Thai journalists group visits Cebu

CEBU CITY, Cebu (PNA) - A group of journalists from Thailand visited Cebu over the weekend to meet with Cebu journalists and learn from the experience of members of the Cebu Citizens-Press Council (CCPC) in news coverage and the practice of journalism.

Thai Journalists Association (TJA) vice-president Anucha Charoenpo said members of their media organizations were divided into several groups, with one group going to Vietnam, another to Cambodia and still another to Malaysia to interact with their counterparts in said places.

Charoenpo said his group's first stop was to Manila where they met with officials of the Board of Investment, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and tourism industry stakeholders.

In Charoenpo's group were Monkon Bangprepa, Supaporn Asadamongkoln, Semhatai Mosika, Suwanna Sombratraksasook, Jintana Maksin, Napatr Siriruang and Anothai Siriwana.

Charoenpo said they dropped by Cebu before returning to Bangkok, the Thai capital, because it (Cebu) is the second biggest city in the country.

The CCPC, which is led by executive director Pachico A. Seares, briefed the Thai journalists on the group's composition and objectives, which include settling complaints from the community against media outlets or media members and carrying on its advocacy to improve journalism nationwide.
Seares, who is also the public & standard editor of Sun Star Cebu, said the CCPC has 15 members composed of five representatives from the five daily newspapers in Cebu, two representatives from the broadcast industry (one for radio and one for TV), two from the academe and six non-media members.

Charoenpo and Seares both expressed hopes that the CCPC and TJA will have more discussions in the future.

Atty. Rose Versoza of the Cebu Media Legal Aid told the Thai journalists that CCPC has links with several media organizations like the Cebu News Workers Foundation and the Cebu Federation of Beat Journalists

The CCPC also organizes the annual Cebu Press Freedom Week and has established the Cebu Newscoop, the Cebu Media Medical Aid Fund, Cebu Journalism and Journalists Magazine and the Cebu Journalism and Journalists Gallery, among others.

Sourced: Cambodia News