 | The Pecojon Visayas Chapter was formally organized in Bacolod City Sunday night, with a three-member group of co-coordinators formally installed. The group, composed of Ernest Latiza (La Salle), Serafin “Joppy” Plotria (RMN Bacolod) and Ragie Mae Taño Arellano (ABS-CBN Bacolod), will take charge of functions like annually updating the chapter’s list of members, as well as facilitate the formulation of chapter activities. The chapter members did away with traditional election – candidates being nominated followed by the casting of votes – in the meeting held over dinner at Sweet Greens, a restaurant along historic Lacson St. |
| Describing it as “so non-Pecojon”, the members instead adopted a more “collaborative” process in making the decision that was reached in the presence of Pecojon International Coordinator Antonia Koop, Ledrolen Manriquez and Jay Malaga in approximately three hours. The members began by declaring that they were unanimously willing to take on a more active role in the organization. They were then briefed on the suggested nature of the three-member group and its conceptualized function, as well as the preference that a person actively engaged in the journalism profession head it. The group, based on a table of organization Pecojon prepared, is supposed to be composed of a coordinator and two co-coordinators or councilors. Names of people were raised; responses from the identified individuals were then drawn. And, after discussions followed by more discussions and even more discussions, the members reached a consensus and asked Latiza and Plotria take on the role of co-coordinators. After they gave their consent, they were installed. Looking for the coordinator was more challenging. While everybody expressed their willingness to take on a more active role in the organization, there was a shared apprehension over the responsibilities that the position entails. Then group, after more sharing, reached another consensus – that the concept of two co-coordinators and one main coordinator be modified so that a third co-coordinator should be selected instead. The concept gained the approval of the Pecojon representatives. The three co-coordinators will then collaborate amongst themselves, with the assistance and support of all other members, and perform whatever tasks needs to be accomplished. And in cases wherein a specific point person needs to be identified, the three co-coordinators can chose within themselves who that person would be. The inclusion of Arellano to the group was then raised and, after she also gave her consent, was installed. |