UP Gawad Plaridel awarded to Sun.Star's Pachico Seares
As can be gleaned from many entries in this blog, it is the community journalists who face the day-to-day dangers of coverage as they expose local corrupt practices and “warlordisms” in their home town. At the same time, the Manila-centric press can be found wanting in the support and acknowledgement that they deserve. (in photo: Dean Pernia looking on as Chancellor Cao hands Atty. Seares the Gawad Plaridel. Also in photo UP Vice President for Academic Affairs Amelia Guevarra.) Thus, I think it is fitting that for UP’s centennial year, the Gawad Plaridel honors a dedicated journalist who has contributed to the professionalism and development of the countryside press.
Last July 4, the 5th Gawad Plaridel was awarded to Atty. Pachico Seares, editor-in-chief of Sun.Star Cebu and Sun.Star Superbalita. Through his leadership, Sun.Star had expanded from a small community paper to a nationwide network of community newspapers, which has a combined circulation can rival top Manila papers. But, this achievement is largely due to his ability to bring the community paper up to par not only in terms of production but also in journalistic excellence.
This is best illustrated from his Plaridel Lecture. “We believe that even community papers, despite limitations, can help meet demands of a public increasingly dismayed by performance of media in general. We believe we can strive: [1] to seek clarity and avoid clutter in presenting facts and ideas in our stories and opinions; [2] to distinguish the important from the merely urgent; [3] don’t be puppets; [4] maintain objectivity; [5] to be informed and fair in our opinions; and, [6] to know that the closest the media can get to elusive truth is to get the facts right,” he said, outlining Sun.Star’s guide to its reporters. (Full text here)
But Seares influence is not restricted to Sun.Star. Under his leadership, the Cebuano press has beaten the Manila press in creating an effective Citizens’ Press Council, which serves as a venue for a healthy exchange of ideas among media practitioners and civil society. It can also act as a venue for complaints from the audience, so as to prevent violent reprisals….again, being true to Seares’ motto: “We should not just cover the community we serve but we should aldo serve the community we cover.” #
Labels: journ dept., media, UP
As can be gleaned from many entries in this blog, it is the community journalists who face the day-to-day dangers of coverage as they expose local corrupt practices and “warlordisms” in their home town. At the same time, the Manila-centric press can be found wanting in the support and acknowledgement that they deserve. (in photo: Dean Pernia looking on as Chancellor Cao hands Atty. Seares the Gawad Plaridel. Also in photo UP Vice President for Academic Affairs Amelia Guevarra.) 
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