Pscijourn to be organized in WV soon

Jun Ariolo N.. Aguirre
Kalibo, Aklan- In order to introduce the importance of science journalism in Western Visayas, the Philippine Science Journalists Incorporated (PSciJourn) will be organized in three key provinces in the region: Aklan, Iloilo and Bacolod City.

According to Dr. Rafael Rivera, publisher of the health magazine and a columnists of the Philippine Daily Inquirer the organization of PScijourn in the provinces is needed as the country hopes to host the annual conference of the Worldwide Science Journalists in 2013.

"We hope that we could have more active science journalists by 2013 so we have enough manpower to host the international event," Rivera said.

The Philippines was recently registered as the 23rd member (nation) association of the WFSJ based in Canada.

Vicky Bartilet, mediacore of the Science and Technology Institute of the Department of Science and Technology said that science journalism is comparatively a recent development in the country.

"In Europe and many developed countries, science journalism began during the enlightenment period in the 18th century," Bartilet said.

"Even after World War II, science and technology stories rarely saw in print in Philippine national dailies. Early records of support for S&T information among broadcast networks are also practically non-existent. The closest to what amount as S&T news were most health-related.

The Press Foundation for Asia, and the Philippine Press Institute also made important initiatives in the development of Philippine Science Journalism. PFA established Depthnews in 1968 and created its science service in 1976. Manila-based Aklanon journalist Paul Icamina became the wire service science editor. DepthNews then had subscribers from Asia and United Nations Agencies.

The first to be organized is Aklan province in the Visayas to hopefully invite International Science Journalists to visit Boracay Island in 2013.

Jairus Lachica, the DOST head in Aklan said that the organization will be held on August 8 with the cooperation of media, the campus press and the information officer to elect among themselves the officers of PSciJourn-Aklan chapter.