Journalists Jeff Canoy and Val Cuenca captured in words, still and moving images the plight of Marawi residents caught in the middle of the on-going armed conflict in a special report published on ABS-CBN News Online (news.abs-cbn.com) last July 5.
In the article, “Buhay Pa Kami: Dispatches from Marawi,” Jeff weaves five stories into one narrative about how Muslims, Christians, fathers, mothers, and ordinary civilians survived days of terror in the Islamic City of Marawi.
The report was immediately shared around social media, with netizens commending the journalists for the piece’s powerful and moving storytelling. Twitter user @iluvshang said, “This made me cry. Tumatagos sa puso salamat (It pierces through the heart thanks) @jeffcanoy for this inspirational stories of Marawi,” while @jhonas_lumanlan shared,“I read this as if I were in the featured victims’ shoes. The battle has not yet ended. Let’s continue praying.”
Jeff and Val’s fellow journalists also commended them for bravely covering and telling the stories of fellow Filipinos affected by the war.
Inday Varona said, “Must read! (Um, hawak tissue before you start). THIS is story-telling of the best sort, narrative journalism, focusing on people. Jeff Canoy, told you a few years back you could be one of the best writers there. Bravo! Kudos din kay Kuya Val!.”
Raissa Robles added, “Well done @jeffcanoy One of the best pieces on conflict I’ve read this year. You made me cry bec you brought out the humanity of it all.”
Former news anchor Menchu Macapagal also shared the link to the piece saying “I could feel the emotions in this piece,” while former ANC anchor and now Philippine representative to the United Nations Teddy Locsin Jr. told Jeff his work deserves a world journalism prize, calling it “Beautiful in the most tragic sense.”
ABS-CBN News head Ging Reyes also gave a thumbs up to the article, adding that stories like “Buhay Pa Kami” explains why journalists “do what they do.”
Other reporters like Kori Quintos, RG Cruz, and Gigi Grande, and even celebrities like Angel Locsin also encouraged others to read and share the story.
Jeff and Val have been in and out of Marawi along with other ABS-CBN News journalists to tell the stories of people involved in and affected by the conflict. Like fellow ABS-CBN News journalist Chiara Zambrano, Jeff’s social media posts and reports on the armed conflict have been shared around social media by netizens hungry for news about our countrymen in Marawi. They recently recounted their experiences while in the war zone in a special episode of the award-winning documentary series “Mukha” on ANC, the ABS-CBN News Channel.
Viewers can watch the episode on iWant TV or “Mukha’s” official facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MukhaTV/. Meanwhile, “Buhay Pa Kami: Dispatches from Marawi” is still up on ABS-CBN News Online (news.abs-cbn.com) at http://news.abs-cbn.com/specials/dispatches-from-marawi.
