Since 2005 Philippine Press Club Ontario has played host to annual winners of Marshall McLuhan Prize for excellence in Philippine journalism. This year’s winner is Carol Arguilles, news editor of prolific no-nonsense weekly web-based paper published from Davao City, the Mindanews.
The Marshall McLuhan Prize is a “flagship public diplomacy” initiative of the Canadian Embassy in Manila. Named after the world-known Canadian communication guru, Marshall McLuhan, the project makes an annual search from among Filipino journalists in the Philippines based on journalistic excellence and the impact of said work(s) on the tenets of democratic freedoms. As such, it is meant to further the belief that freedom of expression is an essential element in order for a free society to thrive.
How appropriate that this year’s winner is editor of a web-based publication, in its digitized format. If you recall, it was McLuhan who more than 30 years before it was invented predicted the birth of the world wide web, the very platform that Carol is working with and so successfully and effectively. If you have heard of the phrases “the medium is the message” or “global village” then you have heard of McLuhan.
On September 27, 6PM, at the Aristokrat on 335 Wilson Street in Toronto, the PPCO will once again host the winner of this year’s search, Carol Arguilles. The choice was made based on Carol’s voluminous work covering issues and events in Mindanao. Not to mention the risk involved, her works as reporter and editor have huge impact in the shaping of government policies affecting not only Mindanao but the whole country. If there is one who holds facts and information on Mindanao issues, especially the Moro problem, it is Carol. It is rightly so that she is awarded this prestigious prize.
Part of every winner’s prize is a Canadian study tour bankrolled by Sun Life of Canada. Every year since the inception of the McLuhan Prize, one of the most important leg of the tour has been the Toronto stop, where the winner sits as a McLuhan fellow and delivers lectures including at the University of Toronto, and of course a tete-a-tete with the PPCO.
Carol will be accompanied by Carlo Figueroa of the Canadian Embassy in Manila. For the past several years Carlo has been the one facilitating the winners’ Canadian tour, especially the one that involves the Philippine Press Club.
It will be another interesting evening with this year’s winner and what makes this extra special is that the winner is from Mindanao, working in Mindanao for Mindanao with national significance. As a reporter, I am sure, she has dug into secrets found only in the labyrinthine maze of the Mindanao problem. Even just for that it would be interesting to listen to her when she comes. This even is open to the public and you are all invited to listen, ask questions, participate and have dinner with us.
Another awardee this year is also a journalist none other than our very own Ruben Cusipag, who when in his robust was looked upon as the dean of Filipino journalists in Toronto. Although now wheel-chair-bound due to a tragic vehicular accident years ago remains the respected symbolic head of this paper, Balita. As you all well know, Tess, Ruben’s wife is now at the helm of this publication but with Ruben always at her side.
Due to Ruben’s earlier work as a crusading journalist and as one who set the founding stones of Philippine journalism in the GTA, he will be cited with a “Life Achievement Award” by the Kol Hope Foundation on November 11 at the posh ballroom of the Four Season’s Hotel in Yorkville, Toronto.
About 40 years ago Ruben with the help of friends and others of equal crusading spirits started the cut and paste newspapering business. Those papers as in today were also distributed free but only in limited outlets as there were only a handful of Filipino-owned establishments then. From two to three publications it has mushroomed to about fourteen, not counting radio and television; from cut-and-paste operations, some have turned digital in some of their editions; from 12 pages or so these papers publish as much as 80 today. Where the industry is heading only time will tell. One thing is certain, however, is that in one way or another Ruben Cusipag has left his mark along this chapter of our history.
So, Kol Hope, during its Presidential Ball gala at the Four Season’s, will pay tribute to Ruben together with other Fil-Can leaders who in other ways have also left imprints of their contributions to this burgeoning community of Filipino-Canadians.
The gala aims to raise money for charitable organizations that support children with disabilities. Since its founding Kol Hope has raised over half a million dollars benefitting organizations such as the Easter Seals, Hospital for Sick Children — another endeavour that deserves an award.
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