Nine Journalism Plus students of The Manila Times’ on the job training program received their certificates of completion after three months of rigorous training as real journalists on Thursday.
The students underwent various lectures and workshops from well-known media practitioners and experienced beat assignments with the assistance of The Manila Times beat reporters.
Under the mentorship of Journalism Plus coordinator, Tita Valderama, the student-interns said they were transformed by the combined theoretical and practical approach of the program.
One of the graduates of the program, Charmaine Absin from Central Colleges of the Philippines, said that she had to plan her coverage, discipline herself, overcome her shyness, and come on time for news coverage.
“I, as a traditional late comer, was surprised to notice the change in me,” she said.
The Manila Times columnist Valderama said that she was delighted with this batch of Journalism Plus graduates for their hunger to learn more in the field of journalism.
Valderama further said that this program, as a cross over from technical writing to practical approach, helped the student to improve self-confidence, presence of mind and critical thinking.
She further advised the Journalism Plus graduates to have an intact integrity because “your number one asset is your credibility.”
The Manila Times publisher and editor Rene Bas also graced the ceremony and gave advise to Journalism Plus graduates.
Bas urged the graduates to develop investigative reports, amplify their analytical skills and
always be conscious of their composition.
Before ending the ceremony, the graduates recited the Journalist’s Code of Ethics.
The nine Journalism Plus graduates, seven from Polytechnic University of the Philippines and two from Central Colleges of the Philippines are: Charmaine Absin (CCP), Alvin Adora (CCP), Anna Patricia Aguinaldo (PUP), Liezel BIgata (PUP), Deborah Grace Dumlao (PUP), Julia Alexandria France (PUP),Genalyn Jean Opleda (PUP), Jolly Ann Pellero (PUP), and Rosalyn Tuazon (PUP).