“Kahit gaano kahirap iyong pinagdadaanan natin, gusto pa rin nating ma-surpass iyong mga problema.”

(No matter how difficult our situation may be, we still want to surpass our problems.)

Zamboanga City-based journalist Julie Alipala emphasized this during the session on psychosocial safety in the Zamboanga City leg of the Capacity Building for Journalists in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) implemented by the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC) and funded by the British Embassy Manila through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF).

Twenty media practitioners—including journalists, a cameraperson, and newsroom heads—from the Zamboanga Peninsula, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi participated in the training.

During Alipala’s session, participants learned how to deal with crisis and traumatic stress through self-care, resilience, and mindfulness exercises.

The participants also gained knowledge and skills in protecting themselves from physical, legal, digital, and gender-based threats and attacks, and learned how to address disinformation through fact-checking as they carry out their work as media practitioners.

Other resource persons joining Alipala for the Zamboanga leg were Ms. Kath Cortez of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), Prof. Rufa Cagoco-Guiam of the Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI), Atty. Froebel Kan Balleque of the General Santos City LGU, Mr. Red Batario of the Center for Community Journalism and Development (CCJD), Mr. Jes Aznar of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP), Mr. JB Deveza of NUJP/Xavier University, Ms. Len Olea of NUJP, and Ms. Rowena Paraan of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ).