WHY WE NEED MENTORS

April 8, 2024 Opinion

In a time when journalism is at its crossroads, mentors are far to come by. That is why the Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club Incorporated (BCBC) decided to hold a mentoring session at the revered Media Camp during
holy week. The concluded Lecture Series held on March 26 and 27, 2024, aimed to connect with students, information officers, and government and nongovernment organizations and agencies. The lecture series, an annual offering by the BCBC, aimed to improve journalism and communication for students, information officers, and government and nongovernment agencies and organizations.

This year, the BCBC partnered with the National Union of Journalists Baguio-Benguet Chapter and the Ubbog Writers group. The series opened with a photo walk and lecture on photography led by Art Tibaldo. Tibaldo is a
multimedia artist who, in his early creative career, delved into cinematography, photography, and editorial cartooning, eventually becoming a mass media practitioner. After 35 years as a Public Information Officer, he now serves as the Executive Director of Creative Baguio City Council. The series featured a session on cybersecurity by
Sherwin De Vera, the former editor-in-chief of Northern Dispatch, an alternative media outfit based in Baguio City.

He also contributes stories to Rappler. Heather Pulido shared her knowledge on Children’s Literature. Pulido, a Palanca awardee for Children’s Writing in Filipino, is of Kankanaey and Ibaloy descent. Julius Lumiqued pitched in
and imparted his take on the basics of filmmaking. Lumiqued, a finalist for last year’s Cinemalaya Full-Length
Narrative, has already written and directed three other feature films. He is also the creative director of Pasa-Kalye Group of Artists. Day two opened with Dumay Solinggay, who spoke about poetry. Solinggay, formerly a writer for Baguio Chronicle and currently a radio columnist in her hometown Cervantes, is a slam poet and visual artist as well.

The series closed with Karlston Lapniten, a multimedia journalist whose works focus on indigenous peoples,
environment, human rights, and agriculture. Lapniten, born and raised in the mountains of the Cordillera region, is among the few journalists in the Philippines who is an Indigenous person. The BCBC also held the Search for Lucky Summer Visitors (LSV) for Baguio from March 25 to 31, 2024, as part of the Summer in Baguio (SUMVAC) activities. The weeklong activities featured many facets geared towards better public service. In conclusion, the BCBC’s
Lecture Series served as a valuable resource for aspiring journalists and communication professionals. By providing a platform for experienced media practitioners to share their knowledge, the BCBC helped bridge the gap in mentorship and empower the next generation of storytellers.