Some 30 veteran and influential women in media recently met with Philippine leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for a getting-to-know you session. Elder Michael Teh, Philippine Area President, together with Area Public Affairs Director Haidi Fajardo, guested last September 25 in the Bulong Pulungan media forum.
Bulong Pulungan is a forum organized in 1986 by a group of women journalists aimed at sharing and updating media members with a variety of issues, concerns and topics of national interest. The media forum core group is led by Deedee Siytangco, press secretary of former President Corazon Aquino, Manila Bulletin columnist Julie Yap Daza and Philippine Star columnist Domini Torrevillas among others.
In an almost two-hour animated discussion, the journalists fielded questions to Elder Teh ranging from the Church’s beliefs and practices to community involvement.
“Most of us know very little about this religion,” Ms. Siytangco said. “We are happy to get to know them better, and put in proper perspective what we know more commonly as the Mormons,” she added.
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“The Mormons are fascinating,” Ms. Daza exclaimed. “Beyond fulfilling their religious duties, they are expected to pull together as a community to provide various services to families and communities,” she added.
Ms. Siytangco also cited the public affairs group of the Church in the Philippines for an active “newsroom” which can be accessed to learn what the Church’s stand is on various issues.
The Bulong Pulungan guesting is one of a series of media engagement activities that the Church in the Philippines is undertaking as part of its public affairs efforts.