3 PDI scholars graduate magna cum laude

INQUIRER SCHOLARS Krixia Zhienelle Subingsubing (left), Matthew Samuel Reysio-Cruz and Jennifer Corazon Cabildo, who all graduated magna cum laude from the University of the Philippines’ College of Mass Communication, show off the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s certificate of excellence awarded to them through Connie R. Kalagayan, INQUIRER assistant vice president for corporate affairs. LEOM. SABANGAN II

Three Inquirer scholars graduated magna cum laude from the University of the Philippines Diliman yesterday.

Journalism graduates Jennifer Corazon Cabildo, Matthew Samuel Reysio-Cruz and Krixia Zhienelle Subingsubing received the Philippine Daily Inquirer certificate of excellence during graduation rites of the College of Mass Communication held at UP Cine Adarna.

Reysio-Cruz said being an Inquirer scholar opened up a lot of opportunities for him, such as being chosen as sole winner of the global search for the Michael Konig Young Journalist Bursary.

The award entailed a weeklong internship program at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in France, where the Inquirer is the country representative.

The undergraduate thesis of Subingsubing on the implementation of the e-UP project was cited best in investigative journalism.

The four-part series on the state-funded information technology project also won first prize in the 2016 Philippine Journalism Research Conference.

Cabildo and Reysio-Cruz’s investigative series on children in conflict with the law in Metro Manila was a finalist in the same conference. She plans to go to law school and become a newspaper columnist.

The scholars thanked the Inquirer for its support and for the training they received during their internship in the newspaper.

“As an intern, I went beyond my comfort zone and I surprised even myself with what I was able to do,” Cabildo said.

The internship “gave me unmatched training when it came to thinking on my feet, developing an angle and beating the deadline,” said Reysio-Cruz, who looks forward to being an investigative reporter covering human rights in developing countries and in conflict zones.

“I always [find] myself in the thick of the action—shadowing veteran reporters, interviewing bigwigs, making taglines [or bylines, on lucky days]. I learned how to be urgent but careful, to be relentless in asking questions, to function under high pressure,” Subingsubing said.