VETERAN journalist, journalism educator and VERA Files trustee Yvonne Chua was named 2010 Ninoy and Cory Aquino Fellowship Awardee for journalism.
In a simple ceremony held Monday, Chua was cited for the “depth and breadth of her work” as a journalist.
Flora May M.Cerna, head of the Department of Research and Project Development of the Transparency and Accountability Network, is the Aquino awardee for public service.
The awards are given annually by the United States Embassy and the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation, to individuals who excel in journalism and public service. US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas and Ballsy Aquino-Cruz, eldest daughter of the late Benigno Aquino Jr and former President Cory, handed the awards to Chua and Cerna.
“(Chua’s) award-winning articles helped expose discrepancies in textbook procurement in public schools, lack of accountability and transparency in government institutions, and unexplained wealth of former senior officials. She co-coauthored and edited several books related to investigative journalism. She is now training a new generation of journalists in advancing government accountability, working as a part-time assistant professor at the University of the Philippines,” the US embassy citation read.
Cerna, the US embassy said,” has a track record of successful advocacy.”
“Under her leadership, TAN created new methods of challenging traditional government procedures and encouraged several government organizations to adopt new processes that made them more transparent and accountable,” the citation read.
Thomas said, “Today, we all take inspiration from the hope that a new Aquino in Malacañang brings to the Philippines and to the world. But hope requires many friends to become reality, and much hard work. As this fellowship program indicates, kasama tayo sa pagbabago. [We are partners in working for change.] These two honorees remind us that passionate dedication brings success and the capacity to inspire others as we are inspired by the Aquino legacy.”
Cruz, who replaced her mother as chair of the Aquino Foundation, congratulated the two awardees saying,”By your persistence — through your writing, teaching, organizing, advocacy — you have trained the spotlight on the realities of our society and showed us how an active citizenry can make a difference in the drive against the abuse of power and privilege and the misuse of government resources. Indeed, the truth that you have uncovered thus far, has already begun to set us free.”
This is the Fellowship’s first award ceremony since former President Aquino’s death.
Chua, who started her journalism career in 1981, under Marcos’ Martial Law, recalled that it was then difficult to imagine “journalism in a democracy.”
Today, she said, “Freedom of the press is in no better shape. Cases of libel, a crime in this country, have been brought against members of the profession, many of these unjustifiably. Our work as watchdogs has been hindered by increasing restrictions placed on the flow of information. And we mourn the deaths of far too many journalists murdered in the course of their work.”
Amidst all these, she said, journalists must continue performing their role well. “Let not our commitment to truth, a free press, good governance, and democracy ever waver,” she said.
Established in 1998 by the US Embassy in Manila as the Benigno Aquino S. Aquino, Jr. Fellowships for Professional Development, it was renamed in 2009 the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Fellowships for Professional Development to commemorate President Aquino’s significant contribution to strengthening Philippine democratic institutions.
The Aquino fellows will participate in an exchange program in to meet and share views with American and international counterparts.
Chua is the second VERA Files trustee to be named Aquino Fellow. VERA Files trustee Luz Rimban was the Aquino Fellow for journalism in 2003.
U.S. Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr.’s remarks:
Magandang hapon sa inyong lahat. Welcome to the 21st annual award ceremony for the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Fellowships. I am pleased that all of you could join us at this special event.
Twenty-one years ago, the U.S. Embassy partnered with the Aquino Foundation to establish this special award in recognition of outstanding accomplishments and potential in the fields of journalism and public service. This fellowship provides to the awardees a three-week professional exchange program in the United States.
As its name suggests, this award also honors the late Senator Ninoy Aquino’s contributions to the fields of journalism and public service and late President Cory Aquino’s contributions to strengthening Philippine democratic institutions. Just last week, here in the Philippines and around the world, millions of people paid tribute to the late President Cory on the one-year anniversary of her death. We honor her memory today as well.
The Filipino people have always had a special gift for looking forward. Today we honor two leaders—Ms. Yvonne Chua and Ms. Toix Cerna—who do much to further our optimism about the future. Toix heads the research department of the Transparency and Accountability Network, which tries to tackle corruption and government waste. We have seen that, for current President Aquino, there is no higher priority than rooting out corruption, and he will need the support of leaders like Toix. Yvonne is co-founder of VERA Files, a non-profit media organization that conducts in-depth reporting on some of the country’s most challenging stories. In a time when Philippine journalists face significant risks, Yvonne’s dedication and courage is much admired.
Today, we all take inspiration from the hope that a new Aquino in Malañcanang brings to the Philippines and to the world. But hope requires many friends to become reality, and much hard work. As this fellowship program indicates, kasama tayo sa pagbabago. [We are partners in working for change.] These two honorees remind us that passionate dedication brings success and the capacity to inspire others as we are inspired by the Aquino legacy.
This afternoon, let us celebrate the impressive careers of these two remarkable leaders who truly follow the example of courage and commitment set by Cory and Ninoy Aquino. It is our hope that this fellowship contributes to their future successes.
Maraming salamat sa inyong pagdalo at mabuhay.
Ma. Elena Aquino-Cruz’s remarks:
We are here today for an annual event that my mother, Cory Aquino, presided over for 20 years. We are awarding, for the first time since her passing, the Aquino Fellowships to two outstanding Filipino leaders from civil society and journalism.
The relationship of our family with the United States government has, of course, gone on longer than 21 years — my siblings and I will always be grateful for the three idyllic years our parents were able to spend together — and with us — in Boston from 1980 to 1983. But this annual fellowship is a concrete manifestation of the regard of your government for the contributions of Ninoy and Cory Aquino to the development of democracy in our country and the world. And we thank you for perpetuating their memories, their values and convictions through this fellowship.
We are happy that the award is now known as the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Fellowship – an acknowledgement that their work was one and the same — for Ninoy was Cory’s guiding light, the inspiration that drove her to battle with adversity to restore and strengthen our democracy. Thank you, Ambassador Thomas, Thank you, America.
Last year, in this very room for this very occasion, Mom made one of her last public appearances. She had become frail, she could barely stand, she was afraid her voice would fail her, but she showed up to present the Ninoy Aquino Fellowships, gave her short speech, and lingered even after the program was over.
Now the task falls on me, the eldest of the children of Ninoy and Cory. It is a daunting task to step into Mom’s shoes, even for just a few hours today.
This year’s choices of recipients of the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Fellowships are truly inspired. It is not a coincidence that their work and accomplishments reflect the major thrust of our President — Ninoy and Cory’s only son — to pursue our parents’ legacy by dismantling the network of corruption in government.
The Transparency and Accountability Network, represented by Flora May Cerna, our awardee for public service, is a coalition of 24 local organizations that seek to significantly reduce corruption in the country. And Yvonne Chua, our awardee for journalism, has been at the forefront of exposing corruption in government and society through investigative journalism for over 15 years.
Corruption has been with us for so long, we sometimes no longer recognize it for the evil that it is. So endemic has corruption become in our society that the new government’s search for a few good women and men to tap for government positions has assumed a somewhat biblical character. The habits of corruption are so easy to acquire and difficult to shake off. It is so much easier to pay off a cop than give up one’s license when caught for a traffic violation, or to pad the pocket of a BIR collector rather than pay correct taxes. While many of these practices may be small, and some may even find them to be excusable, they tend to become big bad habits of convenience that can – and have already harmed our national psyche and morals, and damaged our economy.
That is why we need active watchdogs amongst us. That is why President Noy has asked every citizen to be actively involved in the drive against corruption with his battle cry: “Kung Walang Corrupt, Walang Mahirap”. And that is why it is so important that we give due recognition to those citizens who have shown us how to work to reduce, if not eliminate, corruption in our midst.
Since 2001, under the leadership of Flora May “Toix” Cerna, head of TAN’s Research and Project Development, the Transparency and Accountability Network has been tracking government expenditures, monitoring procurement and appointments, and engaging government agencies to adopt more transparent and accountable processes. “Toix” has steered the network through a minefield of corruption, monitoring campaign spending of candidates, presidential appointments to the Ombudsman and the Supreme Court, the DPWH’s road building projects, procurements by the Comelec, and preparing a governance report card.
Yvonne Chua, for her part, has blazed a distinguished trail as an investigative reporter. Who has not heard of the courage of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism –where Yvonne was star reporter and training director for 11 years — in exposing such anomalies as the unexplained wealth of high government officials, discrepancies in textbook procurement, and the lack of accountability in government institutions? Today, she is still at it, as trustee and main writer of VERA Files, a venture of writers who do in-depth reports on the most controversial issues of the day. The investigative reports and books Yvonne Chua has authored, co-authored and edited are witness to her unflinching search for truth, transparency, accountability, responsibility and ethical leadership in Philippine government and society.
Yvonne is also a journalism professor and chair of the CHED’s technical committee on Journalism Education — which gives us hope that the journalism profession will be guided by high standards and produce among our youth, more civic activists and fearless investigative reporters like her.
On behalf of my siblings, I congratulate you, Yvonne and “Toix”, on your accomplishments that have been recognized by this prestigious fellowship. May your passion for truth, transparency and accountability continue to grow and spread like wildfire among our people. By your persistence — through your writing, teaching, organizing, advocacy — you have trained the spotlight on the realities of our society and showed us how an active citizenry can make a difference in the drive against the abuse of power and privilege and the misuse of government resources. Indeed, the truth that you have uncovered thus far, has already begun to set us free.
Ambassador Thomas, allow me to end by thanking you again for this honor that your government continues to accord our parents, our family and the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Fellows. Thank you also for your friendship and for your abiding faith in the Filipino people.
Flora Ma Cerna’s remarks:
Thank you very much for this award. To have my name anywhere close to the Aquino brand of public service is more than an honor and a privilege. It is a recognition that I will hold close to my heart and proudly display at our humble home in Mindanao. But it is also a pebble in my shoe – a borrowed phrase from Vincent Lazatin. It is a pebble in my shoe that will constantly remind me of the very meaning of public service; That public service is not just doing service to the nation the best way you know and the best way you can. More than that, it is also inspiring others to do what is right, honorable and due to this great nation. Perhaps this is what it meant for Ninoy and Cory. And now, here we are, all inspired and moved to carry on with their legacy.
I joined the anticorruption community 10 years ago straight from university life. It was sheer luck that brought me to the community – I couldn’t get a job in government and the Ateneo School of Government was desperate to start out its Government Watch project that at interview without me uttering a word, I had been accepted along with two others. Instantly, I felt like I fit in this world – no fuss about dress codes except during rare occasions. Dress code was like my worst nightmare. Today of course is an exceptionally rare occasion so a little dressing up is okay.
Then I joined the Transparency and Accountability Network shortly after. At TAN, I met the most wonderful people. The community is very nurturing. It nurtures your soul with the values system it promotes. It nurtures your mind with a lot of creative thinking exercises to come up with solutions that will address the ingenious corruption schemes of those from across the street. It nurtures your heart with a lot of laughter to trick ourselves to thinking that what we do is light and easy. Believe it or not, we get to laugh about the gravity of the corruption situation…not because it’s funny, it’s not; But because the situation is bad enough as it is and we thought the best way to deal with it is to humor ourselves to stay healthy so that we can continue doing what we do. That’s why working with TAN has never felt like working. It felt like building a community, of which I am also a part. I owe the person that I am now to all the people I’ve met in this community who have in one way or another inspired and influenced me to do the best I can as a good governance advocate.
For this, I share this distinction with all the women and men of the anticorruption community, the Transparency and Accountability Network family. This award is not mine, this is ours. So I take back what I said about displaying it in the Cerna home in Mindanao. This stays at the TAN office. Let us pray, hope and work for that time in our lives when we’d have abandoned this profession, not because corruption is eradicated because we know that is impossible; But because we’d have inspired communities to carry on with anticorruption work as a civic duty. And maybe then corruption would have been greatly minimized. And of course we know, what we do is not a profession. At best, this is a community service…. In my case, 10 years of community service.
I would also like to thank my parents who are in Mindanao right now. They couldn’t come for practical reasons. (My sister is here to represent the Cerna family.) I am very proud to say that they’ve armed me and my siblings with the tools we need to survive the seductive world of money. It’s enough that rewards come in the form of pats on the back.
Thank you again and good afternoon.
Yvonne Chua’s remarks:
Twenty-nine years ago, when I got out of journalism school and began working as a reporter, it was difficult to picture the phrase, “journalism in a democracy.” After all, the country was under a dictatorship.
I first worked for what people called a “crony” newspaper. On many occasions it was mocked—derided as the “Philippines Daily Suppress.” But little known is the fact that it was our editors who had kept the hopes and idealism of young journalists like me alive.
Many of them had once worked for Asia’s freest press. Notwithstanding martial law’s repressive conditions, they tried the best they could to let us report the truth, hoping this would escape the watchful eyes of Malacanang, and bore the wrath of the Palace when it didn’t.
Our editors drove us hard to pursue excellence in our craft, reminding us without fail that the dictatorship was an aberration that would—and must— come to an end.
And when we despaired over the future of our country and of our profession, they would urge us not to lose hope. As one of them liked to say, “Just keep pushing. The wall will fall.”
In the twilight years of the dictatorship, I was with the news desk of Ang Pahayagang Malaya, an alternative newspaper that the dictator had belittled as the “mosquito” press. Never had the perils of journalism been so real to me—until then.
We constantly feared that the military would descend on us: to raid, arrest, and close us down like it did years earlier to our sister publication, We Forum. We carried the phone numbers of our lawyers wherever we went, so we could call them right away in the event we got picked up. Some of our colleagues were harassed, jailed—even killed.
But there was an unspoken understanding among us—young and old journalists alike—that push must turn to shove.
In January of 1986, when Haiti’s corrupt dictator, “Papa Doc” Duvalier, fled into exile and people there danced in the streets, we wistfully asked one another, “Will we too dance in the streets?”
A month later, the wall fell. And yes, we danced in the streets.
We owe this largely to the man and woman after whom this fellowship is named: former Senator Benigno Aquino Jr., whose assassination further stoked the people’s fury at the dictator and whetted their hunger for democracy; and to his widow, the late Corazon Aquino, whose greatest legacy to our country is the restoration of democracy and, along with this, all our rights and freedoms, including freedom of the press.
In the last twenty-four years, however, we have seen democracy travel the bumpy road. Its value has even been unfairly questioned by some—the sad consequence of bad governance, in particular the abuse of power and corruption by some of our leaders, and our inability to hold them to account.
Freedom of the press is in no better shape. Cases of libel, a crime in this country, have been brought against members of the profession, many of these unjustifiably. Our work as watchdogs has been hindered by increasing restrictions placed on the flow of information. And we mourn the deaths of far too many journalists murdered in the course of their work.
Amidst all these, we must all the more perform our role as journalists—perform it fully and perform it well. Let not our commitment to truth, a free press, good governance, and democracy ever waver.
Maraming salamat, at magandang hapon sa inyong lahat.