As it celebrates its 51st year, the Philippine Press
Institute, also known as the national association of newspapers, reaffirms its
strong commitment to doing its share in enhancing media’s role as a catalyst
for discourse—rich, enlightened, meaningful and sustained—in the coming
elections and beyond.
The May 2016 national and local elections are just a year
away. At least 18,000 elective posts will be up for grabs, running the gamut
from municipal councilors to the next occupant of MalacaƱang. How we will
choose our leaders will have a huge impact on the nation in the next six
years—and beyond—of our collective life as a nation.
Like it or not, how we choose our leaders will be
informed significantly by mass
media reports. Without doubt, media play an important role in any democracy,
ours included. Such role is highlighted during elections when media’s power not
only to inform but also to enlighten the public on a host of issues—as well as
the candidates’ qualifications—appears to be wielded to the hilt.
The theme of the 19th National Press Forum, “Media and
Election: Expanding the
Discourse” will focus on media and elections, reporting surveys,
and social media.
Publishers and editors of PPI member-newspapers
nationwide will attend the National Press Forum and Civic Journalism Community
Press Awards, which will be held on May 14 and 15, 2015 at Diamond Hotel in
Manila. These two events
will also be attended by representatives from non-media sectors.
Atty. Christian Monsod, former chairman of the Philippine
Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and member of the 1986 Constitutional
Commission, serves as this year’s keynote speaker at the 19th National Press
Forum and Annual Civic Journalism Community Press Awards of the Philippine
Press Institute (PPI), the country’s oldest professional media organization.
As keynote speaker, Mr. Monsod
will discuss issues that news media should cover in the upcoming 2016 national
and local elections.
Mr. Monsod also served as the former secretary general
and national chairman of the National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections
(NAMFREL), an election watchdog. He is also the founder and honorary chairman
of the Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE), the first Philippine
network of lawyers, law students, paralegals and other trained volunteers set
up by various non-partisan groups engaged in election monitoring work. He has
won local and international awards for his leadership in and invaluable contributions
to election reforms, governance, and democracy development in the Philippines.
Sessions in the forum are: “Social Surveys: Beyond the Numbers” and “Social Media as a Public Sphere”. Heads of survey
institutions, political experts, civil society advocates, and journalists will
take part in these sessions. Other important
concerns will be discussed in the industry forum, including the launch of PPI’s
new programs. This year's forum will
feature exhibits from some PPI members on stories of rehabilitation and
recovery in relation to last year's focus which was reporting on disasters. New programs will also be launched in the industry forum.
Recognizing
excellence in reportage
Highlighting the two-day forum is the Annual Civic Journalism
Community Press Awards, the first and only awards program of its kind in the
country, that aims to raise the standards of journalism in the countryside, and
seeks to honor news organizations not only for editorial excellence but also
for their role as catalysts for community development.
Now on its 19th year, the awards program will
honor outstanding community newspapers in various categories such as editing,
photojournalism, editorial page, business reporting, environmental reporting,
and reporting on history, arts and culture. Sixteen newspapers are vying for the six awards in both
daily and weekly categories: Sun.Star Baguio, Cebu
Daily News, Sun.Star Cebu, Panay News, Edge Davao, Mindanao Times, Sun.Star
Davao, Baguio Midland Courier, Baguio Chronicle, Balikas, The Ilocos Times, The Negros Chronicle,
The Bohol Chronicle, Eastern Visayas Mail, The Mindanao Cross, and Business
Week Mindanao.
This year's event is supported by Nickel Asia Corporation
as principal partner, and sponsored in part by PRU LIFE U.K. as major sponsor,
National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA), PhilHealth, SM Investments
Corporation, Plan International - Philippines, Diamond Hotel, McDonald's,
Malaya Business Insight, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Journal, The Philippine
Star, BusinessWorld and Manila Standard Today.
The PPI is the country's premiere print media association
whose member-publications rank among the best, most read and widely circulated
newspapers in their respective regions (National Capital Region, Luzon,
Visayas, and Mindanao). Its principal mandate is the
defense of press freedom and the promotion of ethical standards for the
professional development of the Filipino journalist. It was founded in 1964 but
rendered moribund during martial law. It was
re-activated after the EDSA Revolution and incorporated in 1987.
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