The Mindanao Cross, riding on its laurels with the Sanduguan Mindanaw public journalism section, will introduce another innovation – the Tapatan Program. This section will also come out once a month alternating with the Sanduguan. This will involve interviews, briefings, and informal conversations with the region’s influential persons and decision makers. Relevant issues and concerns of people in this region will be the topics of these interviews and conversations, with the objective of helping the communities have a deeper understanding of these issues. This is still in line with the Mindanao Cross’ efforts to raise the bar of journalistic practices, and provide better and high value content to its readers.

A panel coming from the three media outlets – Mindanao Cross, i-Watch, and the NDBC stations – will comprise the editorial team. The members will identify the personality for the month, schedule the interview, and prepare questions for the interview. The results will then be published in the "Tapatan" section of the Mindanao Cross, and will be inputted into the news and current affairs program of DXMS/DXND.

The first personality to be interviewed (for the December issue of the Mindanao Cross) is Fr. Eliseo Mercado, Jr. The editorial team has decided to ask him questions related to the GRP-MILF Peace Negotiations which has resumed this December, 2009. The panel for the interview will be composed of Eva Tan and Boy Tendero of the Mindanao Cross, and Edwin Fernandez and Sam Sali of NDBC.