Atenews, in partnership with the official publication of the senior high school level, Blue Bridge, held the first Atenews-Blue Bridge Writers Workshop (ABBWW), a combined writing seminar aiming to provide new perspectives and angles in writing through critiques and suggestions of the write-ups of the students from the publications.

Writers submitted works that highlighted the different issues today which included the government-mass media relations, effects of the tax reform, EDSA Revolution anniversary celebration and the identification of the Filipino culture.

The workshop, scheduled to be conducted through March 1 to 3, invited prominent local writers and college journalism professors as panelists to assist and facilitate the learning of student journalists from the college and the SHS level.

SunStar columnist and former Atenews editor Tyrone Velez lauded the format of the discussion between the SHS student and their college counterparts.
“Participative ang learners, articulate. Dili sila intimidated og mataha nga moistorya og mangutana,” Velez added during a post-seminar interview.

SunStar Davao and Davao Today contributor Fidelina Margarita Valle shared her experiences and insights during Martial Law and the 1986 EDSA Revolution to the fellows during her keynote speech.

“We fought the dictator in our time because we have wanted that you, our children, will not experience and suffer the consequences of allowing the running elite to run the government service in circus,” Valle shared.

“Sadly, the supposed EDSA “Revolution” that was touted as the breaking point of the martial rule did not end our people’s misery but instead, created another batch of dictators and greedy politicians who turned the tide in their favor,” Valle further explained.

Former Atenews Editors-in-chief Reymond Pepito and Reil Benedict Obinque and Davao Writers Workshop Fellow Ian Salvana will join the panelists along with the SunStar lifestyle editor Christine Joice Cudis for the March 2 workshop.

ABS-CBN news anchor Vina Araneta-Pilapil, along with Mass Communications professor Maria Gemima Valderrama –Galang will sit on the panel on March 3.

Students are welcome to participate in the three-day seminar.