The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) last week recognized The Market Monitor and 16 other print, broadcast and online journalists and their organizations as “film advocates” who covered and supported the Philippine movie industry and, in particular, the agency’s initiatives in 2016.
During the FDCP’s “Handog sa Press” media thanksgiving event at its Cinematheque Center Manila in Ermita on December 14, Chairman Liza Diño bestowed an award of excellence on The Market Monitor, particularly its online version, for “its enduring commitment and exceptional support for Philippine cinema and the country’s film industry.”
The Market Monitor’s Entertainment and Lifestyle Editor Alvin I. Dacanay accepted the award on the newspaper’s behalf.
Honored with The Market Monitor were Bayani San Diego, Marinel R. Cruz, Emmie G. Velarde, and Nestor U. Torre of the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s special Indie Bravo section; The Philippine Star’s Entertainment Editor and columnist Ricky Lo; Jocelyn Dimaculangan of the Philippine Entertainment Portal website (PEP.ph); YES! Magazine Editor-in-chief Jo-ann Maglipon, whose award was accepted by executive editor and prize-winning poet-screenwriter Jose “Pete” F. Lacaba; entertainment reporters Mario Dumaual of ABS-CBN and Lhar Santiago of GMA; entertainment writer Edwin P. Sallan of the TV5 news website Interkasyon.com; film reviewer Philbert Ortiz Dy of the ClickTheCity website; and Maria A. Ressa, executive editor and CEO of the news website Rappler.
From the online film community, the FDCP recognized Jonell Estillore of Cinema Bravo; Nazamel Tabares of Movies Philippines; Bernard Santos of My Movieworld; and Armando dela Cruz of Film Police Reviews.
“Nagpapasalamat po talaga ako dahil kayo po ang magdadala ng mga programa na gusto nating gawin para sa komunidad natin [I really want to express thanks, because you are the ones who carry the programs that we want to do for our community],” Diño said in her opening speech at the event.
The FDCP chairman also honored the Cinema Evaluation Board (CEB), which, she said, has “really helped us in” maintaining the standard of artistic excellence for Filipino films.
CEB members who accepted trophies during the event included acclaimed screenwriter Clodualdo del Mundo Jr. and award-winning actor Tommy Abuel. TMM