Rowena Paraan
ABS-CBN / National Union of Journalists of the Philippines Chairperson
Philippines
Rowena Paraan has been a journalist for more than 25 years. Formerly the Research Director of the Philippines Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), she is the immediate past president of the
National Union of Journalists of the Philippines where for 11 years she sat in its Executive Committee and ran the journalists’ safety program. This is a major issue in a country where
32 journalists were massacred in Ampatuan in Maguindanao province in November 2009, a scar on the national psyche which is unlikely to heal. Paraan subsequently led a fact-finding mission to try to establish the circumstances of the massacre. She has constantly pressed the authorities for justice for the victims and their families and an end to impunity. She now faces a charge of contempt as a result of her commitment. More committed than ever to freedom of information, Paraan now runs Bayan Mo iPatrol Mo, the citizen journalism program of the biggest broadcast network in the Philippines. It encourages Filipinos to get involved in disclosing instances of corruption and shortcomings of society that they are aware of.Twitter:
@rowenaparaan