…as it is! By Ed Montalvan

A Media Dialogue

I was invited to a media dialogue last week organized by 4 groups, The Center for Community Journalism and Dialogue, a Manila based group, Mindanews, the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines, NUJP, and the Philippine Human Rights Reporting Project, in cooperation with XU Devcom and the Devcom Society.

The dialogue was dubbed a “How can the Media Report Mindanao Better?”

Like some journalists, my reaction was to ask if there is something wrong with the way we report. Journalists see things and report what they see.

As it turned out, the dialogue was an off shoot of a similar dialogue held in Manila where they realized that Manila media did not know much about Mindanao and what is happening in there.

The same situation with the national government where they make decisions and policies and pronouncements without even knowing really is happening and what the situation is in Mindanao.

They group decided to first start with Mindanao media and then go up until the reach Manila. That was when I decided to accept what they were doing.

Unfortunately, I could not attend the entire session. Being a Friday, which happens to be my busiest day, I simply wanted to listen to the basic messages and leave.

I was able to catch most of the presentation of the first speaker. Professor Rudy “Ompong” Rodil, a retired History professor of MSU-IIT and a member of the GRP that negotiated with the MILF.

I have known Ompong since the early 90s. At that time he was a consultant of the GRP panel that was negotiating with the MNLF. We used to regularly communicate by email and had lively exchanges of ideas.

At that time, he already briefed me on the history of the conflict in Mindanao and where it all started. If I were in the shoes of the Musilims, I probably would have taken arms too against the government for what it has done to the people.

But, it is far better to talk than to wage a war. In a war, nobody wins. One simply lose less than the other.

Ompong did not want to talk about the MOA-AD. He said that a lot of things have been said about it and that should be enough.

He simply presented the history of the conflict and updated some of his figures and date from the 90s

On of the things that struck me was when he said that Iligan City has declared him “Persona non Grata” and the entire GRP panel for giving part of the city to the MILF. I understand the sentiments of the Iliganons.

In fairness to the GRP panel, the decisions arrived at the negotiations were all approved by higher authorities. They were simply the “mouth piece” of the government. What they agreed with the MILF needed approval by higher authorities. Who that is I do not know but I suppose it will have to start with the Presidential Consultant on the peace Process and then The President.

It was too bad I could not attend the entire session. I would have wanted to. But going back to the role of media, as articulated by Fr. Assandas Balchand, SJ who gave the welcome remarks and Introduction, our job is not just to inform but to form as well.