Kirong, Jan Karl Coballes and Rogelio Tubije

Fermina Carmen “Amme” Agudo, STAND UP, 4046
Beverly “Bevs” Lumbera, ALYANSA, 2659
Froilan Antonio “Ton” Bacungan, 2038

Councilors:
5 STAND UP (S), 4 ALYANSA (A), 3 KAISA (K)
1. Chorva David (K), 4159
2. Tin Borja (A), 3827
3. KKK Kalingking (K), 3633
4. Nico Ibaviosa (A), 3587
5. Sarah Elago (S), 3263
6. Gem Garcia (S), 3080
7. Dan Ramos (S), 2922
8. Jeanine Duran (S), 2910
9. Ezie Mariazeta (S), 2895
10. Richard Estrella (A), 2790
11. Simoun Salinas (A), 2739
12. Mavee de la Rasma (K), 2642
13. Pat Tobias (K), 2545
14. Neil Nucup (S), 2547
15. Chase Suguitan (A) 2527
16. Lean Marquez (S), 2509
17. Tbacz Bactol (K), 2482
18. Gil Turingan (A), 2455
19. Joseph Cataan (S), 2407
20. Ranel Cheng (K), 2358
21. Charles Icasiano (S), 2354
22. Marky Mondia (A), 2333
23. Kenneth Reganon (S), 2151
24. Marielle Bordado (K), 2145
25. Papsi Bacay (S), 2092
26. Marian Cloma (A), 1995
27. Val Inting (K), 1900
28. Cams Maranan (K), 1776
29. Gino Leynes (K), 1721