Broadcast journalist Joseph Morong is the 2015 winner of the Marshall McLuhan Fellowship Award for Investigative Journalism. A senior reporter of GMA Network Inc., Morong has over 15 years of journalism experience covering the justice and political beat for the TV network. He is an anchor of NewsTVLive and a regular reporter for State of the Nation with Jessica Soho, GMA News TV’s flagship newscast that presents and dissects pressing issues in the Philippines.
The Marshall McLuhan Fellowship, named after the world-renowned Canadian communication scholar, is the Embassy of Canada in the Philippines’ flagship media advocacy initiative. Launched in 1997 to encourage responsible journalism in the Philippines, the Fellowship reflects Canada’s belief that a strong media is essential to a free and democratic society.
The program, with financial support from Sun Life of Canada, provides the winner with a study tour to Canada. This tour provides the winner the opportunity to interact with Canadian media counterparts and to discuss current issues with Canadian government officials and members of civil society. The winner will also have the chance to sit as a fellow at the McLuhan Institute in Toronto.
Eighteen investigative journalists have been awarded the fellowship since its inception :Armand Nocum (1997), Ellen Tordesillas (1998), Sheila Coronel (1999 and 2014), Vinia Datinguinoo-Mukherjee (2001), Miriam Grace Go (2002), Luz Rimban (2003), Tess Bacalla (2004), Yvonne Chua (2000 and 2005), Gerry Lirio (2006), Inday Espina-Varona (2009), Glenda Gloria (2008), Diosa Labiste (2009), Ed Lingao (2010), Carolyn Arguillas (2011), Lynda Jumilla (2012), Malou Mangahas (2013), and Cecilia Aldaba-Lim (Cheche) Lazaro (2014).
Morong delivered his presentation at the Coach House – the same building where Marshall McLuhan taught and worked at the University of Toronto on February 11th, 2016. The event was opened by Michael McLuhan, the youngest son of Marshall McLuhan. (Photo credit: Embassy of Canada in the Philippines)
He was also presented at a forum by the Philippine Press Club of Ontario in Toronto (PPCO) on February 10, 2016. Morong discussed “Communicating the message of the marginalized: Media’s coverage of the Bangsamoro Peace Process in Southern Philippines.” He discussed how the media had been covering the peace process in the restive Mindanao and related issues, and how it could improve the narrative of peace and non-violence in this Philippine region. (Photo credits: Jojo Taduran).
Morong was chosen for the distinction for his excellent reportage of the issues surrounding the peace process in Mindanao, especially the discussions around the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law. He is currently covering the peace process between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. He has extensively covered the pork barrel scam and the impeachment of the former Chief Justice of the Philippines.
Morong finished BA in Journalism from the University of the Philippines, and is currently working on a second degree in Fine Arts, also from the University of the Philippines. (***Fe Taduran***)
Photo Credits: Jojo Taduran in Toronto
Carlo Figueroa, Embassy of Canada in the Philippines
