Aklan media celebrates press freedom week
BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

KALIBO, Aklan – A series of activities has been lined up for the first-ever celebration of Aklan Press Freedom on the third week of April.
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan, last March 4, 2010, approved Resolution No. 2010-046 declaring April 19 to 25 this year and every year thereafter as Aklan Press Freedom Week in the province of Aklan.
Resolution No. 2010-046 stemmed from a joint resolution of all media organizations in Aklan last February urging the legislative council to declare Aklan Press Freedom Week by April.
The press freedom week is a unique venue among competing radio stations, newspapers and cable TV stations to get together, to underscore the media’s role in the community and to emphasize the importance of press freedom.
“Every 25th day of April, the province of Aklan celebrates her separation from the mother province of Capiz which granted administrative autonomy and restored the province’s political independence and territorial jurisdiction since April 25, 1956,” the resolution stated.
For sports enthusiasts, the celebration kicks off on April 19 with an opening ceremony of the 3rd Vice Governor Gabrielle Calizo-Quimpo Aklan Media Bowling Cup at Q-Zone Bowling Center.
Six teams from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP)-Aklan, Judiciary I and II and the tri-media – Alpha, Bravo and Charlie Media are seeing action in the weeklong bowling tournament.
In the tournament’s opening ceremony, Aklan United Media Association (AUMA) president Engr. Winston Carillo, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) Aklan chapter chairman Augusto Tolentino, Aklan Police and Defense Press Corps (APDPC) president and Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PAPI) Director for Visayas Boy Ryan Zabal and IBP-Aklan chapter president Atty. Ricardo Ibarreta, Jr. are among the guests expected to deliver their messages along with Vice Governor Calizo-Quimpo.
The championship games and awarding ceremony are scheduled on April 25 after the single-round robin eliminations and cross-over semifinals of the competing teams.
On April 20, the IBP-Aklan will conduct a symposium on media ethics and works and on April 21, the Office of the Ombudsman will also spearhead a symposium on anti-graft and accreditation of local media at Mix ‘n Match Restaurant.
The blessing/inauguration of the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) and press conference in Barangay Pook, which is to be held in the afternoon of April 22, is organized by the environmental group Kool Earth and the local government of Kalibo.
To rev up the Aklan Press Freedom Week, the biggest local media group in Aklan will be holding its induction of the new set of officers on April 23 at Mix ‘n Match participated in by AUMA's 117 media members.
On April 24, the Aklan Historical Society and the Godofredo P. Ramos Memorial Foundation are also organizing the Godofredo P. Ramos Memorial Lecture in cooperation with the provincial government at the Gov. Corazon L. Cabagnot Tourism and Training Center in Barangay Old Buswang.
The weeklong Aklan Press Freedom celebration is historic and meaningful, especially to the local media organizations, the community journalists and the Aklanons to remind them of the importance of press freedom.