We need journalists, now more than ever, especially in this era of fake news.
This message was my takeaway from the acceptance speech of veteran broadcast journalist Charie Villa during the 2022 Glory Awards ceremony and the homecoming of our beloved UP College of Mass Communication, held at the University Hotel last month.
Charie Villa is one of the four recipients this year, together with Chuki Feria Miranda, a dear family friend; Kata Inocencio and Jewel Maranan.
I arrived late to the event and I only caught a portion of Charie’s message but it hit right home.
I agree that indeed, now more than ever, we need journalists to keep on writing and recording all that is happening in our country today so that succeeding generations of Filipinos will know. We have already seen what can happen when people no longer remember.
Charie also said something about institutionalizing organizations that deliver credible news. She also called on graduates of UP CMC to continue supporting the college to be able to continuously educate generations of journalists, truth tellers and communicators.
It was a brief message but an inspiring one.
It is also a reminder to keep on fighting fake news. Citizens must be able to discern between the truth and the lies, especially now that it is becoming more difficult to do that with so many troll farms, senseless TikTok accounts and other viral social media posts that do more harm than good.
It is our duty as journalists to do this and guard our society against misinformation and disinformation.
History in a hurry
Journalism has been called history in a hurry and people don’t often realize that it is indeed a chronicle of a country’s journey. Without the press, thieves can steal a nation’s memory. We should not allow that to happen.
Indeed, we need journalists – yesterday, today and tomorrow.
From the Spanish era, the American-Filipino war, World Wars I and II, the Martial Law regime, Edsa 1 and 2 and now the COVID-19 pandemic, the media has always been there for the people to rely on for timely, accurate and truthful information.
Writers, reporters and photographers endure long hours of travel, lack of sleep, rain, even gunfire and now COVID-19 just to bring news to the people.
It’s not just any other industry but one that has been helping chronicle this nation’s triumphs and defeats; our hopes and travails; our dreams and nightmares and one that has been keeping citizens informed of what is happening in our constantly moving and turning world.
I am mighty proud to be part of this industry and fervently hope to see it not just survive but thrive for generations to come.
Most of all, I am proud of my college, UP CMC, for helping shape generations and generations of journalists, communicators, filmmakers, etc. who have been trying to change our country for the better – one story, one film, one photograph at a time, just as what this year’s Glory awardees have been doing.
‘Nothing grand, just hard work’
Chuki Feria Miranda, awardee for Allied Disciplines, “put her mass communication education to work in the social development sector,” according to her awardee profile.
She organized foundations including one she ran for many years, a bank for the poor in Mindanao, and coalitions for different social issues.
In the area of health, where she has been engaged for the last 15 years, Miranda worked on patient literacy and better skills for frontline workers through education.
Her strength (and source of pride) is in her being able to facilitate a discussion of many diverse ideas and help find common voice and united action.
“In the end, I was a communicator – listening, working with words and visuals for social change,” she reflects. “Nothing grand, just hard work.”
Values-laden
Another awardee is Kata Inocencio, awardee for Broadcast and Television Arts.
Kata Inocencio is a broadcast producer, journalist, television host, radio anchor and presenter. She is also a trainer and child rights advocate. At present, she is vice president for production and programming of CBN Asia, according to her awardee profile.
Following a 15-year career in broadcasting with ABS-CBN Channel 2, Kata has cut out her niche as a Christian broadcaster-televangelist in the leading Christian Networks CBN Asia and Zoe TV.
Her goal is to create and distribute faith-driven, values-laden programs that promote the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She has spearheaded the organization of the Media Pillar of the Philippines, composed of Christian media practitioners, which aims to have godly influence in society and effect positive change for the nation by modeling righteousness, educating the audiences and setting the standard of the industry.
How we are as a nation
This year’s awardee for film is Jewel Maranan, an independent documentary filmmaker, festival organizer, producer and cinematographer.
Her awardee profile says:
She is among the passionate movers behind daangdokyu.ph which aims to reach a broader audience for documentaries and offer what they describe as “the ‘docu way’ to take stock of how we are as a nation and where we are headed.”
She is also the founder and manager of Cinema Is Incomplete, an alternative arts and film production and distribution initiative in the Philippines, with productions in the country and the Asian region.
Congratulations to this year’s Glory awardees. The path for others to follow is brighter because of your guts, hard work and that shared dream to see a better Philippines. We, your fellow alumni and our beloved UP CMC, are proud of you.
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Email: eyesgonzales@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter @eyesgonzales. Column archives at EyesWideOpen on FB.