Philstar.com's Diola gets 2020 Award of Distinction, ABS-CBN's Esguerra is McLuhan fellow

MANILA, Philippines — ABS-CBN’s Christian Esguerra was named as this year’s Marshall McLuhan fellow while Philstar.com editor in chief Camille Diola received the Award of Distinction in journalism from the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR).

At the Jaime V. Ongpin Journalism Seminar on Friday, CMFR cited Diola for "the integrity of her editorial leadership of Philstar.com and the innovative spirit that has explored the ways of presenting news on cyberspace so that citizens can make better decisions about the issues that confront the national community."

The media watchdog also feted her for "her resolve to seek the higher ground for 24/7 news," for "reinforcing the journalistic principle of going beyond the surface of news online," and for "supplying important context, analysis and interpretation of statements and quotes from government officials and spokespersons."

"This is a testament to the work that the whole team has done. I’m inspired every day to check in, to go to work because also of their passion and dedication and their concern for our audience," Diola said of the award.

The award is traditionally granted to journalists and news organizations that “provide a model for journalism, enhancing the relevance of news and revitalizing the values of truth and freedom in its practice.”

Esguerra picked as Marshall McLuhan fellow

Meanwhile, the Canadian embassy in Manila, in partnership with Sun Life Financial Inc., named Esguerra as this year’s Marshall McLuhan fellow.

Canadian ambassador Peter MacArthur recognized Esguerra, who hosts ANC’s Matters of Fact, as a “journalist whose passion for the craft transcends new platforms” with a “proficient mastery to discover and explain the facts restricts the space of disinformation to thrive.”

As McLuhan fellow, Esguerra will go on a speaking tour in Canada in March 2021 and will meet with media practitioners, members of government and civil society there.

Diola and Esguerra were cited for their work in journalism during CMFR’s Jaime V. Ongpin Journalism Seminar, which was held online for the first time. 

The two, along with Lian Buan (Rappler), Raffy Tima (GMA), Mike Navallo (ABS-CBN) and Chiara Zambrano (ABS-CBN), were panelists in the prestigious seminar named after a press freedom advocate during the Marcos dictatorship.