Through the fire once more

His boss, Jessica Soho, GMA 7’s Vice-President for News Programs, was sitting on pins and needles. Jiggy Manicad was missing in action. He hasn’t gotten in touch for the network’s daily newscast, 24 Oras the whole day. Jiggy was assigned to cover the ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) elections in Basilan.

“We thought Jiggy was already lost. We have been thinking of kidnap scenarios,” recalls Jessica.

Then Jiggy called. He was in Tipo Tipo where he stumbled on a big story.

After wrapping up his coverage of the elections, Jiggy and his crew passed by a bridge which rebel forces had blown up. Needless to say, the bridge had become so weak it could fall and put their life in peril any time.

Jiggy and company made it unharmed, only to learn later that 300 Abu Sayyaf and MILF troops were coming over to where they were standing. It didn’t help any that the marines assigned to protect them were attacked.

“We just might get kidnapped,” says Jiggy.

They sought protection in the marine camp, where they saw a badly-wounded Corporal Angelo Abeto. The mortar hit his head so badly he was begging for medical help, pronto.

The help arrived six hours later, not from the military, but from the US forces. It was too late. Abeto died.

Jiggy and his crew caught Abeto’s dying words on cam.

Intrepid? Yes. But Jiggy is the first to admit he did fear for his life. He prayed very hard and recalled everything he learned about survival tactics in crisis situations. After all, his wife is waiting for him at home. And he didn’t want to say good-bye to her and his other loved ones yet.

Jiggy’s efforts paid off — handsomely. His story beat several entries around the world — including CNN’s Iraq war coverage — to win the Gold World Medal for coverage of an ongoing story at the 2009 New York Festivals.

Will Jiggy get a bonus — or some kind of incentive — for his latest victory?

Soho replies: “We’ll make sure Atty. (Felipe) Gozon, GMA 7 president knows about it.”

“The story of Cpl. Angelo Abeto proves we are still a land of heroes. That in the midst of stories about corrupt government officials and manipulative businessmen, there are Filipinos who genuinely love the country,” 24 Oras Executive Producer Tonio Magsumbol said.

“It was a very sensitive story in many levels,” adds 24 Oras Program Manager John Oliver Manalastas. “There’s the helplessness of his comrades in battle while they watched him suffer, the seeming insensitivity of higher-ups to the plight of foot soldiers, the never-ending issue on anomalous procurement of supply and transport, the anguish of family, and the effect it will have on viewers.”

24 Oras anchor Mike Enriquez sees Jiggy as one of those most likely to follow in his footsteps. Mike has seen Jiggy in action many times over. In fact, they shared the Silver Screen Award from the Director’s Guild of America in 2004 for the documentary Sa Pusod ng Iraq (In the Navel of Iraq).

Mike and his 24 Oras team have another big reason to rejoice. The program also won the Silver World Medal for Best Newscast for its compelling coverage of the Lanao del Norte attacks last year.

It’s not just GMA 7’s victory anymore. It’s the Philipppines’. And Mike Enriquez feels “so blessed I can represent my country and my fellow Filipinos this way.”

Like all dyed-in-the-wool journalists, Mike is already thinking of new coverages, more exciting stories.

“Improvement (on our jobs) is not a function of awards. It’s a 24/7 thing,”he explains.

So he – and the rest of the 24 Oras staff — move on to present more stories, uncover more real-life drama as it happens, right here, right now. As usual, they have no time to rest on their laurels. That’s the price they have to pay for dedication, and excellence.