BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – The investigative reporting project of two pioneer information sources here has kicked off on its data collection phase as civic and private groups and individuals continue to express interest to become a part of the project.
The Bacolod COVID Data Initiative, the first investigative reporting project initiated by iFM-Bacolod, the local affiliate of Radyo Mindanao Network, and the Digital News Exchange attempts to consolidate all public data on COVID and seeks to make the public gain a better understanding of programs and policies related to the pandemic, and on efforts to curb its increase.
DNX is the pioneer digital-first news and information platform in Western Visayas while iFM is the first music station here to blend news and talk into its programming.
As an investigative reporting project, the process requires requesting for data from government sources that would then be processed, analyzed and interpreted before being presented to the public through multimedia and multiplatform reports by both news outlets. Official requests were sent to Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson on the part of the province, and to Vice-Mayor El Cid Familiaran who chairs the inter-agency task force on emerging and infectious diseases of the city.