ANC’s Tina Monzon-Palma is 2017 UP Gawad Plaridel Awardee

Screengrab from ABS-CBN News’ Youtube account.

VETERAN BROADCAST journalist Tina Monzon-Palma was awarded the prestigious UP Gawad Plaridel at a ceremony held last August 23 at the UP Film Center in Diliman, Quezon City. She is the president of CMFR Board of Trustees.

The award is given yearly to a media practitioner who excelled in his or her respective field, performing with the “highest level of professional integrity in the interest of public service.” It is named after Marcelo H. del Pilar, a propagandist who stood up against abuses during the Spanish colonization.

Starting her professional broadcast practice in the now-defunct dzMT, Monzon-Palma transitioned to television after the declaration of Martial Law in 1972. She became a news anchor in GMA-7, a position dominated by men at the time. Known to ask “tough questions” even to former president and dictator Ferdinand Marcos himself, she gained the respect of her colleagues and the trust of her viewers, eventually occupying an executive position in the network post-EDSA.

Monzon-Palma is currently the anchor of The World Tonight, the Philippines’ longest-running English newscast that airs on the ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC). She hosts Talkback, a public affairs program also in ANC.

Dr. Michael Tan, UP Diliman Chancellor, recognized Monzon-Palma’s role in raising the standards of journalism in the country: “Despite the things that were being said about television as an idiot box—the term that was coined in the United States as early as the 1950s—I think television in the Philippines was able to sustain excellent journalism in part because there were people like Tina there.”

“In the age where the integrity of journalism is threatened by trolling, sensationalism and the outright fabrication and dissemination of fake news, our Mass Comm students should be required to watch several of Miss Monzon Palma’s newscasts and talk show hosting to see what true strength is all about: being able to be calm and comporting while being passionate about an issue and unrelenting in the pursuit of truth,” Tan added.

Speaking to students, news executives and faculty members, Monzon-Palma said the present generation is living through a version of the previous Martial Law, as the proliferation of fake news erodes the people’s trust in media. A “new wave of authoritarianism and hate speech” now exists, as the internet democratized the dissemination of opinion.

“There was a time when news programs on TV and radio were the number one sources of news. That has dramatically changed. Increasingly, these programs share the influence over audiences with the internet,” Monzon-Palma said.

The veteran journalist challenged the audience, particularly the media, to remain relevant as truth continues to be under assault. She said the media cannot be timid and have nothing to be afraid of if they stick to good journalism.

“Journalism’s best weapon against lies is to be transparent, thorough and provocative. When mainstream media descends into unobtrusiveness, it does its audience a disservice. When media masters the art of camouflage, the people will forget. When media becomes muted, we let the underlying message behind the trolls and the propaganda machines to dominate the discourse,” Monzon-Palma said.

Monzon-Palma is the 13^th recipient of the Gawad Plaridel. She joins the list of awardees which includes Cheche Lazaro (TV), Ricky Lee (Film), Eugenia “Eggy”’Apostol (Print), Fidela “Dely” Magpayo (Radio) and Nora Aunor (Transmedia).