Public Journalism Interventions for the
Mindanao Institute of Journalism (MINJOURN)

	Mindanao journalists shaping what would later become the Mindanao Institute of Journalism.

Backgrounder: The PJ Team first met journalist Merpu Roa in the Mindanao-run training workshop under the PCIJ-EBJF-UNDP Enhancing Transparency and Accountability through Investigative Reporting Project. During this activity in July 1999, Merpu recounted how their group had set up the Mindanao Center for Journalism (MCJ). Merpu was and still is, the editor-in-chief of the Freeman Mindanao based in Ozamiz City. The team got interested with this information and after the activity, Merpu quite regularly communicated through e-mail. (See e-mail dated Sept. 20, 1999).

When he was shortlisted to be a trainee-participant to the 2^nd phase of the project, he came to Manila and again met with the team, and now discussed the possibility of partnering for future activities.

During the Research/Networking Session conducted in Butuan, the team invited Merpu to join them in Butuan (see attached Documentation of said meeting; Nov 22 e-mail) and made arrangements for the initial discussion with some of his group in strategically-located Davao City.

1.  Round Table Discussion on Providing Impetus for the Formation of the Mindanao Center for Journalism

• Held January 8-9 2000 at Tower Inn, Davao City
• A core group of 12 Mindanao media practitioners were called for the gathering.
• the objective of the RTD was to formally and in a structured manner rationalize the organization of a Mindanao Center for Journalism. An analysis of the Mindanao environment was undertaken, its mission was formulated, and areas of cooperation & action were drawn up.
• See attached documentation

• the core group was very excited, discussions were highly interactive, ideas floated and finalized, there was a HIGH about having finally expressed in black & white their organizational plans for the Mindanao media.
• See Carol’s e-mail for HIGH and re plans for the bigger interfacing for the MinJourn members in Davao.

• this seminar was held on February 24-26 2000 at Eden Mountain Resort,  Davao City.
• the concept of PJ was introduced, a sharing of the Aklan PJ experience was given, Ethics, Press Freedom & Responsibility and Emerging Role of the Community Press were discussed, Trends in Local Governance & Decentralization and how these impact on media’s work were presented, and how to work better together was emphasized. An important part of the seminar also covered organizational concerns of the proposed MINJOURN. The core group of MINJOURN presented its vision & mission for validation purposes then proceeded to spell out and plan its organizational strengthening activities.

• the MINJOURN members were excited about its organizational plans.

• attendance to said seminar was not very well attended. Coordination plans agreed upon during previous RTD at the Tower Inn were all not pursued.
• The HIGH during the Tower Inn RTD was not sustained although the group still tended to be ambitious and not practical (specially in terms of membership). Personalities “clashed,” informal factions were now apparent, certain individuals could now be identified as dominant figures and need to be reckoned with. These internal dynamics could not be confronted yet by the rest of the participants.
• See attachments

• see attached e-mail dated may 3, 2000 from merpu
• this was initiated by MINJOURN (Mindanao Institute of Journalism) an organization of ‘seasoned and proactive radio, TV & print journalists in Mindanao who believe peace is a key element in reporting the news.’
• hundreds of people, 25 organizations, LGUs in Lanao del Norte & Misamis Occidental joined in to fly peace kites. This act symbolizes an appeal for an end to the war in Mindanao. Simultaneous peace kite fying happened in other areas as well.

NOTE: At this point, FREE Mindanao was introduced to the PJ team as another such media organization based in Cotabato City but with membership coming from the different provinces of Mindanao. Some activities of MinJourn have been implemented in partnership with FREE. (see attachments - merpu’s “Imbitasyon” e-mail; and the separate documentation of the PJ Interventions for FREE Mindano)

• 17 Mindanao journalists (MINJOURN & FREE-MINDANAO) conducted an in-depth coverage of war-ravaged areas in North Cotobato, Maguidanao, Lanao del Sur, Lnao del Norte last July 5-10 2000 (the last 6 days of the military attack on Camp Abubakar).
• a press statement was released.

• a comment by Carlos H. Conde was given on the statement (see email from Carlos Conde dated July 12 2000).
• a response by Merpu to Carlos, citing public journalism … (see email 15 July 2000)
• Carlos’ email to Rorie on same subject July 14 2000.

• March 26-27 2001 at Chateau Veronica Apartelle, Davao City
• the objective of the RTD was to present & validate the PJ election plan of the MINJOURN representative (Merpu Roa) which was prepared during the Orange Place Workshop in Quezon City with the rest of the media participants, and to plan other Public Journalism election-related activities.

• participants per area/province were able to plan election-related PJ activity. The areas covered were: Ozamis City, Kidapawan, Cotobato, Davao City, Gen. Santos, and others.

UPDATES: During the Monitoring meeting in Cagayan de Oro, some of the questions of the team regarding the composition of the Agency (MindaNews0 and MinJOurn were answered. Merpu shared through the AVP (transcrit to be included here) what MinJourn still hopes to achieve in the nearest future, like a workshop for the Western Mindanao media; the revival of the Pamantalaan, an online newspaper for and about Mindanao; and the continued partnership with, and among FREE Mindanao, MindaNews, PCIJ and EBJF.