Filipino 2022 Marshall McLuhan Fellow Karmina Constantino congratulated in BC parliament

Filipino 2022 Marshall McLuhan Fellow Karmina Constantino congratulated in BC parliament

By Nestor Burgos
The Philippine Reporter

VANCOUVER — Member of British Columbia Legislative Assembly (MLA) Mable Elmore (Vancouver-Kensington) has congratulated Filipino journalist Karmina Constantino for being awarded the 2022 Marshall Mcluhan Fellow. She also asked the assembly to congratulate Constantino.

In a speech on November 1, Elmore also welcomed Christian Esguerra, the Marshall McLuhan Fellow for 2020, who will be holding a two-week lecture tour in Canada this month as part of the fellowship.
For 25 years, the Canadian Embassy in the Philippines with the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility has sponsored the Marshall McLuhan Fellowship, named after the Canadian media and communication theorist.

“The fellowship highlights the best practices of Filipino journalists at a time of heightened challenges to press freedom in the Philippines and other countries amid a deluge of disinformation globally,” Elmore, the first MLA of BC of Filipino heritage, said.

Esguerra will be visiting and speaking in key cities of Canada including in Toronto and Vancouver. His trip was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Constantino of television network ABS-CBN is expected to hold a similar lecture tour next year.

Elmore cited the killing of popular and outspoken broadcaster Percival Mabasa, popularly known as Percy Lapid, in Metro Manila on October 3. He is the second Filipino journalist killed since President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. took office on June 30.

“International media organizations have consistently named the Philippines among the most dangerous countries for journalists,” she said.

She cited the record of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines of 197 media workers killed since 1986.

“Around the world, press freedom has been essential to the democratic system. Effective participatory government is possible only when it can count on a well-informed society where individuals freely exchange ideas and public debate and discussion arises from knowledge and understanding of national affairs,” she said.

“I ask everyone in the chamber to congratulate the 2022 fellow Karmina Constantino and welcome the 2020 fellow Christian Esguerra to Canada and Vancouver for his lecture tour shortly,” Elmore said in her speech.