Fellowships open for 18th Lopez Jaena Community Journalism Workshop on Reporting Corruption in October

The University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication (UP CMC) will hold the 18th Graciano Lopez Jaena Community Journalism Workshop from October 3 to 8 at the UP College of Mass Communication, Diliman, Quezon City.

Fellowship slots are available for this workshop. Applications are open to full-time print, broadcast and online journalists, as well as selected journalism educators and students.

This year’s workshop theme is “Huwag Kumorap: Investigating Corruption in Media and Government.”

Resource persons from the academe, government and non-government organizations will speak on issues like investigative reporting, corruption-related laws, ethics and freedom of information.

Since its first workshop in 1985, the Lopez Jaena Community Journalism Workshop has trained hundreds of community journalists. Among the past fellows are Cong Corrales, Raymund Villanueva, Dino Balabo, Froilan Gallardo, Frank Cimatu, Ilang-ilang Quijano, Jo Clemente, Diosa Labiste, Danny Calleja, Flor Abanto and Maurice Malanes.

Applicants should be currently engaged in the journalism profession with at least two years’ working experience. They should also be below 45 years old. They must submit an application letter; resume; two published/broadcast news reports; a story plan for an investigative report on corruption in media or government; and an endorsement from their editor, local press club president or a Lopez Jaena Community Journalism Workshop alumnus.

Limited slots may be given to senior journalism students. Student applicants are required to submit an application letter, resume, sample works and an endorsement from their professor, department chair or dean.

The fellowship will cover board and lodging. Participants will be billeted inside the UP Diliman campus.

Interested journalists, journalism educators and students may send their application papers to The Project Director, 18th Lopez Jaena Community Journalism Workshop on Reporting Corruption, College of Mass Communication, University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, Quezon City.

The deadline for applications is on August 1.

For more details, please call the Office of Extension and External Relations (OEER) at 920-6864 or 981-8500 local 2668 or email at lopezjaenaworkshop@gmail.com.

Inspect warehouses, NFA told

MALOLOS CITY—Bulacan farmers demanded inspection and inventory of rice warehouses in Central Luzon as price spiked again while supply is low.

For his part, Director Rex Estoperez, the spokesperson of the National Food Authority (NFA) said they might conduct inspection but did not disclose where and when.

Melencio Domingo, chair of the Malolos City Agriculture and Fisheries Council (MCAFC) said there is no problem with rice supply.

Instead, he stressed that the problem lies in the price due to perceive hoarding of some commercial traders.

“Dapat simulan ng NFA ang inspection sa mga warehouses ng bigas sa Central Luzon, Domingo said.

He noted high volume of harvest by Bulacan farmers last cropping season.

“Saan napunta yung magandang ani namin, malamang diyan ay iniipit lang sa mga warehouse,” he said and noted reports by the Department of Agriculture which said that the country achieved 97 percent rice sufficiency last year.

Domingo added that low supply of rice in the market is artificial due to hoarding, thus, the need for NFA inspection monitoring of rice inventories in warehouses.

For his part, Estoperez said the NFA might impose its visitorial powers soon.

However, he said that there is no need yet for NFA to conduct inspection.

Estoperez noted that in the past the NFA conducted inspection on warehouses when supply of rice went down.

In a live interview over Radyo Bulacan, he said, “sapat pa ang supply ng bigas natin.”

He also advised the public not to go on panic buying and to avoid wasting rice.

With rice price hike, Estoperez said that it is normal at this time of year which he described as lean months.

But Bulacan farmers said rice process today is anything but normal.

They noted that palay price climbed to P25.60 last week, the highest buying price in history.

 

Farmers said that it is a clear indication of the low supply of rice due to allege hoarding.  (Dino Balabo)