Manila Today’s writer and chief photographer, Antonio Jose Galauran, together with Luis Adrian Hidalgo, received an award for Outstanding Achievement for Print Journalism at the 9th Hildegarde Awards of St. Scholastica’s College in Manila.
Their article, “Saving Metro Manila’s Remaining Urban Forest,” was one of the three recipients of the award, alongside “SAF: The Women They Left Behind” by Natashya Gutierrez of Rappler.com, and “More Gaps than Gains? Anti-women portrayals, practices continue despite Magna Carta of Women” by Anne Ednalyn Dela Cruz of Bulatlat.com.
“Saving Metro Manila’s Remaining Urban Forest” was based from Galauran and Hidalgo’s undergraduate thesis at the University of the Philippines Diliman. The two completed their degree in Journalism in 2014. An online article version of their thesis was published in Vera Files in a two-part series.
Their winning article tackles about the struggle to protect the 22-hectare Arboretum located behind UP-Ayala Technohub in Quezon City and the informal settlers living within the area for five decades already.
Their winning article tackles about the struggle to protect the 22-hectare Arboretum located behind UP-Ayala Technohub in Quezon City and the informal settlers living within the area for several decades already. It puts into matter how the policy to turn the Arboretum into a National Botanical Garden would also consider the welfare of the urban poor community.
During their acceptance speech, Hidaldo pointed out how people would usually refer to informal settlers as eyesores. According to Hidalgo, in their thesis they tried to give face to people like the informal settlers who are usually invisible in the society because of their class status.
“Informal settlers sila pero hindi dapat natin sila ituring na iba sa atin. Tao rin sila at meron din silang mga sariling pangarap sa buhay, at mayroon ding mga sariling karapatang pantao [They are informal settlers, but we should not treat them differently. They are also human, and they also have dreams in life as well as human rights],” said Hidalgo.
On the other hand, Galauran said he offers the award to the residents of Arboretum, and quoted a part of Joey Ayala’s song “Karaniwang Tao” [Ordinary People] that said, “Karaniwang tao, saan ka tatakbo kapag nawasak iisang mundo? Ang lason galing sa mga pabrika pero may kinalaman din ang tulad natin, yun ay kung wala tayong gagawin para iligtas ito. [Ordinary people, where are you to run if the earth is destroyed? The chemicals from factories caused this, but people like us are also at fault if we are not going to do anything to save it]”
They also encouraged people to be more involved in environmental issues and preservation of nature.
“Napakaimportante ngayon ng usapin sa kalikasan, (tulad ng) climate change. Pilipinas ang isa mga bansa na tatamaan ng epekto nito. Kaya ‘yung usapin sa kalikasan, dapat natin siyang alamin, at hindi dapat ipagsangtabi [Environmental issues are very important, like climate change. The Philippines is one of the countries that would be greatly affected by it. So we must be concerned of environmental issues],” said Hidalgo.
Works from other forms of media were also recognized at the 9th Hildegarde Awards, including Broadcast Journalism, Development Communication, and Advertising. The other recipients are as follow:
Advertising
“The Most Disturbing Dinner” Lucky Me! TVC (Publicis Jimenez Basic)
“Inakup Arekup” of the Department of Health (Campaigns and Grey)
“Sayang” Pantene TVC (BBDO Guerrero)
Development Communication
“Children’s Show” (Director: Roderick Cabrido; Executive Producers: Jade Valenzuela, Joseph Laban)
“Run for Survival” (Save the Children Organization)
“18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women” (Philippine Commission on Women)
Broadcast Journalism
“State of the Nation” (Host: Jessica Soho; GMA News TV)
“Red Alert” (Host: Atom Araullo; DZMM)
“Biyahe ni Drew” (Host: Drew Arellano; GMA News TV)
“Operation Tulong” (Host: Mae Binauhan; DZRH)
“News.PH” (Host: Pia Hontiveros; 9TV Philippines)
“Buhay at Kalusugan” (DWIZ)
Hildegarde Awards for Women in Media and Communication was first and foremost established to recognize outstanding women in the field of media and communication. The award was named after St. Hildegarde, a writer and a visionary, who was known for being critical and fearless at a time when women were bounded to their homes.
This year’s Hildegarde Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed on filmmaker Ditsi Carolino for her works depicting human rights and agricultural issues in her documentary films “Minsan Lang Sila Bata” (1996), “Mula Pabrika Hanggang Fukuoka” (1999), “Bunso” (2005), and “Lupang Hinarang” (2009). Carolino’s documentary films mostly tackle about the struggles of marginalized sectors, like children and farmers, whom she said she wanted to give voice as means of exposing social injustices in the country.
The “Queen of Travel,” the late Susan Calo-Medina who passed away on January 9 this year, was also given the award in recognition for her efforts in promoting the Philippines through her show “Travel Time.” The award was received by her son Mark Medina and her co-host Manu Sandejas.
