EU's peace journalism awardee starts media program

MANILA, Philippines — Davao-based Jefry Tupas from NewsDesk recently started his media program after having won the grand prize at the European Union Peace Journalism awards.

Tupas described the winning article "The Teachers of Raja Muda" as his tribute to the voiceless, to the educators who work to patch up conflict in their localities.

Tupas is meeting this week with officers from the European External Action Service, European Commission and organisations such as International Federation of Journalists, Triple 11, MO Magazine, European Peacebuilding and Liaison Office, European Institute for Peace, Search for Common Ground, Non-Violent Peace Force and Pax Christi.

Tupas is also being considered to be a member of the Grand Jury in the Lorenzo Natali Media Prize of the European Commission. The Lorenzo Natali Media Prize rewards outstanding contributions of amateur (such as journalism students) and professional journalists reporting on development and poverty eradication and aims to ensure public recognition of those who contribute to these causes through their investigative work. This is an initiative of the European Commission.

The grand finalists in the EU Peace Journalism awards were Jes Aznar, Mindanews (photo essay) and Stella Estremera, Sun Star Davao (written text in print media).

For the written text in print media category, the semi-finalists were Nash Maulana, Inquirer.Net and Philippine Daily Inquirer; Ruji Peter Abat, Sun Star Davao ; while for the online category, semi-finalists were Joan Cordero, News Central PH; Fritzi Rodriguez, Rappler Rappler.

Jonathan Cellona of ABS-CBN News was adjudged semi-finalist for the photo essay category. 

Froilan Gallardo of Mindanews received the Philstar.com's Choice, a special award. 

The EU Peace Journalism awards were launched following the historic signing of the comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro.

Collaborators and partners of the EU Delegation to the Philippines for the EU Peace Journalism awards include the Bangsamoro Transition Commission, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process; Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue; National Union of Journalists of the Philippines; Institute for War and Peace Reporting; Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology; Konrad Adenauer Asian Center for Journalism Ateneo de Manila University, The Photojournalists' Center of the Philippines, philstar.com and Center for Community Journalism and Development.

The awards were also supported by the College Editors Guild of the Philippines, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters sa Pilipinas and Philippine Press Institute.

The European Union Delegation to the Philippines and partners are planning some side events/activities in line with the EU Peace Journalism awards.