Safety training courses for journalists completed in the Philippines
05-12-2005 (Davao)
Participants of the training
© INSI
UNESCO has supported the International News Safety Institute (INSI) to provide safety training to 25 conflict reporters and other media staff in the Philippines, the country with the most violence against journalists outside Iraq.
Selecting participants for the courses that was held in Davao City, Mindanao Island, on 21 and 22 November 2005, priority was given to local journalists and other media staff actively engaged in covering conflict. Eleven women attended the course.
Participants came from various provinces affected by violence such as Luzon, the Visayas, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi Islands. Five conflict reporters from Manila-based broadcast and print media, who cover the provinces as well as frequent demonstrations in the capital, also attended.
Among other things, participants were taught how to avoid becoming a target, pre-deployment planning, conflict management, dealing with hostile crowds, ballistic awareness and reaction to shooting, checkpoints, abduction and basic first aid. Other subjects include weapon identification and range, landmines and terrorists tactics.
Participants shared their own experiences and a new network of conflict reporters has now been put in place.
The relevance of the training was highlighted as two of the participants went on assignment only two days later to cover New People’s Army (NPA) guerrilla activity in Southern Luzon province. Other participants said that they woul spread the safety word to their colleagues.
More effort will now be made to organize further training and to cover such issues as media-military relations. Special emphasis will also be put on post traumatic stress as a lot of the participants confessed they were barely coping with the violent events they cover on a daily basis.
Participants came from various provinces affected by violence such as Luzon, the Visayas, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi Islands. Five conflict reporters from Manila-based broadcast and print media, who cover the provinces as well as frequent demonstrations in the capital, also attended.
Among other things, participants were taught how to avoid becoming a target, pre-deployment planning, conflict management, dealing with hostile crowds, ballistic awareness and reaction to shooting, checkpoints, abduction and basic first aid. Other subjects include weapon identification and range, landmines and terrorists tactics.
Participants shared their own experiences and a new network of conflict reporters has now been put in place.
The relevance of the training was highlighted as two of the participants went on assignment only two days later to cover New People’s Army (NPA) guerrilla activity in Southern Luzon province. Other participants said that they woul spread the safety word to their colleagues.
More effort will now be made to organize further training and to cover such issues as media-military relations. Special emphasis will also be put on post traumatic stress as a lot of the participants confessed they were barely coping with the violent events they cover on a daily basis.
Related themes/countries
· Training of Media Professionals: News Archives 2005
· Philippines: News Archive 2005
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- UNESCO/INSI
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