Anti-Siopao Files Symposium with Ms. Celery Aganon

Last week, we organized a Symposium entitled “The Anti-Siopao Files: Guidelines on Responsible Journalism”. We invited Ms. Celery Aganon, the Supervising Producer of The Probe Team Documentaries. The aim of the discussion is to come up with a solution as to how can the students’ awareness regarding responsible journalism can be increased.

Here are a few points that she stressed out that I think we, as Communication Arts students and future media practitioners, should keep in mind:

Be wary of sources. Don’t use the Internet as your primary source, else confirm, corroborate and get more than 2 sources. Never fabricate or plagiarize.
Guard against putting too much importance to ratings.
Reputation and credibility is your most important asset. Never accept bribe or extravagant gifts.
Correct errors quickly and openly
Strive for balance and hold no bias
Reveal a conflict of interest to your supervisor and to the public.
Strive for integrity, fairness and balance.


When asked about bribes, she recalls an incident when a prominent public figure running for office discreetly handed their cameraman a P500 bill. She shared how the cameraman told the candidate, “Hindi po kami tumatanggap niyan. Bawal po sa amin niyan”. The candidate, to avoid humiliation, told the cameraman that it’s for the whole crew’s merienda (strike two). The cameraman still gave back the money.

A certain public official also gives her an expensive watch every year, which she refuses to accept. She also shared how sometimes some of their crew members/researchers are being followed. They also get calls threatening them not to air a particular episode. There was also a time when an advertiser for their show pulled out after the Probe Team aired a documentary that revealed how one of the advertiser’s client’s company contribute to air pollution.

Work at The Probe Team is an adventure. It’s also for a worthy cause. What they do, I believe, is really something that’s relevant and impactful.

I really do wish that somebody I’d be able to work for a production company like the Probe Team.

[I would like to thank Ms. Buyser and Ms. Lily Mendoza for their support. ]