NUJP appeals for help for local journalists hit by Typhoon ‘Nona’

DESTRUCTION When Typhoon “Nona” stormed through Ticao Island in Masbate province last week, this classroom in Barangay MacArthur, Monreal town on the island was only one of many other buildings that were destroyed. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL RED CROSS

ILIGAN CITY—The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) is appealing for help for community journalists hit by Typhoon “Nona” which mainly battered the country’s eastern seaboard on Wednesday.

“Another deadly storm has passed and among those hit hard are our media colleagues who are now unable to do their job of reporting in their communities in Northern Samar,” said NUJP chair Joseph Alwyn Alburo.

“Reports are just coming in through our brave local officers and members that some community media practitioners in severely hit areas have lost their homes and were hit by severe flooding,” Alburo added.

“Most of them are torn between doing their jobs covering the disaster despite their plight even though their stations and publications are also inoperable, affecting their community who could not get information when they need it most,” he said.

In the face of this distress, the NUJP launched on Wednesday evening the “Tabang (Help) Media” campaign which was first launched four years ago in the wake of Typhoon “Sendong” in northern Mindanao which also affected the families of scores of journalists.

The same campaign was launched last year after Supertyphoon “Yolanda” ravaged Eastern Visayas which also devastated the homes and livelihood of many journalists in the region.

As of Thursday afternoon, a rapid needs assessment showed that the families of the journalists require immediate assistance for food and water supply, and some of them need to rebuild the roof of their respective houses.

Most of the families are based in Catarman town.

Eladio Perfecto, chair of the NUJP chapter in northern Samar, said the operation of many, if not all, radio stations in the area are “bogged down” by the wrath of “Nona.”

Alburo said the NUJP has already sent initial cash assistance to northern Samar colleagues. The frequency of cash transfers has been hampered by the 12 noon cutoff for banks in Catarman.

“And so again we are appealing for your kindness and compassion to help our colleagues in the community media who are in great need of any assistance that you can share—either in cash or in kind,” Alburo said.

“We are accepting donations in cash and in kind, specifically clothes, hygiene products, first aid kits, medicines (paracetamol, loperamide, antibiotics and the like), potable water, sleeping mats and even batteries and power banks,” he added.

Cash and check donations may be deposited to the Tabang Media bank account (account name: National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, Metrobank Kamuning Branch; account No. 229-7229-507-458; swift code MBTCPHMM).

In kind donations may be sent to the NUJP national headquarters at the 4th floor of FSS Building at 89 Scout Castor St., Barangay Laging Handa, Quezon City. A drop box is placed at the building’s lobby.

“We would appreciate it if you can spread the word to the media community about our Tabang Media Campaign because no help is more than enough and it will certainly allow our fellow community journalists to survive, move forward and do their most important job—to help inform the communities they serve in rising above this latest crisis,” Alburo appealed. Ryan D. Rosauro, Inquirer Mindanao