Pulitzer Prizes were once again announced on Monday, April 16, entering the second decade of awarding excellence in newspaper journalism, literary achievements, and musical composition.
Among this year’s list of winners was Filipino Reuters journalist Manuel “Manny” Mogato, who with his colleagues Clare Baldwin and Andrew R.C. Marshall, won a Pulitzer Prize in the International Reporting category for their coverage on Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal war on drugs.
Mogato is the second Filipino journalist based in the Philippines to win the Pulitzer — 76 years after diplomat, journalist, author, and co-founder of the United Nations, Carlos Romulo, won in 1942.
Other Filipino winners have been Alex Tizon in 1997 for his article “My Family’s Slave” which went viral last year, photographer Cheryl Diaz Meyer in 2004 for her breaking news photography on the war in Iraq, and Jose Antonio Vargas in 2008 for his and the Washington Post’s coverage of the Virginia Tech shooting.
A Mass Communications graduate of the University of the City of Manila in 1983, Mogato’s journalism career started as a crime, military, and political reporter for local newspapers. He also spent seven years working for the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun, covering politics, security, and diplomacy.
Having been a Manila-based political and general news correspondent for Reuters for over 15 years, his work in the Philippines spans over three decades through which he’s covered some of the country’s biggest modern political events like the “People Power Revolution” in 1986 against Ferdinand Marcos, and the 2001 fall of Joseph Estrada.
Mogato has also covered conflicts involving rebellions and failed coups, like the rise of small pro-Islamic State militants who occupied Marawi last year.
He also acts as a board member of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP).
“Despite some dangers inherent in today’s journalism work, Manny remained steadfast and dedicated in carrying out his job. Your FOCAP family is very proud of this accomplishment. Mabuhay ka Manny!” said FOCAP in a statement.
‘Duterte’s War’
Mogato, Baldwin, and Marshall were awarded the International Reporting Pulitzer Prize for their “relentless reporting that exposed the brutal killing campaign behind Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.”
The winning work was the team’s series straightforwardly titled “Duterte’s War.”
