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COTABATO CITY (SDN) — News media workers, such as journalists, are one of the most needed professions in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
One of the reasons for this vital need is that the national-centric media organizations in Manila are in more ways than one chronicle the events, places, and people of the Bangsamoro region through their own lens. Thus, most likely their reporters’ writings are heavily tilted against the Moro, or Muslim, people. Prejudice, bias, discrimination, and even bigotry can be gleaned from their writings, not just between the lines. But staring at you wide-eyed.
There are only very few Moro journalists who were able to crack the national media and regarded as part of.
Social media nowadays have given the Moro people a platform to be heard according to their own perception and interpretation of events — not from “parachute journalist” who comes to the BARMM, fly off, then write pieces that hardly scratch the surface.
Fortunately, the BARMM through the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) headed by Minister Mohagher M. Iqbal is mindful of this issue of lack of Moro news media workers, apparently.
This is because the education ministry will be holding on April 16-20 the 2024 MBHTE Regional Schools Press Conference in Lamitan City, Basilan.
In Regional Memorandum No. 217, Series of 2024, Iqbal called the attention of MBHTE Director General for Basic Education Abdullah P. Salik, Jr. and Bureau Director for Basic Education Johnny G. Balawag about the press conference involving Bangsamoro students.
The MBHTE chief also addressed his memorandum dated March 15, 2024, to all schools division superintendents, assistant schools division superintendents, division supervisors/coordinators in Campus Journalism, and to all others concerned with the undertaking.
Iqbal said this is covered by the “thrusts and objectives of Republic Act No. 7079, otherwise known as the Campus Journalism Act of 1991.
The R.A. No. 7079 mandates the holding of the annual national elementary, secondary, or tertiary Schools Press Conference, which for the BARMM will be under the Directorate General for Basic Education headed by Salik.
Participants in the campus press conference will dwell on the activities’ theme revolving around “MBHTE Campus Journalism as a Pillar of Resilience and Moral Governance”.
To show understanding of journalism
Iqbal’s memorandum noted the importance of the RSPC (Regional Schools Press Conference) as it “serves as a platform for aspiring young journalists t0 showcase their knowledge, skills, and promote responsible journalism”.
The MBHTE press conference is aimed at showing understanding of journalism through print, broadcast, online; recognizing the role of journalism in advocating social consciousness and environmental awareness; promoting fair and ethical use of media as tenets of responsible journalism; fostering camaraderie and enriching learning experiences; providing learners the opportunity to use the skills learned in campus journalism for their future careers; and selecting qualifiers who will represent the MBHTE BARMM to participate in the 2024 National School Press Conference.
Before the regional press conference, schools must first compete in the Division Schools Press Conferece (DSPC) to select their bets in the regional edition.
Part of the regional event will be the School Paper Contest category.
The Bangsamoro region, established in 2018 by the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) to implement the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), is made up of the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi, the cities of Cotabato, Lamitan, and Marawi, as well as the Special Geographic Area’s (SGA) 63 barangays or villages that voted “Yes” in a plebiscite in February 2019 to be under the BARMM jurisdiction.
According to the Philippine Atlas BARMM has 4,404,288 people. It has 116 municipalities: Basilan, 11 municipalities; Lanao del Sur, 39; undivided Maguindanao, 36; Sulu, 19; and Tawi-Tawi, 11. Its component cities are Cotabato (the regional center and capital) in Maguindanao; Lamitan in Basilan; and Marawi in Lanao del Sur. — EDD K. USMAN (✓)