By Franklin P. Gumapon
DIPOLOG CITY – Broadcast and print media practitioners of Zamboanga del Norte have
converged here Sunday to join a motorcade signaling the start of the press week
celebration spearheaded by the Zamboanga del Norte Press Club (ZNPC), Nov.
17-23.
Local radio stations
and newspapers turned up to participate in the motorcade from Dipolog to
Polanco town where a “budol fight” with municipal officials and a bowling
tournament among news men followed.
Budol fight is a way of
eating foods placed on banana leaves scattered on long table with bare hands.
Anchored on the theme, “The
Press: Continuing its role as vanguards of good governance,” the members of the
fourth estate are reminded of their roles as watchdogs of the public servants.
“The profession we
chose is a unique one. We shape the destiny of our nation. We are the watchdogs
of our public servants. We are the vanguards of good governance. Let us
continue to be so,” ZNPC President Rosemarie P. Miranda told her fellow
journalists.
It can be recalled that
during the Marcos regime, two media men here known to be critics of the dictator,
were slain. The deaths of Atty. Zorro Aguilar and Jacobo S. Amatong have
remained unsolved today.
In 1996, another
newspaperman in the person of Atty. Ferdinand Reyes was gunned down right at
his law office by unidentified assassins.
The last victim was
radio commentator Clyde Cantoneros who was shot dead in May 2005. He fiercely
denounced the wrongdoings of certain local officials in his radio program.
Awarding of prizes to
sports fest winners will be done during the dinner fellowship on culmination
day. (PIA9)