CJD’s COMPACT 2017 joins global fight to end impunity
The Communication Journalism Department (CJD) joins the global fight to end impunity for crimes against journalists through “Communication Impact 2017” a month-long program held from November 2 to December 1 that also aims to promote Journalism Safety Education.
Spearheaded by CJD faculty members Nornelyn Cachuela and Aurora Quadra-Balibay, COMPACT’s launch coincided with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, which is celebrated annually on November 2, in the same month as the Maguindanao Massacre anniversary on November 23.
COMPACT 2017 comes after Advisor for Communication and Information from UNESCO Office in Jakarta, Dr. Ming-Kuok Lim, visited the campus on September 13 to speak at a media literacy seminar and discuss CJD’s pioneering of journalism safety education in the country.
According to this UNESCO report. “UNESCO and DLSUD are formulating a new curriculum that focuses on teaching safety training to the journalism students in the Philippines. This includes protection and prevention skills to prepare journalists in the country who often face potential danger in their jobs. The proposed curriculum would be one of the first in the Philippines to prioritize the safety of journalists.”
The new curriculum with the inclusion of journalist safety education is set to be implemented in the academic year 2018-2019.
Prior to the new curriculum, CJD will champion journalism safety education in the Philippines through COMPACT 2017, based on the rationale that journalists must be better equipped with proper knowledge and training to stay alive in order to perform their responsibilities to the public, as stated on the CJD website.
“The DLSUD-CJD will not stop with this month-long awareness and engagement campaign but we will continue to develop and organize relevant activities that will raise more awareness among our students, faculty and staff. It will not sure end here,” said CJD Chair Artin Umali.
COMPACT 2017
COMPACT 2017 kicked off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on November 14 at Julian Felipe Hall ground floor hallway where exhibits were set up, such as Emerge and See, a disaster preparedness exhibit comprised of specialized emergency kits for earthquakes, fires, typhoons/floods, survival, food poisoning, and other basic emergencies; Lasallian NEWS-EUM, a series of tarps with CJD alumni such as ABS-CBN Correspondent Ron Gagalac and TV5 Reporter Jeff Caparas; and Wall of Liberty: Freedom of the Press, a freedom wall sharing thoughts on journalism and democracy.
Upcoming events include Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) seminar organized by the Marketing Communications Office (MCO) on November 22; Journalism Safety and Fight Against Impunity seminar-forum on November 23 with various journalists slated to talk at the event; and the 8th Commemoration of Maguindanao Massacre: #8YearsNoJustice in the form of a candle lighting event followed by a reading of the Statements against Killing of Journalists on November 23.
The last string of events will be held on December 1, which will include COMQUEST: Amazing Race, spoken word contest Bigkas 2.0, and stage play Bulag, Pipi, at Bingi.
