Gawad Plaridel

Marcelo H. del Pilar, Filipino journalist-reformist, was the inspiration for the UP Gawad Plaridel awarded by the College of Mass Communication.

The award is named after Marcelo H. del Pilar (nom de plume, Plaridel),[1] the selfless propagandist whose stewardship of the reformist newspaper La Solidaridad from 1889 to 1895 helped crystallize nationalist sentiments and ignite libertarian ideas, mainly through his 150 essays and 66 editorials published under the nom de plume Plaridel. A crusading journalist, this native of Bulacan served as editor of the vernacular section of the Diariong Tagalog (Tagalog Newspaper), the first Philippine bilingual newspaper, in 1882. Among his major publications were Dasalan at Tocsohan (Prayerbook and Teasing Game), Pasyong Dapat Ipag-alab nang Puso nang Tauong Babasa (Passion That Should Inflame the Heart of the Reader), and La Soberania Monacal en Filipinas (Monastic Supremacy in the Philippines), all published in 1889.

From 1890 to around 1895, he edited and published La Solidaridad almost on his own because funds for the support of the fortnightly had become more and more difficult to raise in the Philippines. Del Pilar slowly lost hope in reforms and began to entertain the possibility of the Philippines separating from Mother Spain.

Pining for his mother country and suffering from tuberculosis, Del Pilar died in Barcelona, Spain on July 4, 1896 at the age of 45.

Like Plaridel, the recipient of this award must believe in the vision of a Philippine society that is egalitarian, participative, and progressive, and in media that are socially responsible, critical and vigilant, liberative and transformative, and free and independent.

Given annually, it started in 2004 with Eugenia Apostol, publisher and founding chair of the Philippine Daily Inquirer as its first awardee.[2] In 2005, it was awarded to premier actress and current Batangas governor Vilma Santos, for film.[3] Veteran radio broadcaster Fidela Mendoza-Magpayo, a.k.a. 'Tiya Dely', was the 2006 recipient. Cheche Lazaro received the award for 2007.

For 2008, Pachico A. Seares, editor-in-chief of Sun.Star Cebu and Sun.Star Superbalita (Cebu), was chosen as the recipient of the award for his "outstanding contributions to the print media industry."[4] The judges cited Seares' contributions to community journalism, among them: his major help in steering Sun.Star Cebu and Sun.Star Superbalita [Cebu] to become the readership and advertising leaders among community newspapers in the country, his “continuing advocacy on issues that serve community interest, adopting and implementing journalism values that serve as example to Sun.Star affiliate papers in their respective areas, inspiring the community and regarding the people as citizens who can help the community.”

After the awarding rites, Seares delivered the Plaridel Lecture entitled "The Future of Community Newspapers," which situated the country's community print media today, presented the success story behind the two publications he heads and its growth into a network of publications, and presented prospects for the field in the future.

Independent filmmaker Kidlat Tahimik (real name: Eric de Guia) was the recipient of the UP Gawad Plaridel for 2009.[5] Known for his repertoire of independent films that mirror Filipino culture, including "Mababangong Bangungot," Tahimik encouraged budding film-makers and mass communication students to unleash the "sariling duwende" in producing their own motion pictures.

For the first time, no one bagged the Gawad Plaridel in 2010, which was supposed to honor an individual who made significant contributions to community radio. In a statement issued by the UP College of Mass Communication, it was said that while many of the nominees had made a mark in the industry, they were yet to achieve the highest level of professionalism and public service expected of a Gawad Plaridel recipient. UP CMC also acknowledged the fact that community radio is relatively young but still had room to develop itself into a mass medium worthy of recognition.

Radio drama talent and director Eloisa Cruz-Canlas received the 2011 Gawad Plaridel for her work in Philippine radio drama through the years.[6] The awarding ceremonies for Canlas were held on July 20 at the UP Film Institute in Diliman, Quezon City. Canlas was the executive producer of Drama Sa Nuebe Nubenta over DZIQ Radyo Inquirer 990 and has worked with DZRH and Radyo Natin-Nueva Ecija for many years, portraying the popular character Lola Sela.

The 2012 Gawad Plaridel recipient was Florence Danon-Gayda or more popularly known as Rosa Rosal for her outstanding contributions to the broadcasting industry, particularly in the field of television.[7] The UP College of Mass Communication honored Rosa Rosal with this recognition for her contribution to the Philippine Television industry, particularly in affecting media for public service. She is widely known for her efforts, privately and through her TV programs to promote blood donation and upgrading of Red Cross facilities, hospitals and clinics.[8]

The 2013 U.P. Gawad Plaridel recipient was Jose F. Lacaba, also known as Pete Lacaba.[9] Lacaba has put his considerable writing and communication skills, despite perils to his life, in the service of the Filipino struggle for social transformation, independence, and progress during the turbulent 1960s and 1970s through the Days of Disquiet, Nights of Rage collection and other articles and screenplays that were based on actual events and issues such as Sister Stella L., Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim, and Orapronobis.

Nora Cabaltera Villamayor' or popularly known as Nora Aunor was the recipient of the 2014 U.P. Gawad Plaridel. She was recognized for her "unique artistry and versatility as a singer," as well as for "portraying with keen intelligence and uncommon sensitivity an amazing range of cinematic roles." UP CMC also cited Ms. Aunor for using her “tremendous popularity as an opportunity to (help) the masses...appreciate films and plays that dramatized and analyzed the abject conditions of the Filipino majority and the poor and powerless characters that she played with conviction.”[10][11]

Ricardo Lee or Ricky Lee is the 2015 recipient of U.P. Gawad Plaridel, The one astounding practice of the tribe is the raising of Lee has produced a body of work that is marked by excellence through considerable writing of memorable films such as Himala, Jaguar, Salome, Moral, Karnal — films that tackled taboos and modern moralities in Philippine cinema. He has also put forward a distinct voice of the scriptwriter in the collaborative process of filmmaking and uplifted the role and the integrity of the scriptwriting profession that is rarely placed in the spotlight.[12][13]

The University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication Gawad Plaridel recipient for this year is Francisca Custodio. Custodio started her career in the broadcasting industry in 1964 as an aide in the Accounting and Traffic Departments of the Manila Broadcasting Company AM station DYVL-Tacloban City. She rose from the ranks and worked her way up to become the present Station Manager of DYVL. As Station Manager, she was on duty the entire time typhoon Yolanda was ravaging their community. Custodio has continuously been spearheading the rebuilding efforts of DYVL.[14]

Veteran broadcaster Tina Monzon-Palma is the recipient of the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication's (UP CMC) Gawad Plaridel 2017. She is a prominent Filipina anchorwoman. As a veteran broadcast journalist, Palma was a reporter who maintained “strength, courage, and dignity” during Martial Law in the Philippines. She is one of the first female news anchors on Philippine television. Tina began her work as one of the first news anchors of GMA Network when she first anchored News at Seven, The 11:30 Report and later GMA Headline News before she left in 1992 when Tina moved to the reopened TV5 (six years of post-EDSA revolution) and later ABS-CBN til present. [15]

Broadcaster Jessica Soho is the 14th person to receive this distinction — the highest honor given by the University of the Philippines System to a media practitioner. She was awarded because she believes that carrying on the tradition of journalism with integrity and with innovations in storytelling that speak both “to the heart and the mind.” [16]