A JOURNALISM alumna was recognized by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Oct. 2 for her extensive and professional handling of statistics.
Chrisee Dela Paz, a business reporter from Rappler, was named Best Individual for the Online Category of the 7th National Statistics Month (NSM) Media Awards for her accurate reportage on the country’s gross domestic product in the first half of 2017.
“It takes good ear, lifelong practice, courage, empathy, and above all, humility to thrive in the industry,” Dela Paz told the Flame. “Rule of thumb is don’t be lazy and don’t lose your integrity.”
Dela Paz, who graduated with a degree in Journalism in 2012, said the award made her more motivated to do better in the industry.
“It comes at a moment when the industry is being challenged by the prevalence of fake news posing as serious journalism. This just highlights the importance of strong fact-based reporting without favor,” she said.
Among the award’s criteria are accuracy and timeliness of data based on reliable sources, effectiveness of the style or approach of articles released, frequency of reports, and articles with statistics.
The NSM Media Awards recognizes the role of media practitioners who have made significant contributions in promoting and popularizing statistical information.
PSA is the central statistical authority of the government, and is tasked with handling, enforcing and coordinating government-wide programs governing the production of anything related to statistics. F
