Howie_Severino

Lamitan, Basilan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howie_Severino
Severino started as a newspaper reporter and magazine writer in 1988; became a co-founder of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ); established himself as a leading documentary filmmaker; and, in 2009, was named Editor-in-Chief of GMA News Online, GMA Network's news website.

HOWIE  SEVERINO:  THE  QUINTESSENTIAL  JOURNALIST
MANILA, AUGUST 17, 2006 (STAR) By Alma Anonas-Carpio People Asia Magazine - Howie Severino spends his life interviewing people and asking their stories. Now, it's his turn to tell his. PEOPLE Asia sits with him for an intimate conversation about his serendipitous past, his achievements and even his vegetarian family.

Few people know what they want to be when they grow up, even when they get to college. Veteran broadcast and investigative journalist Horacio "Howie" Severino's path, however, was set early in life. "I wanted to be a journalist when I was in the fifth grade," Severino tells PEOPLE Asia in an interview at his Manila apartment, which offers a gorgeous view of Manila Bay.

Once he decided to be a journalist, Howie began honing his skills for the trade he now plies: Howie wrote for the school paper and, after finishing college in Boston, Massachusetts, he came home to work as a reporter for The Manila Chronicle.

Born into a brood of four, Howie studied at the Ateneo de Manila before going to Boston, where he earned his Bachelor's degree in History - magna cum laude - from Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts in 1983. Howie went on to complete his master's degree in Environment, Development and Policy from Sussex University in Brighton, England in 1993.

Accident for the Better

While his excellent work in the broadcast format speaks for Howie's dedication and passion for the job, he says he wound up working on television purely by accident. "I had gone up North to cover a rare burial ritual that involved putting the deceased in a 'death chair' and leaving the body to decompose while prayers and other [related] rites were held as the deceased sat in his chair," he says with a smile. "I had a video camera with me and I documented the full ritual."

Then it struck him that "this is something the rest of the country should see, this is relevant to the public. This is a part of our cultural heritage, which I was privileged to witness and document and I wanted to share the experience with others."

With this in mind, Howie did what he thought best. He first offered his footage to ABS-CBN. "They didn't want it, though," he adds. "So I brought it to GMA-7."

GMA-7 liked Howie's footage and he got a call from The Probe Team's Cheche Lazaro soon after leaving the master copy of his tape with them. Lazaro "asked me if I would mind doing the script for the tape because they wanted to air it, so I did the script," Howie recalls with a chuckle and a smile. "Then she called me back and said, since I took the footage and did the script, would I want to do the voice over? I thought, wait, wasn't that their job? Then I did the voice over."

It wasn't long after that video aired that Howie got an offer to join The Probe Team, first on a contractual, then on a regular basis. Now Howie does stories for the program I-Witness and trains GMA-7's reporters. Howie's I-Witness special, "Little Bad Boy," which documented the life and travels of National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal, won him a La Sallian Award in 2005. The Ramon Orlina-sculpted trophy is proudly displayed on a mantel in their living room along with other awards won by Howie and his wife, Ipat Luna. She is a multi-awarded environmental lawyer herself, and they have one son, Alon Roberto.

Setting Standards

"I admit, I am lucky that I am where I am," Howie says somberly. He is one of the founding members of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) and his considerable work experience in in-depth and investigative reporting has contributed greatly to the standards set for this type of reportage.

Looking around Howie's home, one can see his and his wife's eclectic tastes in books, with one entire shelf devoted to parenting. Howie is asked to pose on his couch for the photo shoot with the late National Artist Nick Joaquin's Manila, My Manila and Howie complies, saying that he hasn't read the book in a while.

While he favors books on history and journalism trade books, Howie has taken a liking for creative non-fiction as well. "Reading keeps the mind sharp," he says, offering this writer a cup of coffee. "The mind is, after all, a journalist's most useful tool." After the photo shoot wraps up, Howie invites the crew to join him for a light, home-cooked lunch of pasta and soup made from organic vegetables.

"My wife and I are semi-vegetarian and we prefer to buy organic food," Howie says between mouthfuls. "It's a healthier lifestyle." Besides eating mostly vegetables and some fish, Howie and his family drink soymilk instead of cow's milk and they eat "whole foods" such as breads with whole grains rather than heavily refined flour.

Howie's job now is multi-faceted - reporter, producer and videographer with GMA-7 News and Public Affairs. He is also co-host and writer of I-Witness, the Philippines' only documentary show. Independently, Howie is also a director of documentaries screened in the Philippines and overseas, and is a freelance writer for various publications. Over a career that spans 14 years, he has also specialized in environmental and conflict reporting and his sterling work has earned him a title conferred by The International Herald Tribune as "the country's leading environmental journalist."

In June 2006, the Rotary Club of Manila named Howie as Investigative Journalist of the Year. Howie's career highlights make a list any journalist would envy though he remains down-to-earth and well grounded.

Beyond Reportage

Along with other PCIJ members, Severino has gone beyond just reporting to training other journalists in the many facets of the job. This includes ethics and proper reporting on children in conflict with the law and how to go about the business of putting together an accurate, incisive and well-written investigative piece.

As the son of a diplomat - his father is Ambassador Rodolfo Severino, who had served as secretary-general of the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) from 1998 to 2002 - Howie's life has revolved around travel. In his profession, Howie still travels. "I have been privileged to see the beauty of our country, as well as its problems."

It was during Howie's stay in Boston that he met Sen. Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., who was in self-imposed exile in the US at the time. "I was in college and I read this small item in an alternative magazine that Ninoy was going to speak at a forum and I went," he says. "I learned so much from him and, I guess, he also influenced my decision to become a journalist."

Now married with a small son, Howie says he travels less, mainly to spend time with his little boy, "but I still have to travel for some of my stories, so I schedule my trips around my family's needs."

Now that he is doing less investigative work, Howie happily says, "people are less intimidated when I tell them I'm a journalist now. Before, when I was doing more investigative reports, many of the people I'd interview were defensive because they knew I would accuse them of wrongdoing. People are naturally intimidated by that sort of thing, especially if they have reason to fear exposure for wrongdoing."

He is also a founding member of Manindigan! - an anti-Marcos opposition group - in 1984 and he served actively with the group until 1986. He was arrested and detained in solitary confinement in Fort Bonifacio for anti-Marcos activism in 1985. Howie also helped organize an upland farmer's cooperative and environmental group on Mount Banahaw from 1993 to 1995.

Journalist's Woes

The downside of the journalist's job is not strange territory for Howie, who, like most of his brethren in the trade, is deeply concerned over the unresolved killings of journalists and the poor human rights record of the Philippines as a result of these slayings. "I am lucky I'm based in Manila, where journalists are safer and earn better. It's our brethren in the provinces who take the brunt of the violence and the poverty that plague journalists," he says, his face taking on a serious mien.

"The provincial press get paid less than their counterparts in Manila, so many of them have to take on other jobs to stay alive," he adds. "So resolving the murders of provincial journalists is more complicated. Did they get killed for their journalistic endeavors or did they get killed for something else?"

However, he also brings media killings to a grave bottom line: "The point of the matter is that these journalists are Filipino citizens, who were murdered. These people have the right to justice as citizens of the Philippines, not just because they are journalists."

Such unresolved murder cases, he adds, "speak ill of the government - not just because killing a journalist means depriving the people of their right to information but they make the government look bad because the police cannot catch killers who have taken the lives of the people they are duty-bound to serve and protect."

Poverty is another serious problem for the Filipino journalist, Howie notes. "A lot of journalists live on meager pay, which makes them susceptible to corruption," he concedes. "This is also a problem journalists have to face, how to keep dignity and integrity intact as one does his job. This is especially true in the provinces, where the provincial press would rather stay mum on a given issue and accept the bribes offered to them than risk their lives to make exposes for a small paycheck."

Vote of Confidence

Given these problems. Howie still gives his vote of confidence to the Filipino journalist: "We can still trust the media. There are a lot of good young bloods out there. They are learning well and doing good jobs, so, yes, I have faith that our journalists and our press will remain free and will report the news faithfully."

He is particularly optimistic about the fact that "there are now more formats and technology available for journalists to use in their reportage, such as the Internet, digital cameras and communications equipment that make the job of delivering the news easier and faster."

The problems facing journalists will not go away overnight, he adds, "but the industry must evolve as well and adapt to the challenges it faces, as must the journalists who work in the industry."

Improvements in pay and safety nets for journalists would be a good start, Howie says, "and better and regular training and support for journalists from their news organizations will go a long way towards helping them deliver the news better."