We endeavour to remain strong, relevant, respected, credible

We endeavour to remain strong, relevant, respected, credible

PPCO AGM Report

By Rose Tijam
President, Philippine Press Club of Ontario

I am aware you are all busy, but you take time to come to this PPCO event. I thank you for your attendance today.

This year is our 15th anniversary. We established PPCO in December 2001 during a snow storm. There were 15 of us, some are still at our organization and in the community; regretfully, a few are not. Our founding president was Paul de la Cruz, our vice president was the late Armand Rustia, I was the secretary, and other past officers and members are still around. We should celebrate this 15th anniversary before this year is over.

I wish to continue by saying that journalists are governed by their strong belief in human rights and in the freedom of expression that covered freedom of the press. You will agree that human rights and freedom of expression and freedom of the press are not absolute — there are limits to all forms of freedoms, there are duties, responsibilities and accountabilities. The freedoms we enjoy and are privileged to apply, do not mean we are free to disseminate lies, false or malicious accusations or fabrications. That is why we have laws that govern society’s conduct and behaviour.

We at the Philippine Press Club Ontario had always endeavoured to apply a respectful code of conduct, and code of ethics, in our work, and in our community. We want to continue to earn the respect, credibility and leadership in our community. We endeavour to protect our good reputation and standing. We endeavour to remain strong and relevant, respected and credible.

Let me summarize the hard work we have done in the last two years of our term as your elected officers. We have done these with your support and cooperation as members of the PPCO. I wish to credit our various Committees on these as well.

A) We continued, and expanded the mandate and achievements of our Immediate Past President, Hermie Garcia and his board, of which several of us were elected to. During Hermie’s term, among others, we had speakers on communication, primarily on broadcast television, cyberspace communication and academic communication. We had Marivel Taruc, CBC; Kris Reyes, Global News; and Zuraida Alman, CTV; and Professor Sheila Coronel, Dean of Graduate School of Journalism, Columbia University.

B) Subsequently, during my term as president, we held an Induction of Officers where we had Marivel Taruc, then Federal Finance Minister Joe Oliver and Senator Tobias Enverga as speakers. We inducted several new members as well.

C) We resumed having speakers for education and information purposes. We focussed on top calibre lawyers who spoke on laws on journalism – specifically on libel, and slander . We had lawyers Michael Alexander, Ramon Andal, and Mark Donald.

D) It was election year last year, and we want the Filipino community to actively participate in the Canadian political milieu. We presented politicians, and community leaders, of various affiliations, to speak to us. We had MPs from the Liberal, Conservative and the New Democratic parties, as well as Filipino Canadian community leaders . Also, we accepted invitations at events hosted by said political parties, in an effort to make us Filipinos visible and strong in the political milieu.

E) We welcomed the 2015 Marshall McLuhan Fellow Joseph Morong, sponsored by the Canadian Embassy in the Philippines, on its annual celebration of the winner. Our guest spoke on “ Communicating the Message of the Marginalized: Media’s coverage of the Bangsamoro peace process in Southern Philippines.”

F) Last summer, we again visited former mayor Art Viola and his wife Julie in Niagara-on-the-Lake. We had a picnic, went to farms and wineries, and sampled Ontario agriculture produce.

G) We were speakers and guests at the press conference hosted by the World Vision Canada, and the Friends of Jesus Christ.

Please note that PPCO does not sponsor or host press conferences for other organizations or political parties. We attend when they invite us.

H) Many of our officers and members covered significant events in our community, like those hosted by the Knights of Rizal, the Ontario Filipino Women’s Club, Philippine Artists Group of Canada, the Pillars Seniors Association, the Kol Hope Foundation, the Filipino Centre Toronto, the Friends of Jesus Christ, the Filipino Canadian Chamber of Commerce, the Philippine Colleges and Universities Alumni Association, the Philippine Canadian Charity Foundation, ANCOP, Gawad Kalinga, Taste of Manila, Philippine Independence Day Council, Kalayaan Cultural Community Centre, the Philippine Consulate General, the Filipino Canadians for Good Governance, Adhika, etc.

I) We held a crowded Christmas Party during the last week of November 2015.

J) Our active and visible presence in the community enable us to write articles and do other journalistic work for different venues.

K) Whenever possible we respond to queries, or requests for referrals of our community members , for social and other services.

L) We produced and printed a PPCO brochure, and the Journalists’ Code of Ethics, adopted from the National Press Club of the Philippines.

M) A few months ago, a group of journalists at the headquarters of the Philippine Inquirer in Vancouver communicated to me their interest to form an organization there. I sent them a copy of our Constitution and By-Laws, the PPCO brochure, and copies of our Journalists’ Code of Ethics.

I met the editor/publisher of a Filipino Canadian community publication in Calgary last January.

I plan to visit Calgary in the summer, and spend a few days in British Columbia. We might talk again about the possibility of their forming an organization. On behalf of PPCO, I offered them our assistance in any possible way in their interest to organize.

As president of our organization, I am cognizant of the many duties and responsibilities we face, and I am proud to say that we continue to work and do more for our organization, and our community. And we do not forget to serve our country in any capacity possible.

I strongly encourage PPCO officers and members adhere to the Journalists’ Code of Ethics wherein we treat all people with dignity and respect; conduct and manage ourselves in an honest, trustworthy and ethical manner; adhere to truth in journalism, and adhere to applicable rules and laws.

Thank you all. Mabuhay ang PPCO!