Bandillo ng Palawan is a non-government organization that promotes responsible community journalism and engages in public education efforts on environmental issues. The group was organized in 1993 and published the Bandlillo ng Palawan as its flagship project. The magazine was temporarily discontinued in January 2000, but the Foundation continues to publish the weekly Bandillo ng Palawan Edisyong Filipino which was started in 1998.
Bandillo has won three national awards for its community journalism activities since 1997. Aside from the publications, Bandillo has also implemented various special projects, including a community-based tourism and protected area in one of the rural barangays of Puerto Princesa. Bandillo has published two books so far — one on Palawan poetry and the other on the Tubbataha Reefs, a World Heritage Site in the Sulu Sea.
Since 1998, Bandillo ng Palawan has actively worked with the Evelio B. Javier Foundation (EBJF) in its public journalism project. The group was instrumental in setting up organizational development activities for the Palawan Press Club with the assistance of EBJF, particularly workshops on local governance and media ethics.
On its own, Bandillo ng Palawan also initiated the cross-visit of barangay park rangers from Olangoan Falls, a proposed protected area in Puerto Princesa City, to the Estrella Falls in the municipality of Narra and the St. Paul Subterranean River National Park on the west coast of Palawan. Bandillo ng Palawan managed to get the support of the Narra municipal government as well as the Puerto Princesa city government for this activity, which was also supported by EBJF.
For the year 2001, Bandillo ng Palawan forged linkages with other media outfits like radio stations DYER and Radyo ng Bayan, and the business sector through the Puerto Princesa Jaycees and the Palawan NGO Network for the candidates' forum Kandidato Harapin ang Bayan in April. A follow-up activity, the Ulat ng Bayan, will be held in October to coincide with the 100th day in office of elected officials. The public journalism project of EBJF is also supporting these two activities which aim to promote greater involvement from civil society and the media in ensuring that politicians fulfill their campaign promises of good governance.
For the training of trainers (TOT) project, Bandillo is working closely with SAGUDA-Palawan, another environmental organization in the province. Both groups are active members of the Palawan Marine Mammal Rescue Society. They have collaborated on several information, education, and communication campaigns on marine conservation and solid waste management.
The TOT project aims to provide members of Bandillo and SAGUDA added skills in facilitation, moderating and organization as they undertake public journalism activities in the province.
CONTACT: 