College

Media Ethics Forum tackles journalism integrity

Published

11 years ago

September 29, 2014

UST Journalism seniors were challenged to maintain their integrity in a forum organized by the UST Journalism Society in partnership with the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) titled “Media Ethics Forum” held last Sept. 26 at the Faculty of Arts and Letters (AB) lecture hall.

FOCAP member and multimedia director of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism Ed Lingao, a veteran on both TV & print, narrated the hideous bribery cases in the Philippine media.

He said bribes are so subtle that one has to be extremely cautious. Gifts and privileges, especially on “special occasions,” could pass off as bribes which should be denied.

“Kung ‘di ka talaga matibay, you’ll go with the flow. The biggest battles would be in newsrooms,” Lingao said. “Ethics is a judgment call, a set of very personal decisions that in the end will test your values system.”

Media laws, particularly prior restraint, state of emergency, and right to information, were tackled by Philippine Star journalist-turned-lawyer and Center for International Law Executive Director Atty. Rommel Bagares.

Regarding prior restraint, he said mere press statements from government agencies restraining the media could make them liable of violating the freedom of the press.

“If the government says ‘you’ll be sorry for this’, you can sue them on violation of a constitutional right,” Bagares explained.

He also said the right to information grants individuals access to government documents and government research data on matters of public concern, thus making the freedom of information bill unnecessary. He added that such right is essential to the exercise of the right to freedom of expression.

“Kung puro chismis lang, may development ba sa pag-iisip ng tao? Wala,” he said. “You cannot talk intelligently without the right information,” he added.

Veteran sports and business journalist Ignacio Dee, reminisced his days in AB and shared how difficult journalism as a profession is.

“This is a very unforgiving profession. Accuracy, ethical standards, research, are very, very important,” he said.

Veteran journalist and FOCAP co-founder Alice Villadolid, shared her take on bribery.

“I never accepted bribe, they don’t give me bribe because they know I will not accept it,” the retired AB professor said.

“Don’t get discouraged. If you show from the start, you will not be tempted (by bribers). Remain ethical Thomasians, graduates,” she added.

By James Gideon Tinsay

Photo by Lara Murallos

TomasinoWeb

+ posts

Comments

comments

Up Next

EDCA forum enlightens Thomasians on possible environmental, political blunders

Don't Miss

ECONciousness Week spreads awareness on business, finance

Click to comment

College

Civil Law starts investigation on frat brawl

The Faculty of Civil Law has started its investigation over a brawl between two fraternities that happened in the University last week.

Published

8 years ago

November 15, 2016

Anna Mogato

The Faculty of Civil Law has started its investigation over a brawl between two fraternities that happened in the University last week.

As the probe started Monday, Nov. 14, Civil Law Dean Nilo Divina hopes to get the “whole picture” of the incident.

“We haven’t discerned the identity of those responsible or involved yet,” Divina told TomasinoWeb in a phone interview.

The fact-finding committee will be headed by Judge Philip Aguinaldo, coordinator of the Student Welfare and Development Board of Civil Law together with former Civil Law Dean Lope Feble and Civil Law professor Amado Tayag.

The committee is expected to decide on what sanctions will be imposed upon those involved in the incident.

Divina assured that the investigation will be finished as soon as possible.

In a memorandum signed by Divina last Nov. 10, all members of the Gamma Delta Epsilon Fraternity and Aegis Juris Fraternity are not allowed “to enter the campus or the Faculty of Civil Law or attend classes until further orders” following the fistfight between its two members.

“It’s not in a position of sanction, only preventive in nature and the purpose, being to prevent the incident from further escalating,” Divina explained.

The two fraternities are still mum on the issue. TomasinoWeb tried to get a statement from the two groups, but both declined to comment.

Gamma Delta Epsilon and Aegis Juris have also been involved in a “standoff” in 2014 which led to the expulsion of one of the students involved.

Anna Mogato

+ posts

Comments

comments

College

Thomasian professor shows reality through exhibit

Published

8 years ago

November 14, 2016

Anna Mogato

Amazing stories are hidden beneath shadows, and that is where he is prowling, with his camera at hand, patiently waiting for the right moment to capture.

With an array of stunning photographs he shot at various places he has travelled to, Jun Barrameda, a Thomasian professor teaching at the College of Fine Arts and Design showcased his works at the Beato Angelico Building in an exhibit titled SOLO, which explored the manipulation of space and light.

Every piece is a reflection of what reality is to him—depicting the elegance of culture and the classical history embedded into each photo.

“Well, I see myself as an artist photographer and my works are a reflection of my own reality; not subjective, rather I wanted to sing my own song, my visuals are my own narrative based on the intentionality why I create those images,” Barrameda said.

The exhibit featured photos shot during eight years of travelling and a manuscript “dedicated to everyone who is into photography, most especially to the Thomasian artists of today.”

“The intention of my exhibit is an inspiration for those in pursuit in the completion of their theses in the coming years,” he said.

Finding the right lens

Barrameda obtained his undergraduate degree at the University of Santo Tomas and got his master’s degree in Fine Arts and Design at the Philippine Women’s University where his collection, Photography: A Study of Light and Space was used for his master’s thesis.

His prowess in photography is recognized locally and internationally. His work titled Dugo at Kawayan won a bronze at the International Photography Awards and another piece titled Khmer Rouge earned the ASIAN Photography Award 2016 Featured Photograph.

Even with these achievements, he remains humble. “Progress comes along with age, and it is called maturity,” he said. “It took a journey of 40 long years of practice from advertising until today which I claimed to be an artist, working within the medium – photography, of which I love most.”

However, not everyone can handle this tedious process of following one’s passion—they are often disheartened in the middle of the journey. “The most difficult [person] to convince is yourself,” he said.

“But if you want to be successful, never be disheartened. Always have 100 percent self-confidence. Don’t ask Facebook likes to convince you; it is fake. Instead, believe in yourself that you are amazing.”

The mantra

“It’s my way of giving back.” He regarded his exhibit with pride, elated that he can finally impart his undying passion to his fellow Thomasians, especially to the University for nurturing him, and guided him in finding where his passion is.

“My message to the Thomasian community is be an artist—be a Thomasian artist. And to those who have love for photography, I will leave you three things: dedication and love, quality, and attitude (sic).”

Anna Mogato

+ posts

Comments

comments

College

Three Thomasians land in top 10 of interior design boards

Published

8 years ago

November 10, 2016

Anna Mogato

Three Thomasians ranked among the ten top scorers of the October 2016 interior designer board exams according to results released by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).

The University garnered a 65.79 percent passing rate, wherein 75 Thomasians passed out of 114 examinees. This is lower than last year’s 69.49 percent rate, in which 41 passed out of 59 examinees.

Maria Carla Sebastian ranked sixth with a score of 84.25 percent. Meanwhile, Miriam de Jesus shared the seventh spot with Christine Dizon of the University of the Philippines-Diliman (UPD) after earning a score of 84.05 percent.

Pauline Dominique Uy landed in the ninth place with a score of 83.9 percent.

Leading the new batch of interior designers is Irene Kathleen Dee of the Philippine School of Interior Design with a score of 88.65 percent.

UPD was hailed as the lone top performing school with a 95.35 percent passing rate.

According to the PRC, only 213 out 419 examinees nationwide passed the licensure examination.