To Be A Journalist Is Only A Privilege-Arnaiz

May 12,2012 To Be A Journalist Is Only A Privilege-Arnaiz By Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr. Maasin City, Southern Leyte-Not all people are journalists or writers. Only few individuals were chosen for such kind of calling. Thus to be a journalist is only a privilege. This was the explanatory statement uttered by PDI correspondent Jani Carbonilla Arnaiz who was unanimously elected as President of the recent newly-organized NUJP (National Union of the Journalists Of The Philippines) Southern Leyte Chapter. The organizational meeting was held at one of well-known establishments here in this small city located along the coastal area facing the Canigao Channel and the Sogod Bay where cool breeze is blowing from the open seas. The formation of the new NUJP chapter here in this province was initiated by the random visit of its incumbent Secretary General Rowena C. Paraan. During the initial past meeting held at Kinamot Sa Abgao Restaurant only two media private practitioners and two government media workers were present. Other practicing print and broadcast journalists were not able to attend for some reasons. Being a journalist for an overall 21 years as erstwhile correspondent to several newspapers in Maasin, Cebu and Tacloban in separate occasions, this is the very first time that the NUJP hierarchy was able to think and to consider membership from far-flung province like Southern Leyte. Furthermore, journalists contributing news and feature articles to the provincial newspapers in some parts of the country are commonly underpaid. Despite of this undeniable truth, they have sticked to their “vocation”, aside from being professionals most of them. The only consolation of their thankless job, as emphatically stated by Jani C. Arnaiz, is that “they are rubbing elbows with the rich and the famous”. On the other hand, their provincial counterparts who were fortunate enough to be accepted as correspondents to Manila-based broadsheets were receiving much more in terms of financial compensations. They have also the perks of attending free training/seminars/workshops sponsored by their respective outlets with free lunch and accommodations. Plus reimbursable traveling expenses in going to the place of venue and back home. The newly-elected NUJP Chapter President together with the group is also planning to conduct training/seminar among editors of high school and college campus papers in the province. When the plan reaches its realization, some resource speakers shall be coming from the NUJP-Manila main office. Meanwhile, there shall be a seminar on journalism trauma scheduled to be held either in Maasin or Tacloban tentatively on July 7, 2012.Arnaiz still has to contact NUJP-Manila office to discuss about which venue is to be preferred by the Secretary General, after he would present a site that he finds here suitable and conducive for such kind of seminar. Other elected officials and members were: 1)Dindo Alaras of DYSL-Sogod-Vice-President; 2)Jade Nombrado of DYDM-Treasurer; 3)Angelina Book of the Southern Leyte Times-Secretary; 4)Erna Sy-Gorne of PIA-Associate member; 5)Marcelo “Bong” Pedalino of PIA-Associate member;6) Freelance Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.- member; 7)Ramon Boyser of DYDM-member; 8)Nicolas Lanugon of DYDM-member; 9)Frank Bandibas of DYDM-member. According to Alaras, unidentified lady working at DYSL-Sogod has also expressed her earnest intention to join NUJP. (Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)