Pinoy Weekly, the primary sponsor of our event last November 2008, also had its latest development: the launching of its redesigned website: http://www.pinoyweekly.org. The new site was designed by one of the top graphic artists in the country today, Tom Estrera III, and was constructed by ace developer Vencer Crisostomo (who also happens to be a columnist for Pinoy Weekly, aside from being the spokesperson of Kabataan Party-list and chairperson of the militant League of Filipino Students) via WordPress. Designed to be more visually stimulating and capable of multimedia reports (especially video), the new site is an exciting development to Pinoy Weekly and its advocacy of practicing progressive in-depth journalism in the Filipino language. Kudos to Pinoy Weekly!

Katunayan, lampas alas-otso pa lamang, may mga naghihintay na sa labas ng benyu. 50 hanggang 70 lang ang inaasahan naming dadalo sa kauna-unahang Pinoy Citizen Journalism Seminar. Ipinamalita lang kasi namin sa internet at ipinakalat sa mga kuwentu-kuwento ang Seminar, na mukhang kauna-unahan ngang seminar ng citizen journalists sa Pilipinas. May pang-engganyo pa kami sa mga dadalo, para masiguro lamang na di lalangawin: libreng pananghalian sa unang 50 pre-registrants.

Pero sa araw mismong iyon, humigit-kumulang sa 100 ang dumagsa sa Nigs — para dumalo sa lektyur nina Prop. Danny Arao at Tonyo Cruz, at para matuto sa iba’t ibang skills training sa pagsusulat ng balita at lathalain, photojournalism, pagkuha ng bidyo, at science blogging. Halatang uhaw sa kaalaman ang mga nagsipagdalo. Hindi na mahalagang hindi sila umabot sa unang 50 nabigyan ng pananghalian. Ang mahalaga, nakadalo sila sa breakout sessions, at natuto (sana) sa panimulang mga talakayan hinggil sa limang nabanggit na larangan.

Hindi namin sinasabi ito dahil kami ang nag-isponsor (kasama ang College Editors Guild of the Philippines, Computer Professionals Union, Agham-Youth at UP GEMS), pero masasabi talaga naming “breakthrough” ang naturang Seminar. Bilang mga mamamahayag kasi, palagi kaming naiimbitahan sa mga workshop, seminar, at lecture para magbahagi ng aming kaalaman sa pagsusulat, pagkuha ng larawan at iba pang gawain sa pagdidiyaryo. Pero kalimita’y kabataang mga mamamahayag ang odyens. Sa Seminar na ito, nangahas kaming ibukas sa iba’t ibang sektor ng lipunan ang pagsasanay sa pamamahayag. Kaya nga pinili naming gamitin ang konsepto ng “citizen journalism.”

Nakakatuwa ang saklaw ng odyens na dumalo. Siyempre, maraming bilang pa rin ang mula sa kabataan — iyong batikang mga blogger, manunulat sa kampus, mag-aaral ng pamamahayag. May mga representante ang iba’t ibang publikasyon sa kampus, mula FEU hanggang PUP hanggang UP Los Baños. Pero nakakatuwa ang paglahok ng iba’t ibang organisasyong kumakatawan sa batayang mga sektor. May mula sa mga kawani ng gobyerno, manggagawa, migrante, kababaihan. Marami ang mula sa sektor ng kalusugan. May mga mula sa organisasyong pangkarapatang pantao. At marami pang iba.

Indikasyon ito ng pagnanais nilang masandatahan ng karampatang kaalaman — para sila na mismo ang mag-ulat ng kani-kanilang mga istorya. Napakarami ang limitasyon sa masmidya, laluna sa mainstream na masmidya. Bakit hindi sila na mismo ang maging mamamahayag ng kanilang mg isyu — silang mismong nasa front lines ng balita, silang mismong araw-araw na nakakasaksi sa mahahalagang panlipunang kaganapan? Madalas silang walang boses sa masmidya. Sa tulong ng Seminar, sana’y nabigyan sila ng kaunting kaalaman at, mas mahalaga, ng kumpiyansa sa sarili, para maging “citizen journalists.”

Panimula pa lamang ang inilunsad noong Nobyembre 29. Salamat sa lahat ng tumulong para masakatuparan ito: sa mga kapwa isponsor sa CEGP, CPU, Agham-Youth, UP GEMS at PhilippineReader.com; sa UP Nigs; sa mga naglektyur: kina Prop. Arao at G. Cruz, at sa mga nagbahagi ng kanilang kaalaman: sina Iris Estrera (newswriting), Rowena Paraan (features writing), Jimmy Domingo (photojournalism), EJ Mijares (videography) at Dr. Giovanni Tapang (science blogging); at, siyempre, sa mga dumalo — sa mga estudyante’t kabataan na dinayo ang sulok na ito ng UP Diliman, at sa mga miyembro’t kinatawan ng iba’t ibang sektoral na organisasyon.

Para sa inyo lahat ang isinagawang Seminar. Para sa inyong lahat ang aming mga larawan at panulat.

* * *

Registration: Alas-nuwebe ng umaga, dagsa na ang mga nagsipagdalo.

Isa sa mga nagbigay ng paunang salita si Rick Bahague ng Computer Professionals Union.

Masusing tinalakay ni Prop. Danny Arao ang konsepto ng citizen journalism at ang mga tungkulin at responsabilidad ng isang citizen journalist.

Samantala, abala rin si Soliman Santos, manunulat ng Pinoy Weekly, sa pagbenta ng librong Pluma at Papel, koleksiyon ng mga sanaysay ng tagapangulo ng editorial board ng Pinoy Weekly na si Rogelio Ordoñez.

Masigla at kuwelang tinalakay ni Tonyo Cruz ang mayamang potensiyal ng new media.

Isa sa mga nagbahagi sa open forum si Engr. Mon Ramirez, hinggil sa mga karanasan ng Arkibong Bayan — isa sa pinakamaningning at matagumpay na kuwento ng citizen journalism.

Pila-pila sa pagkain.

Paghahanda para sa breakout sessions.

Si EJ Mijares ng Sine Patriyotiko (Sipat) ang tagapagsalita para sa sesyon sa videography.

Masaya at makulay naman ang talakayan hinggil sa newswriting sa pangunguna ni Iris Pagsanjan-Estrera, associate producer ng Saksi sa GMA-7 News.

Masinsin at mabunga ang talakayan hinggil sa features writing sa pamumuno ni Rowena Paraan ng National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) at Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ).

Interesante at hindi lang pang-”geek” ang diskusyon hinggil sa science blogging ni Dr. Giovanni Tapang ng UP National Institute of Physics at AGHAM.

Sa kabila ng “nakabubura ng mukha” na lamig ng aircon, patok sa takilya ang diskusyon sa photojournalism ni Jimmy Domingo ng Conrad Adenauer Center for Journalism sa Ateneo de Manila University.

Nagsagawa pa ng hands-on training sa mga nagsipagdalo sa kanyang sesyon si EJ Mijares ng Sipat.

Ang istap ng Pinoy Weekly na ilan sa mga responsable sa paghahanda para sa Seminar: (Mula kaliwa) Soliman Santos, Jeffrey Ocampo, Darius Galang, Kenneth Guda, at Ilang-Ilang Quijano.

Mga larawan nina Jeffrey Ocampo, Darius Galang, Ilang-Ilang Quijano at Makis Magaling

* * *

Orihinal na lumabas ang artikulong ito sa Pinoy Weekly.

May isinulat si Tonyo Cruz hinggil sa event.

Nag-post naman ng mga larawan ng kaganapan ang CEGP.

Nag-post din si Prop. Danny Arao hinggil dito.

May mga nasulat ang ilang bloggers hinggil sa Seminar: dito at dito.

Nagsulat naman ng kolum sa Manila Times si Rick Bahague ng CPU hinggil sa Seminar.

Muli congrats sa ating lahat na naging bahagi ng Pinoy Citizen Journalism Seminar! Sa uulitin!

From www.toonpool.com

Here is the fifty lucky people to avail of the free lunch and kit for tomorrow. Hooray! Let it be said again, though, that those who were not among the first fifty will definitely STILL be accommodated in the sessions. So do not be discouraged if you do not find your names here. Just be at UP NIGS for the lectures and sessions tomorrow.

Just in case some of you have problems with having your full names mentioned in public weblogs, we’ll just mention the first names, affiliations and session of choice:

1. Karen – UPLB – Features
2. Elwyn – Backdoor Blues Café – Features
3. Adrian – UP Open University – News
4. Jane Camille – FEU Advocate – News
5. Dyan Michell – UP Diliman – Features
6. Katherine – UP Diliman – News
7. Jalil – St. Dominic College – Photojourn
8. Abraham – St. Dominic College – Photojourn
9. Marck Ronald – Makati City – Features
10. John Mark – UP Dil Journalism Dept. – Science blogging
11. Francest – MLQU Quezonian – News
12. Lyn Angelica – GWP – Photojourn
13. Joseph Raul – UPLB – Photojourn
14. Liberty – PLCPD – Features
15. Dwight – UPLB – News
16. Beth - EILER – News
17. Karl - UPLB – Photojourn
18. Jossel – AUPWU / AHW – News
19. Mary Grace – Fukumoto – Photojourn
20. Fernando – Caloocan City – Photojourn
21. Goody – Migrante – Features
22. Gina – Migrante – News
23. Jonathan – Migrante – News
24. Jaja – Migrante – News
25. Ailin – Migrante – News
26. Roy – Migrante – News
27. Coni – Migrante – Features
28. Romeo – KMU – News
29. Katharina Anne – CHD – Photojourn
30. Miriam – FEU Advocate – News
31. Philip – HEAD – Photojourn
32. Edge – UPLB – Videography
33. Apple Jean – UPLB – Videography
34. Fjordan – TIP – Science Blogging
35. Luife Maita – UPLB – Features
36. Gilbert – TIP – Photojourn
37. Chiongbian – UP PGH – News
38. Di – CWR – News
39. Teta – CWR -Features
40. Bing – CWR – Photojourn
41. Rhoda – CWR – Videography
42. Marjon – AHW – Photojourn
43. Connie – AHW – Features
44. Teody – AHW – Videography
45. MC – PUP – Science Blogging
46. Nes – Gabriela – Photojourn
47. Mark – Anakpawis – Photojourn
48. Eduardo – Anakpawis – News
49. Aya – Karapatan – Photojourn
50. Noki – Karapatan – News

Notable notes (those who pre-registered, did not make the first fifty, but we hope to see on Saturday):

1. Angie – Bulatlat – Photojourn
2. Conrado – TIP – News
3. Cherry Ann – TIP – Photojourn
4. Jhon Raymond – TIP – Photojourn
5. Philip – CTUHR – News
6. Janet – WAC-Cavite – Videography

We’ll release the list of fifty pre-registrants tomorrow. We repeat, though: Even if you we’re not able to pre-register, you may still be accomodated in the lectures and sessions. Just register at the venue itself on Saturday, 9 a.m.

Thanks y’all and see you on Saturday!

We’re all set for Saturday!

Nothing like this on Saturday -- just sumptuous food for the brain and heart (we hope).

Not sure if you guys expect a feast come Saturday (hehe, packed lunch lang eh), or may have the impression that you may not be accomodated in the sessions of choice, or just plain goddarn excited. We were wondering this because many are inquiring if they have been included in the first fifty pre-registrants. Not to worry, guys. The pre-registration, for the most part, is just for us to ensure that all the sessions will have ample audience. There was an apprehension as to the popular appeal of writing sessions. Good to know, though, that the written word has not yet lost its appeal among us. As of now, judging from the pre-reg forms turned in, the sessions will probably be well-covered.

As for the lunch, I suppose, it is an added come-on (there is a crisis, after all). Our fear, though, is that a sumptuous course of good ‘ole kanin at ulam may disappoint discriminating tastes. So be forewarned: probably no lechong manok or morcon on styros. We’ll do our best to feed the fifty with decent, edible food.

We plan to post the lucky fifty a day before big Saturday — but they will still have to confirm their registration on the morning of the 29th. Hehe. So for all you who have yet to pre-register and would fancy some decent, edible lunch on the 29th to go with a kit in an afternoon of (what we hope to be) fun-filled and exciting breakout sessions, pre-register now!

Before we commit the unconscionable sin of forgetting, allow us to thank the guys from Bloggers’ Kapihan for endorsing Pinoy Citizen Journalism Seminar!

http://www.bloggerskapihan.com/2008/11/22/join-the-pinoy-citizen-journalism-seminar/

Let us also thank Tonyo Cruz, JM Tuazon, Sarah Maramag and others for reposting our announcements!

Pre-registration is still open. Those who pre-register after the first fifty (50) pre-registrants, as well as those who will not be able to pre-register but plan anyway to attend the Seminar, will nevertheless be accomodated in the sessions — albeit without the free lunch and the kit.

We’re all excited to see you all on Saturday!

Award-winning blogger, journalist and new media advocate Tonyo Cruz, for Technology and Journalism

Iris Pagsanjan-Estrera of GMA-7 News and associate producer of Saksi, for news writing

Rowena Carranza-Paraan of NUJP and PCIJ, for features writing

Filmmakers from Sine Patriyotiko (SIPAT), for videography