Remembering Eggie Apostol, purveyor of truth, independence

REST IN PEACE. Eugenia Apostol was a pioneering journalist and press freedom advocate who founded the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Ramon Magsaysay Foundation

'Eugenia Apostol’s passing marks the end of an era, but her legacy endures in every journalist who continues to defend truth, independence, and the people’s right to know,' the UP College of Mass Communication writes

AT A GLANCE

• Eugenia 'Eggie' Apostol, a prominent Filipino journalist and founder of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, passed away at the age of 100, leaving a legacy of truth and fearless journalism.
• Apostol was known for her strong advocacy for press freedom and her role in the 'mosquito press' during the Marcos dictatorship, which aimed to expose government corruption and uphold democracy.
• Her contributions to journalism were recognized with numerous awards, including the Gawad Plaridel and the Ramon Magsaysay Award, and she is remembered by peers for her unwavering commitment to independent reporting.

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MANILA, Philippines – As the Filipino journalism community mourns the passing of Eugenia “Eggie” Apostol, the late veteran’s peers are choosing to remember her for her fierce stance on truth and the freedom to do powerful reportage.

Apostol, a renowned publisher and veteran journalist, founded the Philippine Daily Inquirer in 1985, just a few months shy of the 1986 People Power Revolution. She was well-known in the world of the “mosquito press” — newspapers and media outlets that were vocal about their criticism toward Ferdinand E. Marcos and his dictatorship. 

According to Marixi Prieto, the former chair of the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s board of directors, Apostol had always been known to stand up for reporters, editors, and their work when it came to doing hard-hitting reportage. “Those moments captured so much of who she was — strong, principled, courageous, and unwavering in what she believed was right.”

“Eggie was a woman of extraordinary strength and courage, someone I had the privilege of knowing. She built the Inquirer on a foundation of truth and independence and fiercely protected those values through the years,” Prieto said in her statement. 

Apostol, who died at 100, was the first-ever awardee of the Gawad Plaridel, the highest honor the University of the Philippines confers to media practitioners who strive to make a difference in their line of work and contribute to shaping the Philippine media landscape. 

“Eugenia Apostol’s passing marks the end of an era, but her legacy endures in every journalist who continues to defend truth, independence, and the people’s right to know. She is survived by her family, colleagues, and generations of media practitioners who carry forward her vision of fearless journalism,” the UP College of Mass Communication said in its statement. 

She was the publisher of Mr. & Ms. Special Edition, a weekly tabloid that would carry reports against the Marcos administration. 

“MR. & MS. became our Facebook or our social media when it was not there yet, so the Filipino people will know the TRUTH about our country and more about our aspirations for our people and our country,” wrote the August Twenty-One Movement, a civil rights group established after the assassination of former president Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. 

In 1999, Apostol would then go on to establish Pinoy Times, another tabloid that would publish exposés about then-president Joseph “Erap” Estrada’s administration. 

“I join the many mourning the passing of Eggy Apostol who came into the lives of people like me through Mr. & Ms. And then the Inquirer. She very kindly asked me to join her venture, the Pinoy Times where I wrote a column in Filipino. When the country needed fighting journalism, she was there,” historian and veteran writer Manolo Quezon shared.

Historian Xiao Chua, meanwhile, lauded Apostol for her work at Mr. & Ms. Special Edition, PDI, and the Pinoy Times Special Edition, and her overall dedication to press freedom and democracy. 

“Nagpakita ng tapang at malayang pamamahayag bilang saligan ng kapayapaan at demokrasya. Paalam po (She showed that courage and freedom of the press are the foundation of peace and democracy. Farewell),” Chua said about Apostol in a Facebook tribute. 

Hailing from Sorsogon, Apostol received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts in 2006. 

In 1948, she completed her journalism degree at the University of Santo Tomas, where she graduated magna cum laude. She was also the editor of the women’s sections of The Manila Times and The Manila Chronicle. – Rappler.com