Column Writing for Campus Journalists
Danilo Araña Arao
Assistant Professor of Journalism, UP Diliman
Columnist, Pinoy Weekly and The Lobbyist
Discussion Outline
 What is a column?
 Objectives of a column
 Types of column
 Tips in writing a column
 Analyzing the campus and national situations
 Conclusion
What is a column? (1)
Journalistic output that shows the writer’s opinion on
the chosen topic or topics
Normally has the following elements:
– Column title
– Article title
– Byline
– Columnist’s photo
What is a column? (2)
Appears regularly on a designated page and/or
location (e.g., above or below the fold, left or right)
Normally has a specific style, tone or “approach” in
writing and analyzing
Normally has a specific scope based on the
columnist’s specialization
Objectives of a column (1)
To explain the writer’s stand on a selected topic or
topics
– Attack, Defend, Endorse or
Compliment
To clarify certain points of fact or argument that
readers may find confusing or complicated
Objectives of a column (2)
To give reactions to arguments raised by other
columnists and other personalities quoted by the
media
To introduce issues and concerns that are not covered
by media
To mobilize readers to action (explicitly or implicitly)
Objectives of a column (3)
In the context of campus journalism
Column should use the language that is understood by
the target audience
Column should discuss both local and national
concerns (the latter being analyzed in relation to the
local context)
Column should reflect the student movement’s
advocacy
Types of column (1)
In terms of BEATS
– Political
– Economic/Business
– Sports
– Police
– Entertainment
–
Science and Technology
In terms of OBJECTIVE
– Opinion sharing
(e.g., political, economic columns)
– Advice
(e.g., health, relationships)
– Skills-related
(e.g., fitness, household tips,
language)
In terms of FORM
– Essay (single topic)
– Capsule (multiple topics)
– Combination
(e.g., essay with a capsule at the
beginning or end which can be an
announcement or joke to lighten up
the discussion)
Tips in writing a column (1)
Know your target audience
Gather as much data as you can on the issue or issues
to be written about
Know all arguments for or against the issue or issues
Analyze and take a stand on the issue or issues based
on the given facts
Tips in writing a column (2)
Choose a particular writing style and tone
Write in a manner that is understandable to your
defined target audience
– Enlightening without being preachy
– Engaging without being
condescending
– Serious (if needed) without being
aloof
– Irreverent (if needed) without being
offensive
Tips in writing a column (3)
In the context of campus journalism
Avoid name-calling, other logical fallacies
As a campus journalist, issues and concerns affecting
students should be the column’s focus
KNOW JOURNALISM ETHICS
Tips in writing a column (4)
In the context of campus journalism
Selection of columnist should be on the basis of
credibility
– Reward for one’s seniority,
journalistic skills and dedication to
campus journalism and the student
movement
Analyzing the campus and national situations (1)
CONTEXTUALIZATION. Trace the historical roots of
issues and concerns
CONTRADICTIONS. Know the different sides and
analyze both reconcilable and irreconcilable
differences as regards their stand
COURSES OF ACTION. Identify recommendations
based on scientific study
http://www.dannyarao.com
danilo.arao@up.edu.ph
Answer the following:
What is the historical basis of the particular issue or
issues?
Who are in favor? Who are against?
What are their interests on the issue or issues?
Do they have any agenda (hidden or otherwise)?
Analyzing the campus
and national situations (3)
Answer the following:
Whose side should I take, mindful of the need to
protect the interests of students?
What courses of action should be conveyed to the
readers?
Conclusion
A column in a campus publication serves to articulate
student issues and concerns
A column should contain both analysis and
recommendations
Journalism goes beyond 5 Ws and 1 H
– Other questions: So what? What
now?
Thank you for your attention!
INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING
Prepared by PinoyMedia Center/ www.pinoyweekly.org
Sunday, September 25, 11
Philosophy
✤ Belief in the watchdog role of media
✤ Belief in the watchdog role of media
✤ Focus on the accountability of people/ institutions in power
What is IR?
✤ In-depth, long-term research & reporting
✤ Tackling facets of issues not many people know about (not always
“scandalous”)
✤ They reveal new information, not just the results of someone else’s
investigation
✤ They are based largely on documents and extensive interviews
IR Techniques:
PAPER TRAIL
✤ 1. Secondary
✤ Previously published materials - E.g. newspapers, magazines, books,
specialized publications
✤ 2. Primary
✤ Unpublished materials
PAPER TRAIL: 2 types of primary
documents
✤ PUBLIC:
✤ SEC financial statements
✤ Audit reports
✤ Court records
✤ Statement of assets and liabilities
✤ Contracts
Property Records
✤ NON-PUBLIC:
✤ Income tax return
✤ Bank records
✤ Health records
✤ Intelligence files
✤ Police records
Section 7, Bills of Rights, 1987
Constitution
✤ “The right of the people to information on matters of public concern shall be recognized. Access to
official records, and to documents, and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions, or decisions, as well
as to government research data used as basis for policy development, shall be afforded the citizen, subject to
limitations as may be provided by law.”
RA 6713- Code of Conduct and Ethical
standards for Public Officials and Employees
✤ “It is the responsibility of heads of departments, offices and agencies to establish measures and standards
that will ensure transparency of and openness in public transactions in their respective offices, such as
biddings, purchases, other internal transactions, including contracts, status of projects, and all other matters
involving public interest.”
✤ “They shall establish information systems that will inform the public of the following: (a) policies, rules,
and procedures; (b) work programs, projects, and performance targets; (c) performance reports; and (d) all
other documents as may hereafter be classified as public information.”
✤ Documents are the building blocks of an investigative story
✤ They cannot be refuted
IR Techniques:
PEOPLE TRAIL
✤ Traditional sources:
✤ Government officials– executive (Malacañang, agencies), legislative
(Senate and House of Reps), judiciary
✤ Businessmen; PR of private institutions
✤ School administration officials
Non-traditional sources:
✤ Experts (legal, environmental, financial, etc)
✤ NGOs, mass organizations
✤ Ordinary citizens
✤ Government employees
✤ Fellow journalists
✤ Be careful with: enemies, friends, losers, winners, “formers” and “currents”—those who have something
to lose or gain
✤ “A source can make or break you”
Terms of interview
✤ On the record
✤ Off-the-record
✤ Not for attribution
✤ Background only
Best interview questions
✤ Open questions: (What do you think of…)
✤ Questions that call for specific answers: WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN,
HOW, WHY?
✤ Questions that expand upon what’s already known or said (Give me an
example. Tell me how it happened.)
✤ Questions that clarify (What exactly do you mean? In what way?)
✤ Questions that probe (How do you know that? What proof do you have?)
✤ Questions that display objectivity (Your critics say that….It’s been said
that…)
IR Techniques: ELECTRONIC
TRAIL
✤ Also known as computer-assisted reporting
✤ 1. Internet- search engines, government/company websites
✤ 2. E-mail- contact sources
✤ 3. Newsgroups/Social media- contact experts, lead
IR Techniques:
FIELD INSPECTION
✤ To probe/investigate leads
✤ To confirm findings
✤ To concretize your story
IR Process
✤ News, tips, rumors, personal
experiences
✤ Initial investigation
✤ Verification
✤ Is it worth pursuing?
✤ Draft a hypothesis
✤ HYPOTHESIS- theory or premise to focus your investigation; gives shape and
direction to your investigation
✤ EXAMPLE: Since his election to the presidency in 1998, Estrada has accumulated wealth and built fancy
mansions that cannot be explained by his statement of assets and what he earns as president.
✤ 4. Make a strategy
✤ 5. Organize your information
✤ - Make an outline!
✤ 6. Put the story together
Some tips on writing
✤ Use narrative storytelling techniques
✤ Use bullet points if necessary
✤ Use data support (tables and graphs)
✤ Show, don’t tell
More tips on IR
(Len Downie, Washington Post)
✤ Local first. Serve your community with your investigations, just as with all of your
coverage.
✤ Don't fixate on the big, blowout series. "More often than not, it's more effective if you
chip away at a story," he said. Such an approach also engages readers better, allowing
the story to develop before them and enabling them to offer feedback and tips that can
push the reporting further.
✤ Avoid false choices. Don't get locked into an either/or mentality between investigative
reporting and daily coverage. Instead, work the approach into all of your coverage.
✤ Set priorities. This has always been a key part of managing news coverage; news
organizations never had infinite space and money. "Now the choices are just harder.”
Problems in the field of IR
✤ “Investigative reporting - requiring long lead times and significant
investment in people - is in short supply. Under increasing pressure to
deliver higher profits for publicly traded media companies, editors
and producers cut back on time and people first. The predictable
outcome: a shortage of original, in-depth and risk-taking reporting,
and a citizenry deprived of the tools required to maintain a vibrant
democracy and sound the alarm on injustice. “ – Center for
Investigative Reporting
ONLINE JOURNALISM AND SOCIAL MEDIA
College Editors Guild of the Philippines
Southern Tagalog
September 2011
Internet users
 Filipinos are seventh among all Asians in terms of internet usage. InternetWorldStats says the
Philippines has 24 million internet users, as of June 2009.
 Internet growth
Internet users
 There are now 12,528,400 Filipinos using Facebook, or nearly 14 percent of the country’s
population. The Philippines was 8th among all countries with Facebook users.
 Filipinos are still 12th biggest users of Twitter. The number of Filipino Twitter users has gone up in
2010, representing 1.08 percent of all users worldwide.
INTERNET HABITS
Yahoo! & Nielsen Release of the First-Ever Internet Habits Study for the Philippines:
1. More Filipinos, especially the younger population, are favoring the Internet more than television and
print.
2. 28% of Filipinos in National Urban Philippines have accessed the internet in the past month. 5% access
the internet every day. That is an estimated 20 million internet users up by 5% from the last year’s
estimate.
3. Internet use is not restricted to the big cities like Metro Manila. Other cities are experiencing internet
growth.
4. Filipino internet users are more likely to be opinion leaders and early adopters compared to traditional
media consumers. They are likely to be individualistic, trend conscious, willing to pay for quality products
and tech-enthusiasts. They also look for advice online before buying new things.
5. Internet cafes are an important access point. 71% have accessed the internet from internet cafes in the
past 3 months.
6. Social networking is a key online activity.
7. Online transactions or commerce remain low. Only 3% of internet users conduct online banking
activities or make online purchases.
8. Filipino internet users are likely to be below 29 years old, single and are better educated.
9. Internet usage is particularly higher amongst the younger segment. 50% of those below 20 years old
have accessed the internet in the past month
10. Email (63%), Instant Messaging (63%) and Search (58%) are the most common online activities for
Filipino internet users followed by searches (58%), playing games online (53%), social network site (51%),
download/upload of digital photos (42%), internet radio (28%), down-/upload music files (25%), read news
online (24%), internet SMS (23%), online banking (3%), purchased products online (3%).
 News sites in the Philippines
 Most of the dominant media outfits have put up news sites
-
Broadcast – gmanews.tv, abs-cbn.com, interaksyon.com
-
Print – inquirer.net, philstar.com, mb.com.ph
-
Radio - dzmm.com.ph, dzup.org
 News sites in the Philippines
 There are also alternative media outfits such as Bulatlat.com, Pinoyweekly.org, Kodao.org,
angtudlaproductions.multiply.com/
 Some student publications have their own websites, too
 Online Journalism
 Online journalism is defined as the reporting of facts produced and distributed via the Internet.
 Online news has “the authority of print with the speed and immediacy of broadcast media.”
 Distinct features
Online journalism employs the basic principles in print journalism but unlike the print medium, online
journalism is “more fluid” as contents may be changed several times in one day. (i.e, breaking news)
Online journalists must also adhere to the ethics of the press
 Distinct features
 Online = real time
Online journalism can be published in real time, updating breaking news and events as they happen
 Online = shifted time
Online journalism also takes advantage of shifted time. Online publications can publish and archive
articles for viewing now or later, just as print, film, or broadcast publications can. WWW articles can
be infinitely easier to access, of course.
 Distinct features
 Online = interactive
Online journalism is interactive. Hyperlinks represent the primary mechanism for this interactivity
on the Web, linking the various elements of a lengthy, complex work, introducing multiple points of
view, and adding depth and detail. A work of online journalism can consist of an hyperlinked set of
web pages; these pages can themselves include hyperlinks to other web sites.
 Distinct features
 Link those URLs to the relevant proper names, keywords and phrases, rather than to the URLs
themselves written out, or worse, the over-used "click here.“
 Distinct features
Online = multimedia
News sites have different content forms – written articles, photos/slideshows, videos, podcast/audio
recordings, livestreaming, etc.
 Distinct features
 Tagging is important.
Tags are essential for search engine optimization
Bulatlat traffic sources, search engines account for 47.78%, direct traffic is 25.35%
SOME TIPS
 The internet is a venue where there are many distractions and where content is not given much
attention. The shorter, the better: Readers appreciate writers who do not waste their time. Use
simple, direct language
 Some tips
 Active voice: "Do it," don't "will have been done" it..
 Strong verbs: The best verbs demonstrate action.
 Attribute sources: Attribution establishes credibility.
 Easy to read: No block of text more than ten lines on the screen.
 Spell check: With both an automatic checker and a manual re-read.
 Use of social media in journalism
 Facebook, Twitter and other social media networks are utilized to reach out to more readers (i.e.
Google Analytics data show that Facebook.com accounts for 11.81% of visits to Bulatlat
 Bulatlat uses Twitter and ping.fm for micro-reporting
 Facebook and Twitter as sources of news
 More than the medium
 Journalism should serve the people – the marginalized and oppressed sectors
 Alternative journalism uses the internet as a tool to spread the truth
PHOTOJOURNALISM
 A particular form of journalism that creates images in order to tell a news story.
 Refer only to still images, but in some cases the term also refers to video used in broadcast
journalism.
 Photojournalism is distinguished from other close branches of photographyby the qualities of:
 Timeliness — the images have meaning in the context of a recently published record of events.
 Objectivity — the situation implied by the images is a fair and accurate representation of the events
they depict in both content and tone.
 Narrative — the images combine with other news elements to make facts relatable to the viewer
or reader on a cultural level.
 Like a writer, a photojournalist is a reporter
 Rules for the student photojournalist
 RULE NO. 1: TAKE LOTS OF PICTURES.
You should assign a minimum number of pictures that the student should take, and that
number should be high. For instance, if the photo is for a profile story where you anticipate
using only one shot, the photographer should come back with at least 10 to 15 shots. In fact,
10 to 15 shots for any assignment would be a good minimum.
Young photographers tend to shoot too few pictures. They get one shot and one angle, and they
don’t think about doing anything else. Assigning a high minimum number of pictures makes the
students think about shooting different shots at different angles.
Young photographers should be told: keep shooting until someone needs medical attention or
until you’re about to get hit by a truck.
 RULE NO. 2: A PEN AND NOTEBOOK ARE AS IMPORTANT AS A CAMERA.
Photographers have to write down what and whom they are shooting. They will have to identify
people for cutline information. They cannot trust their memories for any of this. They must have
a pen and notebook with them at all times, and they must use it. They must also be accurate in
getting their information, especially in spelling names correctly.
 RULE NO. 3: PLAN.
As an instructor, you should talk with you students about their photo assignments. Help them
plan what they will shoot. Some pictures happen spontaneously; most don’t. They are shot
because the photographer planned to be there to shoot them.
One thing you might do is diagram the scene of a photo assignment with the student. Help the
student figure out where the action is and where he or she should be to take a good shot. Most
events -- speeches, parades, sports events -- lend themselves to this kind of planning.
 RULE NO. 4: GET CLOSE.
Anybody can take wide-angle, establishing shots (top photo). Real photographers get as close
to the action and the people as they can (bottom photo). They get expressions, hand
movements, interactions, etc. They literally get in people’s faces.
Students should be told: if you show up at an event with a camera, people expect you to take
pictures. You try not to be intrusive, but sometimes you have to be, and people will understand
this.
 RULE NO. 5: SHOOT IN THE BEST LIGHT POSSIBLE.
If you can shoot outside, do so. Shoot near a window if possible (but be careful). If you have to
use a flash, do it. Light is what makes pictures possible, and nothing makes up for an absence
of light.
Pay attention to the light. Many students don't and return with rotten pictures.
 RULE NO. 6: EQUIPMENT DOESN’T MATTER.
Well, it does to some degree. But, students should never be allowed to use equipment as an
excuse for not taking good pictures (unless the camera simply doesn’t work, of course). A good
photographer adjusts to the limitations of the camera. A good photographer learns how to use
the equipment he or she has to take the best pictures possible. You might tell students that one
of the laws of photojournalism (and of life) is this: Equipment will never be quite good enough.
Students don’t have to know the innards of a camera to take good pictures either. They should
know how to think about taking pictures. They should know what good composition is. They
should know how to plan their shots. None of this has anything to do with whether or not a
camera is digital or single-lens reflex or box Brownie.
 RULE NO. 7: BE CREATIVE.
Require your students to return from an assignment with shots from more than one angle. Tell
them to get high, get low, move around the room. Some situations -- like sporting events -dictate where you can be. In most other cases, they should always think about their physical
proximity to the subject. A shot from a high or low angle can make a fairly standard shot much
more interesting. And, you never know which perspective is best until you have tried them all.
Always move around--this will show you the options you have for each situation.
Ludwig Bautista
The Effect of Photojournalism on the World
How does photojournalism affect the world?
In photojournalism, we are given “unprecedented power and indisputable information about the world in
which we live”
In 1963, a Buddhist monk in Vietnam decided to burn himself to death while he was meditating in front of
a crowd.
He sacrificed his own life just to protest against religious prosecution.
Would you ever go to that extent to get your message out to the world?
The day President John F. Kennedy saw the picture, he remarked, “no news picture in history has
generated so much emotion around the world as that one”
Copies of the photo were sold on the streets in Europe. Millions of copies were distributed in Communist
China as evidence of “US Imperialism”
A Sudanese child tries crawling to a UN camp over a kilometer away. A vulture waits for her to die so it can
eat her.
This photo became popular practically overnight.
The photographer won a Pulitzer prize.
Kevin Carter, the photographer, was attacked by millions of people for not helping the little girl.
Three months later, he committed suicide because he was haunted by the famine.
On June 5, 1989, a Chinese man in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, stood in front of a line of tanks, preventing
their advance.
This picture spread worldwide, and he became known as one of the 100 most influential people of the 20 th
century.
With a single act of defiance captured on camera, this lone Chinese hero revived the world’s image of
courage.
A missionary goes to Uganda in April, 1980.
Everyone already knows about the famine in Africa, but seeing something like this with your own eyes
brings you to reality.
A South Vietnam national police chief executes a suspected Viet Cong member on February 1, 1968.
This is the photo that most influenced people’s opinion on modern warfare.
This shocked America into a lot of anti-war enthusiasm.
A gorgeous 12 year old girl stands in a cotton mill in Vermont, where she works all day.
Although child labor is not present in America today, we know that child labor is very common in
developing countries. Knowing that America once used children for work is devastating.
This is one of the many photos that convinced America that Congress should pass child labor laws.
Photojournalism serves as an instrument for democracy and justice.
It can implement violence and oppression, but it also gives a nobody a voice.
It plays havoc with power by making a gesture speak a thousand words.
Photojournalism goes beyond conveying a mood, it inspires people to act.
“Justice can draw its sword in the time it takes an eye to scan an image.”
Basic Photojournalism for Beginners
An understanding of basic Photojournalism for beginners could help many an amateur photographer
considering a career in photojournalism. Photojournalism is a unique field of photography that requires more
than just the ability to take pictures.
Photojournalism vs. Photography
Basic photojournalism differs from regular photography on a number of levels. Essentially, the difference is
one of intent. While a photograph represents an image of a subject or an object, photojournalism attempts to
make that image tell a story.
Whether a photojournalism piece displays a sports event, a fire or an award ceremony, the photo must tell a
story to the viewer before he reads the news article.
Photography for Beginners: Analyzing News Photos
Analyzing photojournalism images is an excellent learning tool for beginners interested in photojournalism.
One fairly recent piece of photojournalism is a famous picture of a fireman cradling a dead baby in the
immediate aftermath of the April 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.
The photo, taken by Charles Porter, captures not only the horror of the bombing, but also the compassion
and caring of the emergency crew that responded to the explosion. In short, the picture tells a complicated
and painful story. Through this picture, people were moved to tears, outrage and grief far beyond what
they’d felt by reading dramatic news stories of the event.
Another valuable lesson of this picture was the fact that Charles Porter himself is not a professional
photojournalist, proving that amateur photographers can also master basic photojournalism.
The majority of photojournalism projects deal with much less tragic events than the Oklahoma bombing.
However, the principles of basic photojournalism, for beginners and professionals, are always the same: the
picture must tell a story.
Basic Photojournalism: Faces
If photojournalism for beginners could be condensed into one word, it might be “faces.” Photo editors want
to see people’s faces in pictures. People’s facial expressions help tell a photo’s story and convey emotion. A
rule of basic photojournalism is to never shoot pictures of people without showing some of their faces.
The Ethics of Photojournalism
An amateur photographer taking artistic or glamour shots can create the ideal photo of his subject either by
moving objects in the scene or by cropping items out of the picture with computer programs.
However, a photojournalist cannot play so fast and loose with events. He is bound by ethics to photograph
events exactly as they happen and as they present themselves in reality. To move an item or re-stage an
event after the fact is a violation of the viewers’ trust in the photographer.
A doctored photograph damages the reputation of both the photojournalist and any publications that run the
picture.
Basic Photojournalism Responsibilities
Basic photojournalism job duties cover much more ground than merely taking photos. In addition to taking
news photos, a photojournalist may be responsible for:






brainstorming news ideas with journalists
consulting with photo editors
developing film
editing photos
scheduling photo sessions
writing the photo caption.
Many photojournalists consider themselves to be on call for the job 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Police
and emergency vehicle scanners are common pieces of equipment for photojournalists who want to stay
abreast of and respond to the latest newsworthy events.
Breaking into Photojournalism
Although amateurs can break into photojournalism by taking compelling news pictures, formal training in
the field is the best choice. Many colleges now offer four-year photojournalism courses that teach journalism
ethics and legal issues alongside basic photojournalism technique.
Internships with newspapers and magazines offer experience in photojournalism for beginners. Competition
for such positions is often fierce, with first consideration going to photojournalism students who have
mastered basic photojournalism techniques. However, photo editors occasionally offer positions to
promising amateurs looking to break into photojournalism.
Photojournalism for beginners requires an understanding of how to truthfully tell a story in a visual medium.
Documentary Filmmaking
A (very, very) brief introduction
What to (and what not to) expect?
What is a documentary film?
An overview of the documentary filmmaking process/production
What is a documentary film?
- We will try to define what is a documentary film despite the fact that there are a lot of arguments on what is a true
documentary, and what is not... it will be difficult to make a clear cut definition of a documentary film; At the very least,
after the discussion, I hope we can have a better idea of what is a documentary film, or how can we say whether a film
is a documentary or not,.. and what purpose does it serve?
--> here we will take a peak at the history and development of documentary, what help shaped it to what t is now today
...
An overview of the docu film process or Documentary Production
--> here we will try to share some ideas and experiences on how to produce a documentary film, technical
requirements, an overview of the whole production process
We will not discuss
Film Language/Filmic Elements - Cinematography, Editing, etc
Technical “how tos” i.e camera operation, non-linear editing, scriptwriting
ASK Participants what they know about documentaries, what documentaries have they watched,..
Sa kasalukuyan,..
Documentaries have become so varied, and there are a lot of arguments which films should be considered as documentaries,..
Example, are Reality Shows Documentaries?
Some argue that nature documentaries, or travelogues, such as those shown by the National Geographic, discovery channel, are
not documentaries,.. How about docudramas, are they truly documentaries?
One things for sure, walang hard and fast rule kung ano lang ba ang maaaring tawagin na documentary,.. kahit ang development
mismo ng Documentary film form throughout history ay magpapakita na mahirap i-kahon sa rigid definition kung ano nga ba ang
documentary,..
Gayunman, we can take a peak at the history and development of documentary films to at least have a basic definition, and idea
of what they are
In the 1920s, isang film critic who would eventually become a documentary filmmaker himself, si John Grierson,. said
Documentary films are “the creative treatment of actuality”
“CREATIVE TREATMENT”
Documentary as a film art form
Creative use and organization of filmic elements and language (i.e. cinematography, editing, sound, graphics,
etc.) to express an idea, message
Early Cinema
The earliest projected films by the Lumiére Brothers are considered “Actuality films” or Primitive documentaries
1878 ang maituturing earliest motion picture
early 1890s Naimbento ni Thomas Edison ang Kinetoscope
1895 Gumawa ang Lumiere brothers ng sarili nilang camera (nad crancked) at naimbento nila paano ipoproject sa malaking
screen ang film..
Ang unang films ng Lumiere brothers ay tinawag na mga actuality films
- purpose ay for entertainment, NOVELTY
Eventually, ang development ng film would gear towards Narrative Fiction, ang magiging pinakapopular later on ay ang Classical
Hollywood Cinema na na siyang pinagmulan ng hollwood style cinema na nagdodominate sa ngayon
Ang documentary ay totoong magkakawangis lamang pagsapit ng 1920s
Birth of the Documentary
Robert Flaherty’s “Nanook of the North” was the first “Actuality film” with an overarching meaning
Soviet Cinema
Mula 1895 hanggang 1920, lahat ng mga actuality film ay mga NEWS reel na kadalasan ay tungkol sa Gera
UNTIL 1922
First Actuality film with an overarching (comprehensive) meaning -> Mayroon nang NARRATIVE o STORY
Tinawag din noon ang pelikula na ito bilang exotic film, kinukunsidera din ito na earliest type ng isang ethnographic film (o
pelikula na nagpapakita ng way of life) na naglalayong ipakita ang kultura ng mga eskimo sa candaian arctic)
Ang sumunod na pelikula dito ni Flaherty, na ethnographic din ang naging pamamaraan, ang tinawag ni Grierson na
Documentary
ANYWAY,
Sa isang banda, although totoong pamilya ng mga eskimo ang pinapakita ng pelikula, marami o kalakhan ng mga footage sa
pelikulang ito ay Staged
- halimbawa, ang paggamit ng sibat, sa totoo ay riple na ang gamit ng pamilya sa kanilang hunting;
- ang paggawa ng malaking Igloo na butas ang bubong, para madaling makapagshoot
---> nonetheless, kinikilala pa rin na first documentary ito dahil kalakhan naman ng ipinakita ay totoong pamumuhay ng
pamilyang ipinakita sa pelikula, naobliga lamang na i-stage ang marami sa mga eksena dahil sa limitasyon ng equipment,.. at THE
same time, MAKIKITA na DITO ANG PAGGAMIT NG CREATIVE process sa pagpapakita ng actuality
MULA SA MGA LIKHA NI FLAHERTY sinabi ni Grierson na ang Documentary ay Creative Treatment of actuality
Bagama’t later on, ANG IBANG MAG-EEMERGE na mga documentary style or philosophy ay magsasabi na ang totoong
documentary ay yaong hindi pinapakialaman ang mga kaganapan - observational to the point na unaware ang mga kinukuhanan
ng film -- > babalik na natin ito mamaya
ANYWAY, Sa ganito rin nag-eevolve ang paniniwala ni Grierson
Sa punto de bista ni Grierson, ibinabangga niya ang Documentary FORM sa Classical Hollywood Cinema o sa mga FICTION FILMS,
sa paniniwala niya na higit na makapangyarihan ang “ORIGINAL” actors at scenes kung ikukumpara sa mga FICTION FILMS
NANINIWALA SA GRIERSON na ang FILM ay makapangyarihang mekanismo para sa pagsusulong ng SOCIAL REFORM,
Education at ang pagpapakita ng actuality ang mas tamang paraan ng pag-interpret sa lipunan
SAMANTALA, sa Unyong Sobyet noong 1920s, mayroon din ganitong nadedevelop na paniniwala ang isang Soviet Filmmaker, si
DZIGA VERTOV
Early Soviet documentary filmmaker Dziga Vertov espoused the idea of abolishing all non-fiction filmmaking
Ang Soviet Cinema ay isa sa mga nagmarka at may malaking ambag sa development ng CINEMA sa kabuuan, lalo na sa
pagpapaunlad ng lengwahe at estilo ng editing.. at sa paggamit nito ng tinatawag na soviet montage
Ang Soviet Cinema ay nag-emerge after magtagumpay ang Socialist Revolution sa Rusya o kilala sa tawag na October Revolution
noong 1917
Dahil sa kalakhan ng mga mamamayang RUSO noon ay di nakapag-aral, di maalam magbasa, kinilala ng gobyernong sobyet ang
kahalagahan ng Pelikula bilang instrumento para imulat at i-eduka ang masa.
Kaya dito, malinaw na ang layunin ng CINEMA ay hindi bilang entertainment lang gaya ng kung paano ito nagsimula at paano ito
nagdevelop sa hollywood...
Ngayon, si Dziga Vertov ay ilan sa mga nag-emerge na Soviet Filmmakers noong panahong iyon.. isa syang documentary
filmmaker..
Tulad ni Grierson, naniniwala si Dziga Vertov na with documentaries, maipapakita ang honest truth of perception
naniniwala rin sila na though documentary they can develop a new form of art - art based on images; image-oriented journalism
Mayroong dalawang CREDO si Dziga Vertov - “Life as it is” at “Life Caught unawares” -> na di malayong magkakaroon ng
impluwensya sa tinutukoy ko kanina na philosophy sa Documentary filmmaking:
PERO murky ang kahulugan ng dalawang credo na ito:
Ang iba, sinasabi na iisa lamanag ang kahulugan ng dalawa -> na ang Cinema Truth ay yung to RECORD life as it would be without
the camera present - HIDDEN CAMERA - dahil ang presence daw mismo ng camera ay umeepekto sa obejctivity ng taong
kinukuhanan
Sabi naman ng Iba, iba daw ang kahulugan ng dalawa - opposite actually -> na yung “Life Caught Unawares” ay nangangahulugan
ng “Caught Surprised by the camera,” or basically, provoked by the camera
In any case, makakaapekto ito or may kaugnayan ito sa mga philosophies or styles that would later on develop sa documentary
filmmaking
NGAYON, Tatalon na tayo sa dalawang Documentary Style or Philosopy na may kuagnayan sa mga ito:
Hindi na tayo magpapalalim sa iba pang naging development sa documentary na ibinunsod ng development sa technology, gaya
ng development ng SOUND in FILM, and later on ng pagsulpot ng mga mobile film cameras..PERO tutukuyin natin na significant
ang development na ito sa pag-unlad ng DOCUMENTARIES...
Direct Cinema
By the late 50s, naging available na ang mobile light handheld cameras...
Nagbigay ito ng higit na possibility para maachieve ang CREDO na “Life as it is..” relatibong hindi na kailangan ang matatagal na
setup bago ang shoot, kumbaga, kahit saan, kahit kailan ay maaari na magshoot..
By the 60s, susunod naman ang development ng mobile sound recording equipment..
DITO na rin masasabing nadevelop ang HANDHELD treatment sa cinematography - raw, magalaw,.. kumapra sa mga steady and
stable shots sa mga fiction films,..
Isa ang Maysles Brothers sa mga gumamit ng Direct Cinema Style sa kanilang mga documentary
The documentary follows four salesmen as they travel across New England and Southeast Florida trying to sell expensive Bibles
door-to-door in low-income neighborhoods and attend a meeting in Chicago. The film focuses in particular on the struggles of
salesman Paul Brennan, a middle-aged Irish-American Roman Catholic from Jamaica Plain, Boston, who struggles to keep up his
sales.
- The film follows a sales-drive by hard-nosed bible-slaesmen - really a pack of hunters tormented by sales-figure quotas. TO SELL
BIBLE< they LIE and use all manner of tricks, but their victims live poor and cramped lives and don;t need lavishly illustrated
bibles
PERO, MARAMI pa rin ang nagcocontest sa ganitong treatment, na nagsasabi na unless totally hidden ang iyong camera, hindi
mo pa rin makukuna ang totoong “Life as it is”
OBSERVATIONAL FILMS are seldom unmediated as transparent filmmaking suggests. People usually know they are being filmed
and adapt accordingly, but never in a way that is out of chracter.
The Direct Cinema style, still in vogue, usually involves following a person or group through an event--often a crisis--using
handheld cameras to capture the subject's reactions as the situation unfolds. Voice over narration and sit down interviews are
used very sparingly. In making these films, directors often shoot many hour of film, which must then be edited to concisely tell
the story. In contemporary documentary filmmaking, editing is often as important as shooting, but great editors--like Nancy
Baker, who shaped Harlan County USA--rarely get the credit they deserve.
MINIMAL INTERFERENCE by the FIlmmaker
NGAYON, mas tinatawag na ito ng iba na Observational Cinema, meron din tumatawag dito na “FLY on the WALL” documentary
pansinin ang camera style - handheld,.. which would be a predominant style in documentaries up to now. KAHIT sa fiction films,
ginagamit ang ganitong estilo para magkaroon ng RAW look o REAL look ang pelikula..
- observational the whole film, walang interview ang fim crew...
- ang siang mahalagang aspeto sa ganitong tipo ng documentary, nakasalalay ng malaki sa kung paano pagdudugtung-dugtungin
ang footage -- EDITING.. lalo pa, sa ganitong pamamaraan ng documentary, tiyak na alging napakaraming footage ang nakukuha
dahil walang ibang gagawin ang film crew kung hindi magshoot ng magshoot, nag-oobserve, nag-aantay ng mga kaganapan,.. in
the END, malaking challenge papaano bubuuin ang pelikula.. at pagkakasyahin sa isa o dalawang oras.
Observational film; documenting “life as it is”
Cinéma Vérité (Cinema Truth)
An alternative to Direct Cinema, but in other discussions, is considered the same to it,..
Basically, their similarities fall, number one in the handheld camera style,.. in the treatment of REAL life unfolding,.. BOTH are
concerned with SHOWING the TRUTH in life
Nagmula naman ang idea na ito sa isang French Ethnographer, si Jean Rouch, na narealize nya na habang nagdodokumento siya
ng buhay sa africa, di naiwasang nagprovoke sya ng off-camera relationship sa kanyang mga isinasadokumento.. kaya, therefore,
para mging totoo siya, inencourage nya ang participation ng kanyang isinasadokumento sa mismong paggawa ng pelikula.
IDEA OF PROVOKING
Best Boy is a 1979 documentary made by Ira Wohl. The film achieved high critical acclaim, and won many awards including the
Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 1979.[1]The film follows Ira's mentally handicapped cousin, Philly Wohl, who
at that time was 52 years old and still living with his elderly parents. Ira forces his aunt and uncle to realise that they will not be
around to care for Philly forever, and that they must start making preparations for when that time should come. Philly then
begins to attend classes in New York City to learn how to take care of himself. Philly's father, Max Wohl, dies during the course
of the film. His mother, Pearl, died in 1980. Philly is now an octogenarian, and he lives in a group home where he has learned to
basically take care of himself. A sequel entitled Best Man: 'Best Boy' and All of Us, 20 Years Later, was produced in 1997.
Following the sequel, in 2006, Ira made 'Best Sister' which rounded off the trilogy by looking at the effect Philly's sister had on
his current life.
Participatory Cinema
Documentary films are “the creative treatment of actuality”
Documentaries Today
Non-narrative Documentaries
Nature Documentaries
Travelogues
Educational Films
Archive-Based Filmmaking / Compilation
Documentaries
Docudrama
Portrait Documentary
TV Documentaries
Advocacy / Political / Agitprop
Why documentaries?
Truth vs Fiction
Relatively cheaper/affordable compared to fiction
film production
Documentary Film Production
An Overview
PRE-PRODUCTION
PRODUCTION
POST-PRODUCTION
Basic Steps of Documentary Pre-production
Developing Ideas, Goals
Research Story
Choose Interview Subjects
Choose Equipment
Make Budget
Production Plan
Choose Equipment
Choose Equipment
Basic Steps of Documentary Pre-production
Developing Ideas, Goals
Research Story
Choose Interview Subjects
Choose Equipment
Make Budget
Production Plan
PRODUCTION
BASIC ELEMENTS OF POST -PRODUCTION
1. Viewing footage and taking notes
2. Logging footage and making transcripts
3. Paper outline and/or edit
4. Rough cut
5. Archival and stock footage
6. Animation and artwork
7. Narration
8. Fine cut
9. Music
DISTRIBUTION
END
Education
prepared by
Save Our Education Movement
UP Kilos Na
PHILIPPINE EDUCATION SITUATION
• Colonial
– not really geared to serve the country’s interests; for foreign countries
• Commercialized
– education as a market/business
• Fascist
– systematic repression of progressive individuals and/or groups; to maintain status quo
Aquino on his budget message in Congress:
“We are gradually reducing the subsidy to SUCs to push them toward becoming self-sufficient and
financially independent.”
• The 2011 Budget Cut
• Capital Outlay Budget
2010 - P22.402 billion
2010 – P0.00
2011 - P22.035 billion
2011 – P0.00
(less 1.7%)
2012 – P0.00
• The 2012 Budget Cut
• Running a University
2011 - P22.035 billion
• How do our universities generate funds,
2012- P21.888 billion
then?
(less 0.67%)
• From the students:
• Running a University
– tuition and other fee increases
• Maintenance and Other
– laboratory fees
Operating Expenditures (MOOE)
– miscellaneous fees
• blackboards, whiteboards, markers,
– dormitory fee increase
chalks, manila paper, etc.
• Other Implications of Budget Cuts
• payment for electricity, water, etc.
• Mga paraan ng pagtitipid:
• Maintenance and Other
– “Operational excellence”
Operating Expenditures Budget
– Pagtitipid sa kuryente, tubig
2010 – P3.903 billion
– Pagtitipid sa security, janitorial
2011 – P3.114 billion
services
2012 – P2.982 billion
– Di paggamit ng ilang pasilidad
• Personnel Services (PS)
– Di pagpuno sa faculty items
• salary of faculty, staff, administrators, and
• Actions by the Student Movement
other workers in the university
• Actions by the Student Movement
• Personnel Services Budget
• Manifestos of Unity
2010 – P16.701 billion
• Alliance establishments
2011 – P18.920 billion
• Strike!
2012 – P18.905 billion
• Walkout
• Capital Outlay (CO)
• Forums and symposia
• construction of new buildings and
• Sabi ng gubyerno,
facilities
wala na daw budget cut?!
• procurement new equipment, laboratory
materials, etc.
•
“Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said the Aquino administration had raised the aggregate budget for
SUCs from P23.7 billion in 2011 to P26.1 billion in 2012.”
• Sabi ng gubyerno,
wala na daw budget cut?!
“Abad said this amount included P23.6 billion, inclusive of automatic appropriations itemized per SUC, a
standby fund of more than P2 billion under the Miscellaneous and Personnel Benefit Funds for unfilled
positions in SUCs, and an additional P500 million under the CHEd for SUC development.”
gmanews
• Ayon kay
Cong. Raymond Palatino...
“It is deceiving for the DBM to claim that there is an SUC budget increase despite clear budget cuts to
various items and the insufficiency of the entire budget for the education sector.
• Ayon kay
Cong. Raymond Palatino...
“The DBM obviously evades the issue of budget cuts and insufficiency. It is agitating for our SUCs to hear
misleading claims from the DBM. It will certainly set ablaze the strong unity of various sectors to fight for a
sufficient SUC budget increase.”
• Kabi-kabilang Kaltas
• Sa pabahay:
– nananatiling P5.6 billion ang pondo para sa pabahay gayong sunud-sunod ang mga
demolisyon sa komunidad
– sinabi sa pangalawang SONA ni Pnoy na ipagpapatuloy ang pagpapagawa ng bahay na may
murang renta para sa kapulisan
• Kabi-kabilang Kaltas
• Sa pangkalusugan: mula P36 billion tumaas patungo sa P49.9 billion
– bagamat tumaas ang pondo, ito ay nominal lamang; ito ay ilalaan para sa pagsasapribitisa ng
ilang pampublikong ospital
– malaki pa rin ang kakulangan upang pondohan ang mga basic na kaylangan
• Saan nga ba napupunta ang ibang parte ng pondo?
• Tuluy-Tuloy na Laban
Dahil sa patuloy na pagaabandona ng estado’t gubyerno sa kanyang tungkulin na magbigay ng tunay na
serbisyo para sa edukasyon at iba pang batayang serbisyong panlipunan, patuloy din ang paglawak at
paglakas ng kilusang estudyante para ipaglaban ang kanilang mga demokratikong karapatan.
Oppose budget cuts!
Assert for sufficient state subsidy for education and other basic social services!
Government Priority
Philippine Education
“Section 1. The State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels, and
shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all.” Art. XIV
“THE STATE SHALL ASSIGN THE HIGHEST BUDGETARY PRIORITY TO EDUCATION AND ENSURE THAT
TEACHING WILL ATTRACT AND RETAIN ITS RIGHTFUL SHARE OF THE BEST AVAILABLE TALENTS THROUGH
ADEQUATE REMUNERATION AND OTHER MEANS OF JOB SATISFACTION AND FULFILLMENT.”
ArtXIV sec.5 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution.
… FOR A [NON-]REFORM BUDGET
1. Spending pattern exposes wrong priorities
o P104.4 B or 6.8% increase from 2010, of w/c…
 P80.9 B increase in interest payments (to P357.1 B)
 P10.0 B increase in AFP budget (to P65.8 B)
 P20.4 B increase for Public-Private Partnerships (to P21.7 B)
 P13.9 B increase in PDAF (to P24.8 B)
 P19.2 B increase in 4Ps/esp. CCT (to P29.2 B)
o * although large P31.1 B increase in education (to P271.7 B), P5.1 B increase in
public health
DEBT SERVICE GIVEN PRIORITY OVER SOCIAL SERVICES, INCLUDING UNDER AQUINO ADMINISTRATION
Share from national budget
SUC STATE SUBSIDY
(2000-2011)
Internally generated income
Declining Share of Education in the National Budget
1955
30.78%
1960
27.50%
1970
24.47%
1975
11.33%
1980
9.01 %
1981
7.68%
Source: Josefina Cortes, Education and National Development
Komersyalisasyon
For the past six years, the top 5 school earners in the country have raked in P15.43 billion ($337,932,554)
in gross revenues and P3.45 billion ($75,558,475) in net income.
• Deregulated tuition
• Tuition increases
• Access to Education
• Basic ED
• Structure of PH education
• Coverage
Gdp share
Kulang Kulang
22% ng mga eskwelahan ay walang Science laboratories
20% ng klasrum ang walang maayos na ventilation
27% walang lighting
55% walang kuryente
25% walang kisame
80% walang tubig
60% walang CR
Kolonyal
GLOBALISADONG KABATAAN
Makabayan Program
Ingles bilang midyum ng pagtuturo para hindi raw mahirapan ang sektor ng Business Process Outsourcing
sa pagtanggap ng mga empleyado (DepEd Order 36 o "Implementing Rules and Regulations on Executive
Order 210: Establishing the Policy to Strengthen the Use of the English Language as Medium of Instruction
in the Educational System” )
Textbooks kailangang dumaan sa approval ng World Bank
Lapus: Edukasyon ay “market-driven”
TESDA: vocational-technical courses
Neoliberal education in the Philippines
• reduction of subsidies for higher education
• focus on marketable courses, global skills
• english mania, new curriculum.
• charter change and gats
IPR, who owns knowledge?
May Trabaho Ka (?) Wala!
11.7% unemployment rate – kalahati ng 2.9 milyong unemployed ay kabataan
30% of new graduates unemployed
10,000 lang ang kayang iluwal na trabaho kada taon
Call center, call center at call center
Wala sa Pilipinas…. Mangibang bayan!
Thank you for Calling!
Call center courses (EARIST, Batangas State University, Cavite State University, atbp.)
CHED: Tayuan ng call centers ang SUCs
Ayala Techno-park
‘In’ sa Isipan ng KABATAAN…
To finish a course that is marketable globally (e.g. nursing)
Leave the country to earn money
(McCann Erickson Report 2006)
KABATAAN for sale!
Labor-export policy!
Ballooning Number of Caregivers, Nurses and Call Center Agents
Labor export
#1 Exporter!
 No. 1 Exporter of Nurses
“An estimated 85% of employed Filipino nurses (more than 150,000) are working internationally.”
(Aiken et al 2004)
“70% of all Filipino nursing graduates are working overseas.” (Bach 2003)
 No. 2 Exporter of Doctors
“68% of Filipino doctors work overseas, next to India.” (Mejia, WHO 1975)
Wanna be a supermaid?
PASISTA
A graduating political Science
students and a national council
member of the League of
Filipino Students (LFS).
Cris was gunned down by
two suspected military agents
on March 19,2006 while on his
way home.
Hope, Hope… Hopia!
Lalong umiigting ang komersyalisasyon ng edukasyon, habang lalong inaayon ito sa pangangailangan at
interes ng dayuhan
Fight for a nationalist, scientific, Mass oriented system of education!
Nationalist
“…the education of the Filipino must be a Filipino education. It must be based on the needs of the nation
and the goals of the nation. The object is not merely to produce men and women who can read and write
or who can add and subtract. The primary object is to produce a citizenry that appreciates and is conscious
of its nationhood and has national goals for the betterment of the community…” –Renato Constantino
Scientific
Theory and practice
Propagating scientific thinking
Education contributing to national industrialization, revival of domestic industries
Globalization - universal access to primary education and health care, free exchange and sharing of
academic studies, researches, revolutionizing communication, distance learning
• Mass oriented
•
•
•
Education as a right
End discrimination
Promotion of democratic culture
GENERAL MIGRANTS SITUATION
239 countries identified to have Filipinos. Some 209 are members of the UN, while 30 others are nonmembers (including islands and territories unfamiliar to many Filipinos).
Permanent migration is predominantly female. Fil seafarers are a visible group in terms of numbers.
Regions located in Luzon island – NCR, ST, CL, and the Ilocos Region—have consistently emerged as the top
origin areas of temporary and permanent migrants, as well as the hubs of many households receiving
assistance from abroad.
For temporary migrants the ME and Asia are leading regions of destination, whie North AM for permanent
migrants. The Phil-Saudi Arabia corridor is the biggest migration corridor for temp migrants while the PhilUS for permanent migrants.
General Migrants Situation
From 1972 to 2007, Phil has received over $120 B in cash remittances—all passing through the formal
banking system. Initial estimate of families receiving assistance from abroad got P208.848 billion in 2000
(1.107 million migrant households), P245.857 B in 2003 (1.31 million) and P348.524 B in 2006 (1.601
million households).
Males have more total and average remittance yearly than females
Estimates in 2003 showed that the remittance of migrant households are more than the total local
government incomes (taxes, fees, share of IRA) in 55 of 79 provinces.
Source: Philippine Migration and Development Statistical Almanac (1 st ed)
Institute for Migration and Development Issues (IMDI)
Remittances Inflows as a Share of Selected Financial Flows and GDP, 2008
Remittances flows constitute an important source of foreign exchange for developing economies.
Comparing remittances to other financial inflows displays the extent to which remittances contribute to a
country's inflow of foreign exchange.
Remittances and Migration by Continent
Brief history of the LEP and the migrants’ movement
A. Spanish colonization
B. American occupation
C. Post-American occupation
D. Marcos dictatorship
E. Aquino administration
F. Ramos administration
G. Estrada administration
H. Arroyo administration
I. PNoy administration
J. Progressive movement of Filipino migrants
Spanish colonization
Colonial barter system
Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade (1565 to 1815)
Forced labor in cargo boats; migrant workers were seafarers and navigators
Migrants were brought to Mexico (California) as peons and colonial trade and relations worsened
Filipinos served as “corvee labour” for missionary settlements
Filipinos who fled very abusive conditions established “Little Manila” in New Orleans in 1812
Filipino students in Spain
From their ranks came students who lit the nationalist sentiments of the Filipino people
American occupation
Americans came and gave bribes and compensation to landlords and traders
Colonil and feudal relations worsened between landlords and farmers, traders/capitalists and workers
Massive unemployment especially in the countryside) à Filipinos were brought to the US
Olaa Plantation
Hawaiian Sugar Planters Association
1929 – 18% of the population in Hawaii were Filipinos; by 1934, 120,000 Filipinos in Hawaii
1930s – Great Depression
Plantations were hugly affected because of the drop in prices of farm produce
Massive retrenchment of migrant workers (austerity measures)
41% Filipinos were forcibly sent back to the Philippines
Pedro Calosa – one of those retrenched; a veteran labor leader who led the big strike in Hawaii in 1924
where 31,000 Filipino migrant workers participated; he later on became the leader of Sakdalistas in 1935
Other migrant workers transferred to the US mainland to become vegetable pickers, some became factory
workers in Alaska
Carlos Bulosan , one of the greatest migrant leaders
Actively participated and organized workers in the Congress of Industrial Organizations
He, along with other Filipino migrant workers, supported the Hukbalahap during the Japanese occupation
Post-American
Occupation
Economy became semi-feudal and semi-colonial
Growth of local industries were stunted due to entry of foreign-owned companies
Imbalance intrade and industry, foreign debt ballooned, peso depreciation à IMF-WB dictates
Massive unemployment and poverty
Semi-feudal, semi-colonial economy resulted in forced migration
“Brain and brawn drain”
Many decided to work abroad post-graduation or as a result of unemployment
Others opted to work for the UN, IMF-WB
Marcos dictatorship
Fall of the dictatorship
Aquino administration
PNoy administration
STATE OF PHILIPPINE ENVIRONMENT
UNDER THE AQUINO ADMINISTRATION
•
•
•
•
On the Issue of Mining
On the State of Forests
On our Coasts and Seas
On Biodiversity
•
•
•
•
On the Energy Industry
On Human Rights Violations
On the Environmental Crisis
People’s Response
MINERAL RESOURCES
Considered to be 5th mineralized country in the world (in terms of minerals per unit of area of land)
2nd to South Africa in Gold production; 3rd in copper production;
3rd in Gold, 4th in Copper, 5th in Nickel, 6th in Chromite deposits;
Has the potential to be among the 10 largest mining powers of the world
Est. worth US$840B-US$1 trillion?
MINING PLUNDER
1.2% average contribution of mining to GDP from 2005 to 2009
2,717 current total mining applications
65% increase of foreign investment to mining under Aquino
0.5% of total workforce employed by mining, or only over 150,000 workers
$2000.00/oz global market price of gold expected to push mining liberalization in PH
COMMUNITY DISPLACEMENT is pushed by large scale mining and quarrying operations of Korean
Malaysian Philippines Co. in Rapu-Rapu, Oceana Gold in Nueva Vizcaya, and Toronto Ventures in
Zamboanga del Norte
ECOLOGICAL DESTRUCTION is pushed by mining operations in such key biodiversity sites, such as Rio Tuba
Nickel Mining Corp in Palawan and Altai Mining in Kasibu, Romblon
ON THE STATE OF FORESTS
30M Ha’s total land area. 53% forest area
1,422,190 Ha of forests are currently under logging concessions
157,400 Ha average deforestation rate, 3rd highest in the world
6% of original forest habitat are estimated to remain
68% contribution to deforestation by large-scale corporate logging according to our estimates; kaingin is
only 4%, illegal logging at 2%
NATIONAL GREENING PROGRAM of Aquino regime seeks to plant 1.5B trees in 1.5M Ha up to 2016 but
does not address corporate logging concessions and does not completely utilize native tree species fit for
ecological restoration
LOGGING MORATORIUM is imposed via Aquino’s EO 23 but big commercial loggers continue operating in
Cagayan, Aurora, Quezon, Davao del Norte, Compostela Valley and CARAGA
ON OUR COASTS AND SEAS
Coastal Mismanagement
90% of our fish stocks have been depleted in the past 50 years
70% of our mangrove forests have been lost in the past 30 years
10 KG/YEAR of fish remain to be available per person in 2010, 28.5/year in 2003
$769 MILLION worth of fisheries exports benefit foreign, not domestic consumption
RECLAMATION SITES in Caticlan, Panglao Islands, Manila Bay, Cebu and Laguna de Bay currently threaten
millions of fisherfolks and coastal ecosystems such as the LPPCHEA bird sanctuary
FISHERIES CODE of 1998 persists in allowing dubious fish sanctuaries, Fishpond Lease Agreements (FLAs)
and illegal entry of commercial fishing vessels to encroach on municipal fisheries
ON BIODIVERSITY
More than 7,100 islands fall within the borders of the Philippines hotspot, identified as one of the world’s
biologically richest countries.
Has among the highest rates of discovery in the world.
One of the most endangered areas.
Highest number of endemic endangered species.
Terrestrial and marine areas protected to total territorial area, percentage: 3.31 (2000)
The country is one of the few nations that is, in its entirety, both a hotspot and a megadiversity country,
placing it among the top priority hotspots for global conservation.
DIRTY TECHNOLOGIES
12 Coal-Fired Power Plant projects are pending for construction
44.4M TONS/YEAR of carbon dioxide average emission of 11 operational CFPPs in PH alongside tons of
mercury, arsenic and lead
52% of electricity generation capacity unregulated by government, privately owned only by 3 groups
PRIVATIZATION AND LIBERALIZATION of energy pushed under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act
(EPIRA) and the Oil Deregulation Law made energy prices 75% higher on average which discourages
renewable energy investment
DUBIOUS CLEAN ENERGY in the form of clean coal, nuclear, biofuel and waste-to-energy (WTE)
incinerators are being promoted despite scientifically pronounced social and environmental costs
ON HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
STILL SEEKING ENVI JUSTICE
42 environmental workers and advocates fell victim to extrajudicial killings from 2001 to present, 7 under
Aquino
2 victims of attempted assassination
2 victims of enforced disappearances
0 resolved to date
SLAPPS or Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation are criminal cases filed by violators against
environmental activists to discourage their opposition
MILITARIZATION of communities struggling against environmentally destructive projects through military
batallions assigned as Investment Defense Forces (IDFs)
ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS
CAPITALISM AS ROOT CAUSE OF CRISIS
Characteristics of capitalistproduction
 Production for profit
 Anarchic
 Wasteful and pollutive
 Monopoly on production, resources, capital
 Division of the world –market, raw materials and war
A SYSTEM IN CRISIS
PHILIPPINE ECONOMY is mainly extractive, export-oriented and dependent on foreign investment and
technologies that is dominated by transnational corporations and the local elite.
PUPPET GOVERNMENT facilitates large-scale plunder of environment via policies of globalization
(Mining Act of 1995, EPIRA, Fisheries Code, etc.)
ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS is thus the direct result of rapid, unchecked appropriation of natural resources
for the benefit of the few. Proportional to the neoliberal plunder of resources is the destruction of the
environment, depletion of our resources and massive pollution
PHILIPPINE ECONOMY
Mainly extractive
Export-oriented
Dominated by TNCs, local elite
Dependent on foreign capital and technologies
PEOPLE’S RESPONSES
PEOPLE’S STRUGGLE
RESEARCH AND EDUCATION sustained research and education work via forums, workshops, round table
discussions and environmental investigation missions (EIMs)
MASS CAMPAIGNS regular advocacy work such as information dissemination, protest mobilizations,
rehabilitation and community-based resource management
LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY filing and lobbying of progressive legislation such as the People’s Mining Bill and
the Anti-SLAPP Bill, as well as environment codes at the LGU level
NETWORKING AND ALLIANCE WORK forging broad unities as effective machinery (Defend Patrimony
Alliance, Justice for Environmental Defenders, NO to BNPP Revial, NO to COAL, Youth for Earth Alliance)
REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE tactical military offensives , mass work and engagement in peace talks from
revolutionary groups as the CPP-NPA-NDF work toward the defense of the environment and national
patrimony