Group Activities

 

 

 

 

 

Appeal raises $3,480 for the
families of murdered journos

Filpressyd finished the year 2009 with a rushed appeal for funds for the families of Filipino journalists killed in a massacre in Maguindanao last November. It raised $3,480 through the support of members of the Filipino community in the Sydney metropolitan area.

The first wave of $1,330 was delivered by hand to the National Press Club of the Philippines (NPCP) just before Christmas. The second wave of $1,350 from contributions at the birthday party of Cen Amores was sent to the NPCP via money transfer. The third wave of $800 from members of the Hot Mamaz club led by Arlene Howe was also delivered to the NPCP via money transfer.

NPCP president Benny Antiporda informed Filpressyd that the funds will be distributed directly to the families of journalists killed in the massacre.

PICTURE ABOVE: Renato Perdon, centre, presents cash donation to National Press Club of the Philippines secretary Louie Logarta, and Fely Santos.

_________________________________

Filpressyd started the year 2009 by developing this web/blog. It was designed exclusively for members to write their opinions on any subjects of their choice. This year marks the group’s 11th year since foundation in 1998, when the group was first named ‘The Filipino Journalists Alliance of Australia’. It was renamed ‘The Filipino Press Group of Sydney’ in 2006.

_____________________

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AN ARRANGEMENT was struck with the proprietors of The Corregidor centre in Rooty Hill in Sydney’s outer-west for FilPressSyd to turn it into a ‘Press Room’. The group will act as custodian for this room and furnish it at no cost to The Corregidor or FilPressSyd. The group will also use a corner of the ‘Press Room’ to start a ‘Rizal Library’ on FilipinianaImmediately after the agreement, the group furnished the Press Room with a conference table and eight matching chairs, a Dell computer (Windows XP) with speakers, a scanner, printer, whiteboard, two TV sets, CD player, DVD player, bookshelf, CD shelf, three extra tables, 10 extra chairs, Filipino CDs and DVDs. New décor included framed front pages of Filipino publications old and new in Australia. ~ plus a ‘Wall Of Champions’ with large picture frames of Filipino sporting champions who reside or have resided in Australia. The ‘Press Room’ will be available for use of any Filipino organisation.

_________________________ 

THE GROUP began adding to its monthly ‘kapihan’ this year a series of workshops, each workshop to precede the social gathering (‘kapihan’). 

The first workshop, ‘News and Press Release Writing’, was held in February at the Press Room in February with Jaime Pimentel as instructor. Attendees were Tom Baena, Mitchell Badelles, Dino Crescini, Richard Ford, Tony Malicdem and Ken Ubago. At the end of the workshop, which included four exercises in news and press release writing, attendees were each presented a Certificate of Attendance.

_________________________ 

 

THE MARCH workshop, Basic elements of News and Feature Writing, was held at the Press Room with Michelle Baltazar as intructor. the best use of news and feature writing elements.demonstrateused newspaper and magazine clippings to  Baltazar. The workshop went through basics of news report writing and feature writing.

Attendees were Ania Aquino, Ausseela Thanaphongsakorn, Richard Ford, and Tom Baena. Unable to attend was Mitchell Badelles. Each were presented a Certificate of Attendance.

_________________________________

THE GROUP was briefed by Dino Crescini, editor-publisher of The Philippine Tribune newsletter (now renamed The Philippine Sentinel) with regard to the outcome of a defamation case against it by a member of the Filipino community in Sydney. The briefing was open to other members of the Filipino community. Mr Crescini presented the Tribune’s side of the case, which was settled out of court. It was understood that the prosecution led by solicitor Lolita Farmer was to brief the group on the other side of the case at a later date.

_______________________________ 

THE workshop in April was on the growing popularity of New Media and Its Use. The workshop was headed by Romy Cayabyab as instructor. Mr Cayabyab took attendees through the workings of the Internet and emailing, explaining their advantages as mass media and the traps that lay for jounalists and other users. 

Mr Cayabyab is follow this workshop with another, more in-depth study of New Media and how we as media people in Australia can take full advantage of them.

________________________________

A SPECIAL project supported by Philippine Airlines’ Arnul Pan and the Philippine Department of Tourism’s Consuelo Jones was launched in April, when the group sent member Michelle Baltazar to Manila, Philippines to gather exclusive news-feature stories to be published in Australian mainstream and ethnic media.

Ms Baltazar spent four days interviewing Philippine Airlines chief executive officer Jaime Bautista in his office and visiting places in the city for story sources. Philippine Airlines provide airfare and Philippine Tourism the accommodation and hosting of Ms Baltazar’s other travel arrangements.

On her return to Sydney, Ms Baltazar briefed the group on her Manila assignment and then paid a courtesy call-to Ms Jones and Mr Pan to do the same. Besides the stories she was bringing back, Ms Baltazar is preparing to publish a coffee-table book about her visit to Manila.

________________________________

GROUP members continue to share stories through the yahoogroups email. Members with stories either send attachments of stories in Word documents or provide links to their stories for use of members as they require.

________________________________