NUJP launches scholarship for orphans of slain journalists

With only few weeks before the start of classes, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), Bevil Mabey Study Foundation (BMSF) and Kasangga at Gabay Foundation have launched a P5-million scholarship fund for children of murdered journalists.

All children of slain journalists included in the NUJP list are eligible for educational support. The scholarship covers elementary, high school and tertiary levels, but not nursery and masteral courses.

Children of slain journalists whose names are not in the NUJP list may still be covered by the scholarship, on condition that additional documents pertaining to the media employment and circumstances of death of their journalist-parent are first submitted. The list of approved scholars will be released on or before May 31, 2005.

Among the children are Kim Hinolan, 10, and Kint Christian Hector Ureta, 7. Therese Lorraine Grace Arcones, daughter of slain broadcaster Severino Arcones has also applied for the scholarship.

Kim's father, Herson “Bombo Boy”, was gunned down last November near a carnival in the capital town of Kalibo in Aklan. Three years earlier, Kint's father, Rolando, suffered the same fate in Lezo town, around 7 km west of Kalibo. Arcones was shot dead in 1989.

They are among more than 100 children of journalists whose lives have been shattered after their father or mother was murdered. Most of the 67 journalist killed since 1986 were the main breadwinners of their family.

The scholarship covers tuition, miscellaneous fees, and a monthly living allowance, for individual scholars, as follows: Elementary (P4,500 -- P 500 annual tuition and 400 monthly allowance, for ten months); High School (P11,500-- 1,500 annual tuition and P1,000 monthly allowance, for ten months) and College (P36,000 -- P 8,000 semestral tuition  and P 2,000 a month board and lodging cost, for ten months)

Under a three-page memorandum of agreement, the BMSF and Kasangga will provide P1 million per year for the program for the next five years while the NUJP will ensure the implementation of the scholarship.
Alvin Cabatit, executive director of the Kasangga, said in a statement that helping the children of slain journalists should be given prompt attention by the government and the private sector.

“Helping the children of (journalists) killed in the line of duty is a step that we in the private sector have not taken only for the oppressed family of murdered journalists but for the betterment of our community and society,” said Cabatit.

The spouses of slain journalists have welcomed the scholarship program.

“The amount may be small but this would be a big help for me,” said Emely Ureta who works as a clerk at the Dr. Rafael Tumbokon Memorial Hospital in Kalibo. “While I continue to seek justice for Roland's death, what is important for me is that my son will get a good education.”

Aphrodite Hinolan said the program would also help Kim who will be enrolling in Grade 6 in June. She has opened a mini-grocery store at their house in Roxas City in Capiz as she continues to pursue her husband's case.

NUJP chair Inday Espina-Varona, said the program is not the solution to the continued killings of journalists and the impunity of their murderers. “But this can help alleviate the grief and financial burden of the family left behind.”