NAGA CITY, Philippines – Bicolano campus journalists presented projects to strengthen campus press culture in an action planning session during the launch of #FactsFirstPH Naga Hub on Saturday, November 11.

Campus journalists presented four long-term projects to solve pressing issues faced by Bicolano campus publications: conducting school-based workshops, simplifying the Bicol language used in publications, developing a network among publications, and fully utilizing social media sources to widen the reach of campus publications.

Campus journalists Aila Joy Esperida of The Democrat, and Kelly Mayor of The Isarog said these projects would enable students like them to help protect and alert each other if they are red-tagged. The two editor-in-chief of their respective publications represented the group of campus journalists who attended the event.

“If we develop a network of a direct contact with publications or at least a representative of publications with each other, it would be easier to be connected and informed about what each campus journalists are doing so we could help each other,” Mayor said.

The group presented two more projects aimed at developing and improving the performance of campus publications through school-based workshops and using social media to address issues such as disinformation.

“We plan to create a Facebook group where we can post something about fact-checking. If there are dubious posts circulating in Naga, we will be the one to fact-check that,” Esperida said. 

The group also presented a plan to laymanize the Bicol language used in campus publications, which uses formal Bicol structure that the youth do not understand and relate. 

Dialogue, media literacy

Aside from the group of campus journalists, two other groups also presented community projects in the action planning session.

The group of school organizations, civil society groups, and government workers, presented a consensus building project and an awareness campaign to have a constant dialogue with Bicol’s local government units. The dialogue will be used to push local lawmakers to create ordinances and policies institutionalizing government data transparency.

The other group, consisting of academics, media, and legal groups, presented a collaboration project with other media groups to create programs and training materials with the aim of strengthening media literacy in communities in Bicol.

The event is a part of the launching of #FactsFirstPH Naga hub. #FactsFirstPH also held a public forum and workshops on digital hygiene and fact-checking the day before the action planning. (READ: #FactsFirstPH Naga leg highlights ways communities can fight for facts)

#FactsFirstPH Naga hub aims to make these projects happen through the initiative of the attendees of the three events. 

These hubs are created during #FactsFirstPH’s three-part provincial roadshow series – the first part was conducted at Iloilo during the first week of October and the third part will be done in Cagayan de Oro on the fourth week of November.  If you are part of a local group interested to join #FactsFirstPH, email move.ph@rappler.com.  –Rappler.com