JONG CADION
Chief of reporters
PAGADIAN CITY—It’s all cool fun for the first year sprint of the newly revived Tabak Defense Press Corps (TDPC) headed by RMN-DxPR’s Ramil Bangues as president.
The celebration was held at the sprawling Tabak Beach in Tukuran with newly assigned 1st Infantry “Tabak” Division chief of staff Col. Rolando Tenefrancia, representing division chief M/Gen. Nehemias Pajarito, in attendance.
The TDPC was re-energized under the auspices of Pajarito, when he assumed as 1st ID commanding general through DPAO chief and G7 Col. Agane Adriatico.
In his message during the affair, Tenefrancia told press members the significance of media partnership in the work of the army.
“Without media, it will be difficult to reach out to the community and put in the picture the government’s peace efforts,” Tennefrancia said.
The Tabak chief then mentioned media’s partnership brings collaborative success to the military’s peace advocacy and campaign in their areas of responsibility.
With the creation of TPPC, the community will be able to get reports from the tri-media that are truthful, objective and have a sense of balance while propaganda reporting is passed up, he explained.
Tennefrancia, in congratulating the officers and members of TDPC, relayed Pajarito’s approval on the role of media in nation building, as a precursor of democracy.
“Speak for truth and maintain the essence of professionalism in your journalistic practice,” was Pajarito’s message, even as he wished TDPC “to continue surviving and be steadfast amidst the challenges in their chosen profession.”
Meanwhile, Bangues, in his message sent to MINDANAO MONITOR, assured the Tabak Division that the tri-media pledging membership with TDPC would keep on supporting the military and the government’s peace advocacies.
TDPC, like an infant learning the essentials of life, is just as fragile, added Bangues, but soon with its indefatigable effort, will be able to muster enough strength to grow and mature.
The gentlemen from RMN stressed again his statement to this paper last year that TDPC “is not an extended media relations office of the army but a self-regulating group that seeks truth while standing as an ally of the military in peace advocacy.”
“We are here not to defend Tabak should there be wrongdoings or abuses committed by them, but we will be an agent of change and we will exercise fairness in keeping our watch on democracy,” he added.
Adriatico, for his part, distributed gifts and handouts to TDPC after a bountiful boodle fight.