PARTNERSHIP. News and Information Bureau Director IV Luis A. Morente (seated, left) and Dr. Ian C. Espada (seated, right), Dean of the West Visayas State University College of Mass Communication (WVSU-COC), present the memorandum of understanding (MOU) that they signed on Friday (Nov. 24, 2023) at the COC television laboratory in Iloilo City. NIB-PNA has revived its OJT training program that went into hiatus during the health pandemic. (PNA photo by PGLena)
ILOILO CITY – The News and Information Bureau-Philippine News Agency (NIB-PNA) has revived its on-the-job (OJT) training program with state universities in Iloilo and Antique after a two-year hiatus due to the health pandemic.
The state-run news agency on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the West Visayas State University College of Mass Communication (WVSU-COC) and the University of Antique.
NIB Director IV Luis A. Morente and Dr. Ian C. Espada, Dean WVSU-COC signed the MOU in a simple ceremony at the television laboratory of the university.
"The NIB internship program aims to encourage and help train young students in pursuing their chosen fields, including on how to contribute photographs, news articles and features to the Philippine News Agency," Morente said.
Espada believed the partnership would bring benefits to their students, including facilitating internship and training programs.
“This real-world experience can enhance students' skills and prepare them for future careers in broadcast, journalism, and development communication. Needless to say, collaboration through an MOU can open up networking opportunities for students, faculty, and staff of the college with professionals in the media and allied industries which is very valuable for career development,” he said.
He added the interaction with professionals in the industry “can expose students and faculty to cutting-edge practices and innovations in journalism and communication, contributing to the overall skill development of the college community.”
Under the MOU, NIB shall train and help student interns acquire knowledge, skills, and experience on an individual basis and as co-professional co-workers through actual coverage assignments, exposures, and eventual uploading of their stories worth publishing through the PNA website with byline.
It shall also help practicum students in coordinating with institutional partners, linkages, and networks for professional work, expose them to a fast-paced working environment, and allow them to interface with different clients who are newsmakers, news sources, and resource centers.
The WVSU-COC, meanwhile, will recommend student interns enrolled in their OJT training course and comply with the qualification criteria set in the partnership.
Morente said the partnership would expose students to the various facets of the industry as the Bureau, aside from PNA, has other divisions, including the Media Accreditation and Relations Division (MARD) and the Presidential Press Staff (PPS).
Graduates of the OJT program would also have the opportunity to continue working as PNA stringers, or they may opt to contribute materials in the future.
After the MOU signing, Morente proceeded to Antique where he also inked a similar MOU with University of Antique president Dr. Pablo Crespo Jr.
NIB is one of the attached agencies of the Presidential Communications Office, the lead communications arm of the national government.
PNA maintains active news-sharing agreements with other news agencies, mostly state-owned, which are also members of the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA), including Bernama (Malaysia), Antara (Indonesia), Kyodo (Japan), Xinhua (China), Yonhap (Korea), Press Trust India (PTI), Anadolu Agency (Turkey) and TASS (Russia ), among others.
It has also news exchange and cooperation agreement with Yonhap News Agency (South Korea), China Radio International, Xinhua News Agency (China), Sputnik (Russia), Emirates News Agency, Sputnik News Agency (Russia), DUNA Media Service (Hungary) and Belt and Road News Alliance (BRNA).
BRNA is an international news media association composed of 63 founding members from 35 countries and regions. (PNA)
