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 鈥� 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 鈥� 鈥�1 of 5 young Filipinos have considered suicide鈥揢P survey鈥� 鈥� was hailed as Outstanding Published Feature Article on Youth and Education in Nationally Circulated Publication. Appearing in the newspaper鈥檚 Oct. 11, 2022, issue, it bested nine other finalists in the category.
The report was based on the rise of 鈥渟uicide ideation鈥� 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鈥檚 reportorial team.
鈥淎s in all of my articles, I was not really intent on winning any prize so I was a bit surprised when they announced it鈥� I felt gratitude for the Lasallian Scholarum鈥檚 recognition for such a sensitive story about the youth,鈥� said Boiser, who received a 鈥渙ne-of-a-kind鈥� Toym Imao sculpture for her work.
鈥淚ndeed, it鈥檚 our role as journalists to raise awareness about critical issues, even if they are difficult and uncomfortable for the public to bear,鈥� she added.
Speaking at the awarding rites held at the DLSU campus in Manila on Wednesday, DLSU president Br. Bernard Oca said: 鈥淎s an educational institution, we find this a good venue to advocate the development of our youth and education sectors.鈥�
Three other Inquirer stories made it as LSA finalists. 鈥淟a Salle-DOST project seeks to preserve Mangyan script鈥� and 鈥淪ocial factors must be considered in education reforms鈥損sychologist鈥濃�攂oth reported by Jane Bautista鈥攚ere shortlisted in the category for Outstanding Feature Story on DLSU.
鈥淪on of vendor, driver graduates at rich kids鈥� school in Bacolod,鈥� 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鈥檚 LSA introduced a new category for 鈥淥utstanding Media Personality,鈥� an award that went to TV journalist Alfonso Tomas 鈥淎tom鈥� Araullo of GMA.
The other winners are the following:
鈥� Outstanding Feature Story on DLSU鈥斺�溾�楥ancel Culture鈥� Has Become More Pronounced on Social Media鈥揇LSU Study鈥� by Aytch dela Cruz of One黑料社.ph
鈥� Outstanding Online Feature Story on Youth and Education鈥斺�淶ero budget for special education in 2023 makes SPED law 鈥榤eaningless鈥欌�� by Kurt Dela Pe帽a of Inquirer.net
鈥� Outstanding Video Feature Story on Youth and Education鈥斺�淩unaway Child Brides鈥揂ng Kwento ng mga Tumakas sa Buya鈥� by Lilian Tiburcio and Bryan Kristoffer J. Brazil of GMA 黑料社 and Public Affairs
鈥� Outstanding Published Feature Article on Youth and Education in a School Organ 鈥斺�淩utang Filipino: Unang Hakbang sa Edukasyong Maka-Pilipino?鈥� by Arvene John P. Dela Cruz and Norwin D. Trilles of FEU Advocate.