Pinay journalist shortlisted for Reporters Sans Frontieres awards

Baguio City— Filipina journalist Inday Espina-Varona was shortlisted by the Belgium-based Reporters Sans Frontieres (Reporters Without Borders) for its Press Freedom Awards for 2018. 

Espina-Varona, chairperson of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines from 2004-2006, will receive the award on November 8.

She is among the 12 journalists, NGOs and media organizations nominated in three categories honoring Courage, Impact and Independence in the profession. 

Four British journalists have also been shortlisted for a fourth award, L'esprit de RSF to mark London's hosting of the awards. 

Espina-Varona, sister of current NUJP chair Nonoy Espina, is on The Prize for Independence shortlist. 

Her citation reads: "A veteran journalist who is very active on social networks, Inday Espina-Varona is now a contributing editor at the Philippine broadcast network ABS-CBN, where she formerly ran its citizen journalism website Bayan Mo i-Patrol Mo (BMPM).

Over the years, she has reported extensively on issues that are sensitive in the Philippines, such as child prostitution, violence against women, LGBT issues and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front on the island of Mindanao. In June 2018, Espina-Varona took over as the head of #BabaeAko (“Me, a woman” in Tagalog), a social media campaign that informs and mobilizes the public on women’s rights issues in response to Duterte’s many misogynistic comments and attacks on women.”