1995 PHILIPPINE PRESS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY JOURNALISM AWARD

Celebrity World Vol. 4 No. 229, January 1, 1996
On the cover: Dolphy and Vandolph

It happened 22 years ago and it’s still quite nice to reminisce. My article “An Education on Philippine Endangered Species” won the top price in the 5th Annual Philippine Press Institute Science and Technology Journalism Award.

“You (GOD) are my rock and my protection. For the good of Your name, lead me and guide me.... You guide me with Your advice, and later You will receive me in honor.” – Psalms 31:3 and 73:24, The Everyday Bible, New Century Version.

MY FIRST JOURNALISM AWARD

MOD Vol. 25 No. 1106, November 13, 1992
On the cover: Margaret Elaine Ortiz Lanuza

This time around, it was me and the exclusive three-part special report, “The Philippines: Land of Earthquake and Volcanoes,” I have written a year before that was featured in MOD. Aside from the Science and Technology Journalism Award from the Philippine Press Institute, I was also conferred a “Lifetime Achievement Award” by Atlas Publishing.

“Love wisdom, and she will make you great. Embrace her, and she will bring you honor. She will be your crowning glory.” – Proverbs 4:8-9, The Good News Bible in Today’s English Version.

The Philippines: Land of Earthquakes and Volcanoes

MOD Filipina Vol. 24 Nos. 1048, 1049 & 1050, October 4, 11 and 18, 1991
On the covers: (From left to right) Alma Concepcion,
Jeanette Chavez Ipapo, and Bernadette Cruz

          In the middle of 1991, just after Mt. Pinatubo’s eruption, broadcast journalist Lito Villarosa began a series of exposé regarding the controversial Marikina Valley Fault System. According to Villarosa, he saw a bunch of documents in the defunct Ministry of Human Settlement on its way to the junk bin. When he tried to read the contents, it turned out to be a 1976 commissioned report of the United Nations Disaster Relief Organization (UNDRO) Coordinator to the former Ministry of Human Settlement headed by then First Lady Imelda R. Marcos, detailing a systematic vulnerability analysis of Metro Manila area with regard to disasters like earthquake and flood. There was also a comprehensive study regarding the Marikina Valley Fault System. To cut the story short, he gave me a copy of this report, which was very interesting to me because it is related to my profession as a structural engineer – knowing areas where earthquake damage can be prominent is an important part of structural design.

          Together, we conducted extensive research on the subject and simultaneously revealed to the public what we have uncovered: Villarosa through the broadcast media and me through the pages of MOD Filipina magazine as an exclusive three-part special report titled The Philippines Land of Earthquakes and Volcanoes  (SEE the posted version in https://erneelawagan.blogspot.com/2009/09/philippines-land-of-earthquakes-and.html).

          Exactly a year after, the article won for me the grand prize in the Second Annual Science and Technology JournalismAward sponsored by the Philippine Press Institute and the Philippine Geothermal Inc (SEE the story featured in MOD November 13, 1992 issue).

Part I – A Study of Our Restless Terrain

 

 

Part II – The Marikina Fault System: The Truth

Conclusion – The Marikina Fault System: The Consequences

“And in that hour a great earthquake occurred, and a tenth of the city fell; and seven thousand persons were killed by the earthquake, and the rest became frightened and gave glory to GOD of heaven.” – Revelation 11:13, New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures.

An Education on Philippine Endangered Species Part I (Paradise Lost, Can it be Regained?)

Celebrity World Vol. 4 No. 212, September 4, 1995
On the cover: Madeline Ortaliz

This Celebrity World Special Feature, “An Education on Philippine Endangered Species,” is a 9-part series of articles published from September 5 to October 30, 1995. I wrote the articles in such a way that each of the nine parts is “stand-alone” and a complete write-up in itself with its own title (Part II to Part IX to be posted later):

Part I – “Paradise Lost, Can it be Regained?” (September 4, 1995)
Part II – “Biodiversity in an Hourglass” (September 11)
Part III – “When Trees Fall to the Ground” (September 18)
Part IV – “Cries from the Wild” (September 24)
Part V – “Saga of the Reptilian Kind” (October 2)
Part VI – “Wonders from Deep and Shallow Waters” (October 9)
Part VII – “Saving Our Marine Forest and Wildlife” (October 16)
Part VIII – “The Deflowering of the WildFlowers” (October 23)
Part IX – “On the Wings of Hope and Unity” (October 30)
This 9-part special feature won for me the top price of the 5th Annual Science & Technology Journalism Award sponsored by the Philippine Press Institute and the Philippine Geothermal Inc. (1995).

“Then GOD commanded, ‘Let the earth produce all kinds of animal life: domestic and wild, large and small’ – and it was done. So GOD made them all, and He was pleased with what He saw.” – Genesis 1:24-25, The Good News Bible in Today’s English Version.