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WHO'S WHO
- Meet the
icons in the field of Philippine communication.
Explore the creative genius of communication
educators, journalists, and other media experts.
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| EUGENIA
D. APOSTOL |
| Proven
to be one of the Philippines' most influential
newspaper publishers for the past three decades,
Eugenia "Eggie" Duran-Apostol is a tireless
advocate for press freedom.
She was instrumental in helping overthrow two
corrupt rulers in the country, Ferdinand Marcos
and Joseph Estrada by turning public opinion against
them.
"To suppress the expression
of differing but legitimate opinion would be like
covering the kettle and not allowing the steam
to escape. Then you could have an explosive situation."
- Mrs. Apostol's words when she was summoned before
a panel of military officers when her magazine's
aggressive reporting began to trouble the Marcos
regime.
During the Marcos years, Eggie
published the magazine, Mr. and Ms., and released
a special edition which turned out to be a political
supplement covering the Aquino-Galman trial. This
encouraged editorials and commentaries that criticized
the dictatorship.
She spun off another publication,
the Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) which covered
the dramatic campaign for the snap elections of
1986. The PDI has become the country's leading
newspaper today.
In 1999, Mrs. Apostol launched
a tabloid newspaper, the Pinoy Times which exposed
anomalies of the former President Joseph Estrada.
Unlike other tabloids at the time which were devoted
mostly to scantily clad women, the Pinoy Times,
written in Taglish also aimed at less educated
readers, covered investigations about politicians.
It comprehensively exposed stories about Mr. Estrada's
mansions and mistresses. She personally did undercover
work toured the city to find the mansions and
photographed them. The Pinoy Times stopped publishing
in December 2001.
Sources:
"Wily Media
Maverick Who Helped Topple Estrada" by Thomas
Fuller, International Herald Tribune
"Eugenia Apostol: Powerhouse Publisher in
the Philippines" by Patrick Butler, The International
Journalist
"Introduction to Eugenia duran-Apostol, TOTAL
Awardee for the Media" by Lito Zulueta
Press Club Golden Jubilarians (Thesis prepared
by Miriam College students)
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She finished
her Bachelor of Literature in Journalism at
the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters of the
University of Santo Tomas, magna cum laude.
She started her career in journalism as Women's
page editor of the Sentinel, a national Catholic
weekly. She became
the women's section editor of the Manila Times,
the Sunday Times Magazine and the Manila Chronicle.
She was the founding chair and trustee of the
"Friends of Intramuros." She is also
co-founder and President of "Kilusan ng
mga Mamimili sa Pilipinas."
She was President of the Manila Newspaperwomen's
Club in 1967 and a trustee of the Philippine
Press Institute from 1987-1990..
For her pioneering work as
an editor and publisher and her investigations
into crime and corruption, she was bestowed
the Knight International Press Fellowship Lifetime
Achievement Award. The award was the first of
its kind given by the fellowship for devoting
"more than five decades to securing a free
press for her country and continuing to serve
as a check on any government that would seek
to limit that freedom." (See acceptance
speech)
Her many admirers say that she has a special
knack for selling newspapers. Her Pinoy Times
rose from a daily circulation of 30,000 copies
to 170,000 copies in 2001 after its establishment
18 months before. Publication of the weekend
editions peaked to 400,000 per issue. The Pinoy
Times brought news of the presidential scandal
to the very people who voted for him.
She received the 1999 Outstanding Thomasian
Alumni Award for Media "for using the pen
in the cause of democracy, for being a paragon
of press freedom, for showing that the tough
field of publishing knows no sex."
Today, she continues to do advocacy work for
freedom and democracy as the Chairperson of
the Foundation for Worldwide People Power.
She is happily married to Jose Z. Apostol.
Her biography is featured in the book "Seven
in the Eye of History" along with those
of former President Corazon C. Aquino, Jaime
Cardinal Sin, Ifugao elder Macli-ing Dulag,
peace negotiator Luis Jalandoni, activist Eduardo
Quintero and comfort woman Ma. Rosa Henson.
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| WORKS
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Ms. Apostol started the first
woman's magazine, Woman's Home Companion, which
she edited. During the Marcos years, she published
Mr. and Ms., women's magazine filled with gossip
and entertainment news. However, underneath all
the pages of lifestyle and leisure, a special
edition was released which featured investigative
stories on the assassination of Senator Benigno
Aquino Jr. Mrs. Apostol financed the magazine
using money from her husband and a small group
of friends-cum-investors. When much-needed financing
got scarce, she pawned a diamond ring, a gift
from her husband, to pay for salaries.
She was the founder and Chairperson of the Philippine
Daily Inquirer from 1985-1994.
She produced and released the television documentary
"Batas Militar" in time for the anniversary
of the declaration of martial law in 1997. The
documentary featured the years of Marcos dictatorship
and the popular struggle to topple it.
She also founded and published Hu! Ha!, a weekly
publication in 1997-1998.
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