by Danyeva Grace C. Donato
The three broadcast journalists from Iloilo who will cover the US presidential and congressional elections in the United States on November 4, were among those who attended the briefing and orientation at the conference room of the Embassy of the United States in Manila last October 3, the group’s spokesman and travel adviser Alex P. Vidal has confirmed.
Vidal said Jay D. Balnig, Alvin Dennis Arabang, and Joel Zamora Tormon, all anchormen of MBC Aksyon Radyo Iloilo, had been officially invited by the US Embassy in Manila for the briefing and orientation attended by some 30 US elections-accredited Filipino reporters from all over the country.
"They were in high spirits and very proud of the attention given them by the US Government," Vidal said. "I think they are ready for the historic and biggest task in their career as members of the Fourth Estate."
Those who supervised the day-long briefing and orientation were US Embassy Deputy Press Attache Karen Schinnerer and Counselor for Public Affairs Richard Nelson.
A short video about the history of the US elections as well as the mechanics of the coverage was played during the orientation.
Participants were able to define the parameters of the comprehensive coverage during the question and answer forum.
The US Embassy also conducted the meeting in order to closely scrutinize the identities of reporters who were issued journalist visas for the coverage.
Balnig, Tormon, and Arabang were among the only few broadcast journalists outside Metro Manila invited in the briefing and orientation, Vidal said.
"At least we are now armed with the basic knowledge and information on how to cover a big event like the US presidential and congressional elections live," Arabang, who will report direct from New York in the East Coast, said.
Balnig, who will be based in the West Coast, particularly in San Francisco , California , said they had been advised by Presidential Assistant Raul Bañas to coordinate with the US Embassy for the special coverage, the first in the history of broadcast journalism in Western Visayas, so they can avail protocol privileges for members of media during the entire event.
Vidal, however, advised them to cover the event independently sans privileges from any government agency since they will travel to the US as representatives of a private media entity.
"No need for protocol privileges because they are not government officials," Vidal said. "They will go to the United States to file a report, not as subjects of the report."
Tormon, who anchors a regular morning program, will broadcast the event from Chicago, Illinois , where he will fly directly from Manila this month.
"We cannot promise anything except that we will try our best to give our listeners the ringside account of what will happen during the elections," said Tormon.
Station manager John Paul Tia had given the three veteran reporters the green signal for the first-ever "live" coverage of the US presidential and congressional elections. /MP
Vidal said Jay D. Balnig, Alvin Dennis Arabang, and Joel Zamora Tormon, all anchormen of MBC Aksyon Radyo Iloilo, had been officially invited by the US Embassy in Manila for the briefing and orientation attended by some 30 US elections-accredited Filipino reporters from all over the country.
"They were in high spirits and very proud of the attention given them by the US Government," Vidal said. "I think they are ready for the historic and biggest task in their career as members of the Fourth Estate."
Those who supervised the day-long briefing and orientation were US Embassy Deputy Press Attache Karen Schinnerer and Counselor for Public Affairs Richard Nelson.
A short video about the history of the US elections as well as the mechanics of the coverage was played during the orientation.
Participants were able to define the parameters of the comprehensive coverage during the question and answer forum.
The US Embassy also conducted the meeting in order to closely scrutinize the identities of reporters who were issued journalist visas for the coverage.
Balnig, Tormon, and Arabang were among the only few broadcast journalists outside Metro Manila invited in the briefing and orientation, Vidal said.
"At least we are now armed with the basic knowledge and information on how to cover a big event like the US presidential and congressional elections live," Arabang, who will report direct from New York in the East Coast, said.
Balnig, who will be based in the West Coast, particularly in San Francisco , California , said they had been advised by Presidential Assistant Raul Bañas to coordinate with the US Embassy for the special coverage, the first in the history of broadcast journalism in Western Visayas, so they can avail protocol privileges for members of media during the entire event.
Vidal, however, advised them to cover the event independently sans privileges from any government agency since they will travel to the US as representatives of a private media entity.
"No need for protocol privileges because they are not government officials," Vidal said. "They will go to the United States to file a report, not as subjects of the report."
Tormon, who anchors a regular morning program, will broadcast the event from Chicago, Illinois , where he will fly directly from Manila this month.
"We cannot promise anything except that we will try our best to give our listeners the ringside account of what will happen during the elections," said Tormon.
Station manager John Paul Tia had given the three veteran reporters the green signal for the first-ever "live" coverage of the US presidential and congressional elections. /MP
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