CEBU, Philippines – Campus journalism trainings were held in Cebu and Negros Oriental recently. The activities were led by two respected national journalists and reporters of ABS-CBN TV Patrol's Jeff Canoy in Dumaguete City and Chiara Zambrano in Cebu City.
The Communication Arts Training Group, headed by its Directress Ma. Virginia Valmoria Visitacion, spearheaded the trainings. With the theme "Media 101: In the Realm of Brains and Visuals," it aimed to immerse students in the proper procedures and standard of campus journalism and to the ideals of freedom of the press.
High school and elementary students from public and private schools in Cebu and Negros Oriental joined the trainings. Topics were News Writing, Editorial Writing, Sports Writing, Feature Writing, Photojournalism and Editorial Cartooning.
In Dumaguete City, practicing Cebu journalists Manila Bulletin photojournalist Cheryl Boholano, The Freeman editorial cartoonist Ramesh Rosillo, SunStar Cebu News reporter Princess Dawn Felicitas, Cebu Daily News lifestyle writer Orly Cajegas, ABS-CBN Cebu creative writer Jun Niño Nalipay, ABS-CBN "Maayong Buntag" host Rico Lucena and TV Patrol Central Visayas news anchor Leo Lastimosa gave lectures on their respective areas of expertise, while Jeff Canoy spoke on Broadcast Writing.
ComArts Training Group directress Mrs. Visitacion and managing partner Daryl Hannah Parilla were also coaching and mentoring speakers.
Another set of such workshops were held in Cebu. Here, outstanding members were picked from the student participants. Hence, the ComArts Media Awards, an annual search for workshop participants that excel in their respective categories. The winners received medals and certificates.
TV Patrol reporter and documentary host Chiara Zambrano talked about broadcast writing and reporting. The two-day Cebu event took place at Crown Regency Guadalupe. SunStar Cebu's Isolde Amante spoke about print journalism. Dumaguete speakers completed the line-up of speakers.
ComArts Media 101 is an annual training for campus journalists. It aims to orient student journalists with the professional standards of journalism.