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Media Roundtable Discussion
Community Journalists Reflect on Covering the COVID-19 Pandemic

Northern Mindanao media organisation holds an open conversation to tackle mental well-being, an aspect of life that is common to everyone and affected to varying degrees by the pandemic, and to learn from how it was responded to by the government, the public and especially the media. Medical professionals and media practitioners weigh in on the topic.

Having both experienced and observed the effects of the pandemic on the psychological state of people, especially on fellow journalists, the Cagayan de Oro Press Club (COPC) through the COPC Journalism Institute, organised a roundtable discussion to hold conversations that need to be had on this important and relevant issue.  More than forty media practitioners participated in the exchange.

HSF

On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a pandemic.  The activity provided the venue for the sharing of personal experiences and exchange of observations on how news reporting is being done on the global health situation since that time until the present, especially in relation to prevailing health protocols.  These revealed patterns that contributed to the identification of gaps and served as references for the modelling of interventions for future public health communication and media coverage.

Aside from the interchange of experiences, Philippine mental health legislation was also discussed, amongst them:  (a) Republic Act No. 11036 – The Mental Health Act (20 June 2018); (b) Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 11036 (05 July 2018); and (c) Department of Health Administrative Order No. 2022-0004 (10 March 2022) “Guidelines for Ethical and Responsible Reporting and Portrayal of Suicide in the Media, Audiovisual and Films,” which “aims to reduce the incidence of suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and deaths by suicide in the country through responsible and ethical reporting and portrayal of suicide and proper handling of suicide events.”

The Department of Health published on 10 March 2022 Administrative Order No. 2022-0004 “Guidelines for Ethical and Responsible Reporting and Portrayal of Suicide in the Media, Audiovisual and Films.”  It “aims to reduce the incidence of suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and deaths by suicide in the country through responsible and ethical reporting and portrayal of suicide and proper handling of suicide events.”

HSF

In line with Section 22 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 11036 or the Mental Health Act, the Department of Health (DOH) shall develop the National Strategic Plan for Suicide Prevention and Control.  Subsection d) of Section 22 specifies “responsible media reporting and handling of suicide events” as one component of this strategic plan.

One of the panel members, Dr. Ramon “Mamo” Moreno, Chief of Hospital, JR Borja General Hospital, lauded the media roundtable as “the first of its kind” and recommended that further roundtable discussions on the topic be conducted.  He suggested for media to be part of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) and act as the Task Force’s public information partner thereby help ensuring the prompt and direct dissemination of its announcements and issuances encompassing print, radio and online channels.  The Task Force would also gain invaluable inputs from the media, who are themselves frontliners and in the field. 

Both the media practitioners’ and the medical professionals’ participation in the discussions proved to be beneficial for all concerned.  The participants were able to open up about their experiences in an environment perceived to be objective and non-judgmental and, gained from the professional insights dispensed by the nurses and doctors.

As for the medical experts, they were able listen to firsthand accounts of challenges faced by the media as well as share their professional opinion and advice.  The understanding for one another’s work and situation grew deeper and the and the learning on how to better handle matters in the face of possible similar circumstances in the future, more significant.

This activity was organised by the COPC through its adjunct entity, the COPC Journalism Institute, with support from the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) as part of a project cooperation on civic journalism.  It is the fifth activity resulting from the collaboration since 2020.  Held in-person, it is the third project of the COPC Journalism Institute, which was formed on 12 February 2022 to handle, amongst others, the press club’s training activities.

Links to Mental Health Legislation

Republic Act No. 11036 – The Mental Health Act

An Act Establishing a National Mental Health Policy for the Purpose of Enhancing the Delivery of Integrated Mental Health Services, Promoting and Protecting the Rights of Persons Utilizing Psychiatric, Neurologic and Psychosocial Health Services, Appropriating Funds Therefor, and for Other Purposes

www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2018/06/20/republic-act-no-11036/

 

Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 11036

An Act Establishing a National Mental Health Policy for the Purpose of Enhancing the Delivery of Integrated Mental Health Services, Promoting and Protecting the Rights of Persons Utilizing Psychiatric, Neurologic and Psychosocial Health Services, Appropriating Funds Therefor, and for Other Purposes.

doh.gov.ph/press-release-/mental-health-act-IRR

www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2019/01/22/implementing-rules-and-regulations-of-republic-act-no-11036/