STET, IMS launch partnership for training Cebu journalists

CEBU CITY, Philippines –The STET – Women in Cebu Media and International Media Support (IMS) recently launched a partnership to conduct training sessions for community journalists in Cebu.

The STET-IMS partnership is co-funded by the European Union and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark and the Asian Center for Journalism at the Ateneo de Manila University. The launch happened during the “Thank You for Your Service! A Post-Election Coverage Wellness Forum for Cebu Journalists” held on May 31, 2025.

The forum brought together Cebu journalists who shared the emotional and psychological toll of covering the May 12, 2025 midterm elections.

Support system

In her opening remarks, lawyer Maria Jane C. Paredes, STET coordinator and former print and radio journalist, emphasized the significance of the collaboration. “STET Women in Cebu Media’s partnership with IMS and the Asian Institute for Journalism and Communication at the Ateneo de Manila University, with funding support from the European Union and the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is important for community journalists, especially in the midst of challenges in the areas of safety, and mental, physical, and economic well-being. These collaborations provide an essential support system for those in the community news media.”

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Melva Java, STET member and former television news anchor and newspaper columnist, said of the impact of the forum: “Gleaning from the highly emotional, even teary, inputs from the young journalists, our solicitude over their welfare clearly made its way to their innermost selves.”

Coping strategies

Forum speakers, counseling expert Dr. Corazon “Doc Bugsy” Cañete, MD, RFC, FPCA, and psychiatrist Dr. Robert Cañete, MD, DPBP, FPPA, FPCAM, discussed the effects of stress on the body and mind. They recommended coping strategies such as mindfulness, journaling, short meditations, and practicing gratitude.

They also highlighted the value of having a support group where journalists can safely express their emotions and experiences.

“We are supporting efforts to promote the safety of women journalists, including their mental well-being, because it is an integral part of the Philippine Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists or the PPASJ,” IMS Country Programme Manager Che de los Reyes said.

“We are glad that STET has continued to bring these efforts to the local media community where they have the greatest impact,” she added.

In addition to the pressures of election coverage, participants also mourned the loss of fellow journalist Emmariel Ares, 25, of CDN Digital, who passed away a day before the elections, or nine days after being struck by a speeding motorcycle while on her way home from a campaign assignment. She was remembered as “cheerful, friendly, and easy to get along with.”

Dr. Robert Cañete acknowledged the emotional toll of such a loss, noting that grief is a natural process and that journalists must allow themselves the time and space to heal.

Upcoming and recent forums

Other forums organized or planned by STET under this partnership include:

• “Retooling Displaced Journalists: What Are Their Alternatives?”
  Held on March 1 to open International Women’s Month, this forum acknowledged the growing reality of women journalists losing newsroom jobs and aimed to help realign their skills with opportunities beyond the industry.
• “Legislative Reforms for Women and Media”
  Held on March 31 to close International Women’s Month, this forum featured women candidates for the House of Representatives who discussed legislative plans focused on women’s issues.
• “Safety Essentials for Women Journalists”
  This upcoming forum, tentatively scheduled for July 2025, will focus on safety in both newsroom and field environments.