ABS-CBN News correspondent and anchor Jeff Canoy is on a winning streak, nabbing awards from the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, where he won first prize in the English Essay category, the prestigious Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards in France, and the Marshall McLuhan fellowship grant.
Wins at NY Festivals, named 2018 Marshall McLuhan Fellow
ABS-CBN News correspondent and anchor Jeff Canoy is on a winning streak, nabbing awards from the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, where he won first prize in the English Essay category, the prestigious Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards in France, and the Marshall McLuhan fellowship grant.
Jeff, who covered the Marawi Siege in 2017 with fellow ABS-CBN News journalist Chiara Zambrano, won the Palanca award for his long-form essay “Buhay pa kami’: Dispatches from Marawi,” describing the realities of the months-long urban war in Marawi, Lanao Del Sur. His essay details the terrors of the war through the eyes of civilians and soldiers during the conflict that ravaged their city.
According to Jeff, getting recognized for his piece is both a dream come true and a challenge.
“There’s still so much write about and be done for the people in Marawi,” said Jeff. “As a reporter, you’re a witness to their stories and they trust you with their voice so that the rest of the country can help them. If my words can help someone in Marawi in any capacity, that’s the ultimate prize.”
The piece also won an honorable mention award for Excellence in Explanatory Reporting at the Society of Publishers in Asia’s (SOPA) 2018 Awards last June.
Meanwhile, Jeff was named this year’s Marshall McLuhan fellow, an award given yearly by the Canadian Embassy in the Philippines for “embodying outstanding qualities in the field of investigative journalism” and recognizes journalists for the quality of their reports in newspapers, television and online.
Jeff credited his journalism idols and former winners of the McLuhan fellowship, including ABS-CBN chief of reporters Lynda Jumilla and ABS-CBN News contributing editor and writer Inday Varona for inspiring his work ethic.
“To be mentioned in the same breath as these industry giants is truly humbling,” said Jeff. “The body of work that these journalists have is something that all younger ones aspire to have. A body of work is often forgotten in an industry where celebrity is mistaken as credibility.”
Later this September, Jeff is also due to receive an award from the prestigious Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards in Cannes, France. The annual event in one of the most important film centers of world honors the “finest corporate films, online media productions and documentaries.”
In 2017, Jeff and Chiara were part of the ABS-CBN DocuCentral documentary on the war called “’Di Ka Pasisiil’ (Never Shall Be Conquered),” which detailed the experiences of both soldiers and civilians in the war that ravaged Marawi city. It won the 2018 World’s Best Television & Films competition in New York under the category of Continuing News Coverage in April of this year.
Jeff started his career in news as an intern and production assistant for ABS-CBN before becoming a reporter covering the graveyard police, national police, national conflicts, and disasters beats. He credits his mentors like news veterans Nadia Trinidad, Jorge Carino, and ABS-CBN Integrated News head Ging Reyes for shaping who he is as a journalist. His passion lies in being on the ground and being with the people directly affected by the events he covers.
“At the end of the day, it’s never about you, it’s always about the story,” said Jeff. “There’s so much more to learn.”
Jeff, who also appears in “Umagang Kay Ganda,” is the anchor of the current affairs program and 2018 Golden Dove Award for Best TV Public Service Program “Red Alert” on ABS-CBN and “Red Alert” sa DZMM, which both educate and inform viewers on how to prepare for calamities, natural disasters, and everyday hazards. “Red Alert” airs on ABS-CBN and ABS-CBN HD every Wednesday after “Bandila” and at 9:30 pm on DZMM TeleRadyo. “Red Alert sa DZMM” airs on Sundays at 10 am on DZMM Radyo Patrol 630 and DZMM TeleRadyo. Follow the program on Facebook at (@RedAlertABSCBN) and Twitter (@ABSCBNRedAlert). For updates, follow @abscbnpr on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit www.abscbnpr.com.