DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 10 July) — Ten journalists from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao have been chosen as the first recipients of the Patricio P. Diaz Fellowship Program, an initiative promoting in-depth journalism that highlights Mindanao, including the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The fellowship honors the legacy of Patricio P. Diaz, a pioneering journalist, educator, and peace advocate who documented Mindanao’s history for decades. Former editor of Mindanao Cross and Mindanao Kris, Diaz later moved to General Santos and authored books on the Bangsamoro peace process. He was also a longtime MindaNews columnist until his passing in 2019 at 93.
Cardinal Orlando Quevedo called Diaz an “editor and writer extraordinaire,” while Mohagher Iqbal of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front praised him as one of the few Christian journalists who objectively covered Mindanao’s conflicts.
The fellows are:
- Jun Aguirre (Boracay Island News Network, Aklan)
- Ricky Bautista (The Samar Chronicle, Samar)
- Jazmin Bonifacio (Leyte Samar Daily Express, Leyte)
- Frank Y. Cimatu (Mountain Beacon, Baguio)
- Leonardo Vicente “Cong” Corrales (Mindanao Gold Star Daily, Cagayan de Oro)
- Clarence May De Guzman (UNLINEWS, Bulacan)
- Joel Escovilla (Mindanao Times, Davao)
- Aireen Perol-Jaymalin (BicolDotPH, Camarines Sur)
- Chris Panganiban (MindaNews, Agusan del Sur)
- Franck Dick Rosete (Bulatlat.com, Cagayan de Oro)
Each fellow will receive ₱25,000 (₱20,000 writer’s fee, ₱5,000 coverage support) and editorial mentorship. Their stories, covering themes like peacebuilding, governance, and environmental justice, will be published in MindaNews and their respective outlets starting August 16.
The program, under Media Impact Philippines by the Mindanao Institute of Journalism, is funded by International Media Support (IMS), the European Union, and Denmark’s DANIDA. (MindaNews)
