Inquirer story wins La Salle Scholarum media award
TOP PRIZE | Inquirer reporter and scholar Abby Boiser receives a Toym Imao sculpture as trophy from De La Salle University senior vice president Ramon Trajano (left) and National Brother adviser Richie Yap at the 18th Lasallian Scholarum Awards program held on Wednesday, March 22, 2023. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
MANILA, Philippines — An Inquirer story on the alarming number of young Filipinos contemplating suicide won one of the top honors at the 18th Lasallian Scholarum Awards (LSA), a recognition conferred by De La Salle University (DLSU) on outstanding media reports on youth and education.
The piece written by Abby Boiser — “1 of 5 young Filipinos have considered suicide–UP survey” — was hailed as Outstanding Published Feature Article on Youth and Education in Nationally Circulated Publication. Appearing in the newspaper’s Oct. 11, 2022, issue, it bested nine other finalists in the category.
The report was based on the rise of “suicide ideation” among young people as reflected in the 2021 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study conducted by the University of the Philippines Population Institute. The study, which surveyed 10,949 respondents randomly selected and aged 15 to 24, found that the number of young people harboring thoughts or wishes about death and suicide more than doubled between 2013 and 2021.
Scholar to reporter
Boiser is one of the latest Inquirer Foundation scholars to join the paper’s reportorial team.
“As in all of my articles, I was not really intent on winning any prize so I was a bit surprised when they announced it… I felt gratitude for the Lasallian Scholarum’s recognition for such a sensitive story about the youth,” said Boiser, who received a “one-of-a-kind” Toym Imao sculpture for her work.
“Indeed, it’s our role as journalists to raise awareness about critical issues, even if they are difficult and uncomfortable for the public to bear,” she added.
Speaking at the awarding rites held at the DLSU campus in Manila on Wednesday, DLSU president Br. Bernard Oca said: “As an educational institution, we find this a good venue to advocate the development of our youth and education sectors.”
Three other Inquirer stories made it as LSA finalists. “La Salle-DOST project seeks to preserve Mangyan script” and “Social factors must be considered in education reforms–psychologist”—both reported by Jane Bautista—were shortlisted in the category for Outstanding Feature Story on DLSU.
“Son of vendor, driver graduates at rich kids’ school in Bacolod,” written by Inquirer Visayas correspondent Carla Gomez, was one of the finalists for Outstanding Online Feature Article on Youth and Education.
Other winners
This year’s LSA introduced a new category for “Outstanding Media Personality,” an award that went to TV journalist Alfonso Tomas “Atom” Araullo of GMA.
The other winners are the following:
• Outstanding Feature Story on DLSU—“‘Cancel Culture’ Has Become More Pronounced on Social Media–DLSU Study” by Aytch dela Cruz of OneNews.ph
• Outstanding Online Feature Story on Youth and Education—“Zero budget for special education in 2023 makes SPED law ‘meaningless’” by Kurt Dela Peña of Inquirer.net
• Outstanding Video Feature Story on Youth and Education—“Runaway Child Brides–Ang Kwento ng mga Tumakas sa Buya” by Lilian Tiburcio and Bryan Kristoffer J. Brazil of GMA News and Public Affairs
• Outstanding Published Feature Article on Youth and Education in a School Organ —“Rutang Filipino: Unang Hakbang sa Edukasyong Maka-Pilipino?” by Arvene John P. Dela Cruz and Norwin D. Trilles of FEU Advocate.
