FETED. The Philippine Heart Association Inc. has feted the Philippine News Agency and Health beat reporter Ma. Teresa Montemayor (individual category) along with other journalists in the PHA Media Awards at The Westin in Mandaluyong City on Thursday (Dec. 7, 2023) night. Joining Montemayor to receive the award on behalf of PNA is News and Information Bureau Director III Lee Ann Pattugalan. (PNA photo by Ma. Teresa Montemayor)
MANILA – The Philippine Heart Association Inc. (PHA) on Thursday night honored nine journalists and 13 media outfits, including state-run Philippine News Agency, for informing Filipinos about healthy living and helping reduce cardiovascular diseases in the country.
PHA president Dr. Ronald Cuyco said their association has reached “new heights and depths” amid concerns of misinformation about cardiovascular health and healthy lifestyle as revolutionized accessibility to social media has made viral stories the main source of knowledge among Filipinos without their credibility being checked.
“We recognize the importance of media, either conventional or online platforms in trying to disseminate and spread a healthy lifestyle because it's very important, prevention is better than cure,” he told the PNA on the sidelines of the PHA Media Awards Night in Mandaluyong City.
“Cardiovascular disease, now, tops the causes of death in the country, you know, and we have to involve everyone, and I think the media is very powerful in this.”
The media also advocates for PHA’s mission in the Congress to have health measures passed into laws and policies which impact the entire population’s health and country’s economic growth, Cuyco added.
PHA, with its 2,312 members, has set criteria that journalists and media outfits must possess to receive their Platinum Heart Award 2023.
These include news value, reportorial quality (balance and fairness, comprehensiveness, originality and substance), storytelling or writing skills, analytical value (capable of reporting a complex issue in a clear and simplified manner) and impact.
Recipients in the individual category are PNA Health reporter Ma. Teresa Montemayor, Michael Delizo (ABS-CBN/ANC), Dr. Freddie Gomez (MedTalk HealthTalk, CNN PH), Dianne Querrer (PTV 4), Connie Sison (Pinoy MD, DzBB), Annabelle Surara (Radyo Agila), Marou Sarne (DwIZ/ALIW TV23), Calvin Cordova (Manila Bulletin-Cebu) and Leony Garcia (WatchaMacalit).
The other recipients under the media entity or show program are PNA, ABS-CBN, CNN PH, DzRH, GMA News Online, Manila Bulletin, Manila Standard, MedTalk Health Talk, Net 25, PTV 4, Radyo Agila, Iwas Sakit, Iwas Gastos, Radyo 630 DwPM and SciTech & Digital News.
The PHA encourages the public to steer clear of fake news especially about health and to subscribe only to legitimate media outfits that practice fact-checking and high editorial standards. (PNA)
