TANAUAN CITY, Batangas (PNA) — Newly-elected officers and members of the Confederation of Active Media Practitioners Organization (CAMPO) in the Calabarzon region took their oath before Tanauan City Mayor Antonio Halili.
They took their oath in simple ceremonies Friday afternoon at the Modesto Castillo Memorial Cultural Center in Poblacion 1 here.
National Press Club President Benny Antiporda graced the occasion as special guest and delivered his inspirational message before the 50-member media organization comprising registered CAMPO members from Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.
The newly-sworn in CAMPO officers are: Nestor L. Burgos (On-Time Balita and DZJV) – president; Robelita T. Garcia (Remate) – vice president; Lesinio Trinidad (Kliping Times) – secretary; Josephine D. Escovidal (MAGIC Expose National News) and Auditors Leonardo Eduave and Barbara S. Plana (Manila Standard).
The CAMPO board of directors are: Cavite – Rubie Garcia and Grace Maniaga (Classic News Magazine); Laguna – Joel Cabactulan (Ronda Balita) and Lesinio Trinidad; Batangas – Nestor Burgos and Benedicto Griño (Batangas News); Rizal – Sol Luzano (DZJV/Kliping Times) and Quezon – Josephine Escovidal and Gideon Belen (Kliping Times).
CAMPO’s federated and affiliate members are also accredited NPC members.
Representatives from the government and private information offices, local government units and congressional districts also attended the event.
In his message, Antiporda inspired media practitioners here to always demonstrate their ethical acts as true-blue journalists.
“It is the act that makes you a “hao-shao” — a derogatory term for fake or bogus, commonly used for persons posing as journalist to extort or gain favor in exchange for publicity,” Antiporda said.
The NPC president exhorted CAMPO members here to “be humble, never ever invoke or provoke, because true journalists know how to observe politeness as they make the request in sourcing their news or gather updates to inform the public.”
Antiporda said the journalists ought to stand for their rights whenever they feel their exercise of freedom of the press is suppressed and took the opportunity to draw the support from NPC members through CAMPO here.
He called on members for sustaining actions as he referred to the 4th anniversary of the Maguindanao Massacre in November and the still unsolved journalists’ killings that still cry for justice under the Aquino Administration.
“Mas may malasakit pa ang nakaraang mga administration sa media kaysa itong bagong administration. Ngayon wala po tayong nakikitang aksyon na kongkreto para lutasin itong problema sa media killings at parang ordinary na lang namamatay ang ating mga kapatid,” Antiporda said.