Journalists from Lanao del Norte, the Zamboanga Peninsula, and Cagayan de Oro City completed a hostile environment and first aid training over the weekend in preparation for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) elections next month. The training, held from September 5 to 7 at the 4th Infantry Division’s Camp Edilberto Evangelista in Patag, Cagayan de Oro City, included lectures and simulation exercises on risk evaluation, mitigation, weapons awareness, and basic first aid. Organized by the Cagayan de Oro Press Club (COPC) with support from the Hanns Seidel Foundation, the training aimed to prepare journalists for high-risk assignments. It began with a briefing on the October 13, 2025 BARMM elections, part of a series of media orientations by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU), in collaboration with the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS), the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), and the Bangsamoro Information Office (BIO). COMELEC Spokesperson Atty. John Rex Laudiangco emphasized the media’s role in ensuring credible elections and combating fake news, misinformation, and disinformation. PTFoMS Executive Director Joe Torres highlighted the importance of fostering a safety-first mindset among journalists working in high-risk environments. The training concluded with a simulation exercise involving a mock convoy scenario at Camp Edilberto Evangelista. (Henniequel Shayne G. Acobo)
