Cebu journalists elect new officers

CEBU, Philippines - For the 14th year, reporters, cameramen and photographers in Cebu gathered yesterday as part of the Cebu Press Freedom Week celebration that kicked off Sunday.

More than 200 members of the Cebu Federation of Beat Journalists witnessed the oath-taking of its new set of officers (2014-2015) with Department of Environment and Natural Resources-7 regional director Isabelo Montejo as the guest of honor and inducting officer.

For the ninth time, Elias Baquero of Sunstar and president of Regional Journalists in Cebu was elected president of CFBJ, the biggest legitimate media organization in southern Philippines.

CFBJ is composed of eleven media beat organizations namely REJOICE, Capitol Association of Reporters in Tri-Media, City Hall Association of Reporters, Media in Cebu South, Association of Reporters in Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu for Integrity Truth and Equality, Media Alliance for Law, Liberty, Equality and Truth, Defense and PNP Press Corps, Sports Correspondents and Reporters, Entertainment Group, Cebu Economic Journalists Association and LENS, the photographer’s group.

Gregg Rubio of The Freeman, at the same time CART president, was elected vice president; Malou Mozo of Manila Bulletin-Cebu and CEJA president was elected secretary; Jujemay Awit of Sunstar Daily and CHARM vice president was elected treasurer as well as Oscar Pineda of Sunstar and CART vice president. Elected Sgt.-at-arms were Pepe Sollano of The Freeman at the same time ARMALITE president, Norman Mendoza of DYSS and ARMALITE vice president, Alex Badayos of Sunstar Daily, the president of LENS, Rommel Manlosa of DYSS and SCORE president, and Justin Vestil of Sunstar, MICS president.

Members of the board include all the presidents and vice presidents of the 11 beat organizations who were not elected as CFBJ newly-elected officers.

CFBJ likewise created three new committees: Grievance Committee chaired by Pineda, Discipline Committee chaired by Mitchelle Palaubsanon of The Freeman and REJOICE vice president, and Membership Committee chaired by Garry Lao of The Freeman, also MICS vice president.

Baquero, in his report, updated the members on the status of CFBJ’s various projects including the housing project for legitimate media practitioners here.

Bobby Nalzaro, station manager of DYSS and news anchor of Balitang Bisdak, said in his closing speech that he is optimistic that the camaraderie among media practitioners in Cebu will prevail despite the stiff competition.

Yesterday’s event was sponsored by Globe Telecom, SPC Power, GT Cosmetics, 2GO Travel and PR Works. — (FREEMAN)