By Alfonso T. Ruda
DIPOLOG CITY - Nearly 30 college students from the different schools in Zamboanga del Norte and out-of-school youth (OSY), belonging to the indigenous peoples (IP) have attended a journalistic writing workshop jointly conducted here by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA)-9 and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP)-9 last July 10-11.
The two-day seminar, which was being held at Top Plaza Hotel, aimed to enhance the writing skills of IP students in the province.
The student-participants, who are beneficiaries of the NCIP’s Educational Assistance Program (EAP), are prsentyt enrolled in the different colleges in the province.
Seven NCIP staff also participated in the workshop.
Mr. Abdurasid Buddick of NCIP-9, representing Regional Director Timuey Woy Lim P. Wong, said IPs should not be ashamed, but rather be proud of being an IP. He even warned the IP scholars who refused to be identified as IP to be removed from the roll of EAP beneficiaries.
In her message, PIA-9 Regional Director Noemi B. Edaga urged the participants to listen attentively to the resource speakers and learn by heart all the topics to be discussed as well as consider the value of the seminar in the advocacy of the government.
NCIP-Zamboanga del Norte Provincial Head Belyn Incio discussed about the government interventions for IPs and she also cited the salient provisions of Republic Act no. 8371, also known as the “Indigenous People’s Rights Act of 1997.”
Mr. Franklin P. Gumapon PIA-9 taught the participants the basics of newswriting and the proper use of punctuation marks in writing.
The journalistic writing workshop here is the second leg of the said training to be conducted in Zamboanga Peninsula including Isabel City in Basilan Province. The first leg was held in Pagadian City last July 3-4.
After Dipolog, the group will proceed to Zamboanga Sibugay on July 17-18, Zamboanga City on July 24-25 and Isabela City on July 31-Aug. 1, 2014.