Veteran journalist Ed Lingao, Multimedia Director of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) on Wednesday won the 2010 Marshall Mcluhan Fellowship award from the Embassy of Canada, for his outstanding reportage on human rights, governance and election reforms, as well as for breaking new ground in the practice of multimedia journalism.
Lingao was also one of eight journalists from print, broadcast and online media who were cited for professional excellence and chosen to serve as panelists at the Jaime V. Ongpin Journalism Seminar organized by the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR).
The Marshall Mcluhan award entitles Lingao to take a 10-day study and speaking tour in Canada as a Fellow of the University of Toronto.
James Trottier, Counselor for Politcal and Economic Relations of the Embassy of Canada, presented the Mcluhan Fellowship plaque to Lingao.
Lingao, one of a handful of Filipino journalists who had reported from war-torn Iraq and Afghanistan, had pounded the beat, worked as producer and managed newsrooms for The Manila Chronicle, The Manila Times, ABS-CBN News, The Correspondents public-affairs program, and ABC–5. He has logged a tremendous portfolio of investigative reports and documentaries on politics and governance, Mindanao, military and police affairs, public-safety issues, and online media.
Aside from Lingao, the seven other journalists who were featured as finalists and panelists at the Jaime V. Ongpin Journalism seminar were Dino Balabo of the Mabuhay and Philippine Star newspapers; Nini Cabaero of SunStar Exchange Network; Kara Patria David of GMA-7 News and Public Affairs; Benjie Oliveros of Bulatlat.com; Tonette Orejas and Alcuin Papa of the Philippine Daily Inquirer; Anthony Taberna of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp.; and Darwin Wally Wee of BusinessWorld.
The Search Committee that assisted the CMFR was composed of Carolyn O. Arguillas of MindaNews, Prof. Ma. Aurora Lomibao of St. Scholastica’s College-Mass Communications Department; Philippine Press Institute Executive Director Jose Pavia, Proprint Executive Director Ma. Cristina Rodriguez, Businessworld Editorial Board Chairman Vergel O. Santos, SunStar Cebu Public & Standards Editor Pachico Seares, and Philippine Journalism Review Reports Editor and UP journalism Prof. Luis V. Teodoro.
CMFR Executive Director Melinda Quintos de Jesus presided over the seminar and award ceremony held in Makati City.
Mrs Maribel Ongpin spoke on behalf of her family and late husband Jaime V. Ongpin, finance secretary of the late Corazon Aquino and publisher of the Marcos-era independent political journal Veritas magazine.