‘The FilAm’ bags 3 nominations to 1st Plaridel Awards

Laurel Fantauzzo

‘The FilAm’ earned three nominations to the first Plaridel Awards, the Philippine American Press Club’s (PAPC) award for excellence in Filipino American Journalism.

Nominated are contributing writers Elton Lugay and Laurel Fantauzzo and founding editor Cristina DC Pastor. In a statement, the PAPC said the awards honor the press corps and the media agencies “as they chronicle the lives and times of the community, promote their ethnicity, champion their causes and provide a venue where readers/listeners can voice their concerns, and ideas for the betterment of the society and the community at large.”

The winners will be declared at an award ceremony to be held on October 4 at the Fort McKinley Restaurant in South San Francisco.

The PAPC has announced the nominees for the 2012 Plaridel Awards. They are Janet Nepales, Elton Lugay, Dennis Clemente, Ruben Nepales, Ted Laguatan, Mariano Santos, Joseph Pimentel, Miko Santos, Cristina DC Pastor, Lydia Solis, Cherie Querol Moreno, Dymphna Calica-La Putt, Christine “Nickee” V. De Leon Huld, Laurel Fantauzzo, Elizabeth Horner, Ryan Macasero, Arnold Pedrigal, Jannelle So, Bradford Adkins and Emil Guillermo.

Elton Lugay

Awards will be given based on originality – fresh topic and or treatment of an old issue or unique perspective; execution – writing style, composition and pacing; and effort undertaken by the writer (research and interviews) to put substance to the article.

Categories for print and online articles include Outstanding Reportage (Investigative /In-Depth Story), Commentary or Editorial Essay; International Reporting; Entertainment, and Youth Voice. For Broadcast Television, and Radio it will for the best in Community Reporting. Last but not least, Photojournalism.

The award was named in honor of Marcelo H. Del Pilar, a patriot, journalist and publisher who brought his craft and zeal as an expat in Europe in the late 1800s. Plaridel was his pen name. He was a prolific writer who kept his constituents abreast with the goings on in their community as well as in their homeland.

“In him PAPC has found a hero – a person to emulate and an inspiration to Filipino American writers and publishers everywhere who continue in their journalistic aspirations and in service to their constituents in the new land they now call home,” the PAPC statement said.

PAPC is composed of the following publishers: ABS-CBN International, Asian Journal, FilAm Star, Manila Mail, Inquirer.net, Filipino American Radio Network, Philippine News, Philippine Headlines, Philippines Today, Power ng Pinoy TV and GMA. There are more than 50 Filipino American media outlets nationwide.



4 Comments

  1. Ariel wrote:

    Congratulations to The Fil-Am, and Elton, Laurel and Cristina. Very well-deserved!!!

    Cristina, I have more respect for The Fil-Am than Fox, CNN, MSNBC, Wall Street Journal, NY Times, CBS, etc. These formerly respectable halls of journalism have degenrated into mere public relations outlets for Republicans, Democrats, activists (ie, pro-life, pro-choice, anti-gay, pro-gay, etc…)

    They have prostituted the values of true journalism. They do present both sides but even the blind can see their espoused agenda. The Fil-Am, under your guidance, has been faithful to the true spirit of fair and balanced journalism (NOT like you, Fox). You have given equal venue for competing ideas, to allow the readers to decide for themselves what school of thought to which to subscribe.

    I hope you win, Cristina. But in my humble opinion, you have ALREADY WON – with or without a plaque.

    -Ariel G.

  2. GBaldisseri wrote:

    A well deserved nomination for Mr. Elton Lugay. He is one great writer I admire!

  3. M. Matthews wrote:

    Congratulation are in order to Mr. Elton Lugay and his colleagues at The Fil-Am for their recent nomination by the PAPC. At this time I would like to wish my best good wishes to all the nominees, and good luck to all.

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