HEADLINES

Daily Tribune correspondent wins award for health story

Tacloban-based reporter Elmer Recuerdo's five-part story, titled 'Schistosomiasis adds to poverty burden,' published from 11 to 15 September, detailed how the infectious disease continues to affect the lives of the poor in Leyte, where the parasitic host snail was discovered in 1906

DT · Dec 4, 2022, 8:52 PM

TRIBUNE correspondent Elmer Recuerdo’s piece on schistosomiasis had to be spread out in five parts for its exhaustive exposition on the parasitic infection.

TACLOBAN CITY — Daily Tribune correspondent Elmer Recuerdo's special report on the impact of schistosomiasis on Leyte was awarded 2022 Best Print Health Story by the organization Eastern Visayas Media Without Borders over the weekend.

The five-part story, titled "Schistosomiasis adds to poverty burden," published from 11 to 15 September, detailed how the infectious disease continues to affect the lives of the poor in Leyte, where the parasitic host snail was discovered in 1906.

The snail has been identified as the blood parasite that feeds on humans and domestic animals, living off their intestines.

An individual suffering from schistosomiasis may experience fever, chills, cough, and muscle aches. The advanced stage of infection is marked in humans by seizures and hallucinations, and may lead to death.

The World Health Organization has identified schistosomiasis as one of 17 neglected Tropical Diseases that it wants to eradicate by 2030.

Recuerdo, who is based in Tacloban City, thanked the Philippine Press Institute and the Hans Seidel Foundation for the story grant that made research for the article possible. The series is his third article recognized by the regional media organization.

At the awarding ceremonies, from left: Dept of Science and Technology information officer Ramil Uy, Tacloban City Hall media consultant Gaye Gaspay, Elmer Recuerdo, Eastern Visayas Media Without Borders board of directors Josephine Mendoza and Mark Morallos

In 2020, Recuerdo's report on the success of a farmer's organization in transforming a former communist hotbed into a thriving eco-tourism farmland won Best Agriculture Story.

Eastern Visayas Media Without Borders is a registered regional organization of over 70 media practitioners in the region.

It has been giving recognition to individuals, organizations and local journalists who have written in-depth articles or produced profound radio and television programs and reports.

Miriam Desacada, president of EVMWB, said the yearly recognition aims to foster a good camaraderie among media practitioners and their sources of information without compromising objectivity and fairness in news gathering.