NOVEMBER 23, 2017 marked the 8th Davao Media Freedom Day. It was also the 8th anniversary of the Ampatuan Massacre, the most gruesome election-related event in the history of Philippine politics where more than 30 media workers were killed.
Once again hosting the yearly event was the Ateneo de Davao University Mass Communication Department through chair Joseph Laroscain and Prof. Gemima Valderrama.
For the second year, Globe Telecom was a major partner in the morning forum that tackled the more serious side of the communications business. Atty. Rogelio Largo of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines tackled the Cybercrime Law, Mindanation's Carlos Munda tackled jarnessing the power of social media, while Sun.Star Davao editor-in-chief Stella Estremera walked the students through the fast-changing medium of information -- the Internet -- that is now changing the landscape of the media industry. Globe Telecom's Cloyd Masaudling, Head of Strategy and Management Operations of its Corporate Communications, and Lui Almoite, Globe's Corporate Events and Agency Relations Specialist gave the students a crash course on Digital Thumbprint Program (DPT).
The DPT is Globe Telecom's multi-award winning program that promotes responsible online citizenship through free workshops for students and faculty members.
Raffle prizes from Globe livened up the gathering to sustain them till the afternoon session.
Hosted by Sun.Star Davao, it was more upbeat as this time, the millennials took centerstage in organizing the event. There to guide the communication arts students from Ateneo de Davao University, University of Mindanao, Holy Cross of Davao College, University of Southeastern Philippines, and University of the Immaculate Conception with a walk-through on the different media with Chito Samontina for vlogging, Tek Ocampo for TV journalism, and Yas Ocampo for print journalism.
Fun and games also dominated the afternoon session.
The Davao Media Freedom Day was organized in 2010 to mark each anniversary of the 2009 Ampatuan Massacre and keep this carnage in the minds of the generations of communication students.
But while it is intended to commemorate this horror, its focus is to expose the students to developments in the media that they may not be able to learn in the confines of their classrooms and textbooks. Sponsors for the event were Globe Telecom, Jollibee, Aboitiz Power, NCCC, Abreeza Mall, and SM Supermalls. While the participating media groups aside from Sun.Star Davao were ABS-CBN Davao, GMA-Davao, Mindanation, and Mindanao Times.