Talk show host and once GMA 24 Oras anchor, Mr. Rodrigo “Jiggy” Manicad brings his Jiggy Manicad Stories (JMS) to MSU-IIT. The forum facilitated by the Office of Publication and Information in partnership with Team MMPI (Marnie Manicad Productions International) was held at the MSU-IIT Gymnasium early morning of Friday, September 14, 2018.
Manicad’s forum focused on Journalism—the basic steps in conceiving a news story, how stories come alive and issues arising from fake news and the roles of social media on the masses. He explains that the seed of story writing starts with a concept. Concepts for journalism, as he further expounds, come from one’s awareness of his/her surroundings giving notice to even the seemingly insignificant details and members of society. These concepts in order to be given life need to be nurtured. To nurture means to reinforce the ideas with more experiences and observations. After that the draft may now be started. For budding writers, Manicad challenged them to use friends as the first critique circle of the draft.
He then went on sharing his first hand encounters in the field. As a very daring reporter, Manicad usually choses to be embedded in the fields of action where the stories happen rather than opting to stay in media stations and wait for press conferences to open. He explains this is one prerogative a news reporter may consider in order to get to the root of his/her story. What is important, he says, is content. A good field reporter should do research beforehand. He/she brings along with them whatever materials they have gathered to serve as tools for delving through the facts. Also, in the opportunity of interviews, one ought to prepare the hard questions, “iprepare ninyo yung mga tanong na sa tingin ninyo iiwasang sagutin ng subject because yun yung test of journalism, yung mahanap ang katotohanan.” However, he also warns not to be rash in addressing such queries. That instead of attacking use a less or non-offensive method in asking questions in order to avoid later conflict or tension with the subjects. Also, coherence is a must. “you have to do good story telling, the writer has to describe ano yung nakikita at kung ano ang naririnig niya… Follow the weave of the story.” Manicad says.
Field reporting is not easy, he says. But because of one’s passion to really capture and write stories that matter for the nation, a reporter has to be fully equipped not only mentally but also physically as he/she will be encountering several situations that would require survival. Meaning, reporters assign in the fields ought to prepare several things like, camping and first-aid gear, research materials, media equipment, etc. All these constitute towards the logistic of news writing.
For fake news, Manicad made the kids identify several examples of fake news from the real. Majority of the social media he says are nowadays very fond resharing fake headlines or fake or spam websites or which contain, if not totally false, but twisted rumors.
As a whole Manicad challenged the students to consider pursuing passion. It is with passion that stories are given life. With passion, stories will be able to move people. Good news and/or feature news is tricky but if it is for the truth to be exposed, a reporter needs to sacrifice a lot to complete his/her story. “Broadcasting (or journalism),” he says, “is sometimes brutal, but hindi mo dapat personalen… ganyan talaga trabaho mo— to capture the news that is happening around, you have to be very determined to delve into the truth.”
Conflict-sensitive reporting contributes to reconciliation and peacebuilding.
With this conclusion in mind, and driven by the felt need for this to be practiced not only in the journalism profession but also in other occupations and vocations, the Institute for Peace and Development in Mindanao (IPDM) opens today a three-day course that aims to integrate the concept in communication-related programs.
The Seminar-Workshop on Integrating Conflict-Sensitive Journalism in Communication-Related Programs: The Philosophy and Practice will run from October 24-26 in two venues inside the MSU-IIT campus – the IPDM Kalinaw Hall and the Amphitheater of the College of Education.
It targets around 100 students and 28 teachers from various schools and universities in Region 10 and the cities of Iligan, Cagayan de Oro, and Malaybalay, including Marawi of Lanao del Sur.
IPDM conducts the activity in partnership with the Forum Civil Peace Service or forumZFD.
The forumZFD is an association of various German peace movement and non-profit organizations aimed at creating and strengthening the instruments of civilian conflict resolution by non-violent means.
The forumZFD is supporting the seminar-workshop with a 200,00-peso grant, while MSU-IIT provides the venues and hosts the participants’ three-day stay.
Resource persons for the activity come from the forumZFD and the PECOJON or the Peace and Conflict Journalism Network.
The PECOJON is an international network of journalists and media practitioners, photographers, filmmakers and academicians who develop, promote and implement high quality reporting of conflict, crisis and war.
IPDM officer-in-charge Prof. Mark Anthony J. Torres, PhD, in an interview, lays down the four objectives of the seminar-workshop:
Facilitate learning among communication teachers and students on the philosophy of conflict-sensitive journalism, and the need for integration in the curriculum vis-a-vis media realities;
Recall the role of journalism in empowering people and dealing with issues in Mindanao such as the Bangsamoro peace process and other conflict issues;
Introduce conflict analysis tools for journalistic practice; and
Identify entry points of integration in specific communication subjects.
The seminar-workshop opens with a dialogue on the theory and practice of conflict-sensitive journalism; the role of journalists in providing a peace lens to their reports; and the nuances and differences between conflict-sensitive journalism and peace journalism.
Torres says that at the later part of the three-day activity, “the program will give way to an in-depth training on conflict analysis tools, which can be used by communications teachers in their subjects”.
Earlier in the year, MSU-IIT’s Office of Publication and Information (OPI) and the Department of English holds the lecture, Culture-Sensitive Reporting: the Muslim, the Lumad, and the Media at the CASSalida Theater.
The April 8 lecture was given by Dr. Victorio N. Sugbo of the University of the Philippines-Visayas as part of the conference: Current Issues and Trends in Language and Literature: Globalizing the Local.
The first in a series of trainings in Journalism was conducted by the Office of Publication and Information (OPI) on Saturday, January 23, 2016 at the Institute Boardroom.
These trainings are designed to train reporters and editors for the Sub Webpages of the Official Institute Webpage who will operate independently from the OPI the individual webpages for every college/school and offices of the Institute.
Those submitting articles and photos to the Sub Webpages should send these directly to: webteam@g.msuiit.edu.ph.
The OPI however will still continue to monitor these Sub Webpages but will not have editorial control over articles and photos appearing in the college and office webpages.
The participants will also be responsible in identifying and submitting significant news stories and photos that will be submitted to the Gazette and the pages of the Main Webpage, Facebook and Twitter pages.
During the first day of training, the participants chose their own Section Editors and reporters and formulated policies for review in the independent postings and maintenance of quality work in the Subpages of the Institute’s Webpage.
The first participants during this first training session were: Boylie Sarcina and Bainora Amate of the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Planning & Development (OVCPD); Cherly S. Adlawan and Juvy T. Cambaya of the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research & Extension (OVCRE); Chanda Pearl B. Simeon and Onnah Pierre P. Talle (College of Arts & Social Sciences); Karen R. Veloso, Geraldine S. Ridad and Leah May P. Madjus (College of Nursing); Giselle O. Dangdang and Sutero Malayao, Jr. (College of Education); and Safa D. Manala-o, Martha Joy J. Abing and Jessa Mae S. Banse (College of Business Administration & Accountancy).
The trainers and their topics were: Rex Sacayan of the Computer Center and School of Computer Science, “Posting texts and Photos in the Webpage”’; “Tips in Newswriting” by Rex G. Ortega of the Office of the Chancellor; “Use of Tenses and Common Errors in Grammar” by Michelle Jeanne C. Caracut, OPI Special Assistant and faculty of the Department of English; and, “Tips in Headlining and the Writing of Captions” by Maria Theresa B. Panzo, OPI Special Assistant and faculty, Department of English.
The next training is scheduled in February this year to be co-hosted by the Institute for Peace & Development in Mindanao (IPDM).
It will focus on “Newswriting” (workshop); “The Use of Prepositions and Idioms”; “Ethics in Journalism”; and, “Culture Sensitive Reporting”. Other trainings are spread out during the rest of the year for photography, layout, writing for Business, writing for Science and Technology, and Broadcast Journalism.
Lectures on the Simple Use of language” by Professor Maridette E. Molina, “Process Documentation Report” by Professor Sittie Noffaisah B. Pasandalan and, “Writing the featurized News and tips on the Libel Law” by Rex G. Ortega will be given on February 19, 2014 at the College of Arts & Social Sciences (CASS) Psychology Majors Room.
The Office of Publication & Information (OPI) and the Department of English, CASS are conducting the training for Web reporters and editors of the Institute’s various colleges, schools and administrative staff.
The participants are: Mariquita S. Dimamay (CBAA); Karen Veloso and John Paul B. Silang (CON); Fatimah Joy S. Almarez and Ma. Theresa B. Panzo (CASS); Merceditha C. Alicando (SET); Jonah L. Gamutan (COE); Arnold C. Alguno and Bianca Rae B. Sambo (CSM); Vita S. Caparoso (CEd); Minda Carabio Sexon (CEd-IDS); Nelia G. Balgoa (SGS); Mark Anthony J. Torres (IPDM); Gay L. Molina (OC); Vera Mae F. Cabatana and Marilyn J. Nario (OIS); Genevieve B. Benegrado (Admissions); Juvy Cambaya (CHEd-Phernet); Bainorah Amate (OVCPD); and, Honeylet E. Dumoran (OVCAF).
Prof. Jean Graciela E. Penola, Chair of the Department of English and Dr. Christine Godinez Ortega, Director of the OPI will welcome participants during the training program on February 19.
