Broadcaster Jessica Soho to Receive 2018 UP Gawad Plaridel

GMA News and Public Affairs anchor Jessica Soho | CMFR File Photo

BROADCAST JOURNALIST Jessica Soho has been named the 2018 University of the Philippines (UP) Gawad Plaridel recipient in the Outstanding Journalist category.

The award is given annually to a media practitioner who has 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 the nom de guerre of journalist Marcelo H. del Pilar, who exposed abuses and fought for reforms during the Spanish colonial regime.

Soho, former GMA Vice President for News and current anchor of the GMA News TV program State of the Nation with Jessica Soho, will receive the award on August 29 in a ceremony at the UP Film Center. She will also deliver a lecture on “The Challenge of Journalism in the Post-truth and Fake News Era.”

“Ms. Soho, a veteran broadcast journalist, is cited for her pioneering work in broadcast investigative journalism and for her insightful and courageous coverage of Philippine and world news,” UP said in a statement.

UP said Soho “holds the distinction of being the most awarded broadcast journalist in Philippine history with two hundred fifty-three (253) local awards and thirty-two (32) international awards to date.”

Soho is the 14^th recipient of the Gawad Plaridel. Past recipients of this award are Eugenia Duran-Apostol (2004, journalism); Vilma Santos (2005, film); Fidela “Tiya Dely” Magpayo (2006, radio); Cecilia “Cheche” L. Lazaro (2007, television); Pachico A. Seares (2008, community journalism); Kidlat Tahimik (2009, independent film); Eloisa “Lola Sela” Canlas (2011, radio); Florence “Rosa Rosal” Danon-Gayda (2012, television); Jose “Pete” Lacaba (2013, journalism); Nora “Nora Aunor” Villamayor (2014, transmedia); Ricardo “Ricky” Lee (2015, film); Francisca “Babes” Custodio (2016, radio) and Tina Monzon-Palma (2017, broadcast-TV).