By ALYSSA MAE CLARIN
Bulatlat.com

MANILA – The Philippine media community is mourning the passing of one of its pillars, Luis V. Teodoro, who passed away March 13 at 81 years old.

The University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication (UP CMC) announced his passing yesterday, March 14. Teodoro had a long career of teaching aspiring journalists, and was the dean of the college from 1994 to 2000.

“As educator, editor, and journalist, Dean Teodoro was pivotal in fostering academic excellence in our discipline, upholding integrity in the practice of media, and defending our freedoms of the press, speech, and assembly,” said the UP CMC.

Altermidya – People’s Alternative Media Network also expressed its gratitude to Teodoro, who was the main force behind the formation of the network.

Luis V. Teodoro, an icon in Philippine journalism, during a protest action commemorating the Ampatuan Massacre. (Photo by Ronalyn V. Olea/Bulatlat)

“Dean Luis was and is a pillar of Philippine journalism, credited with advancing the ideals of pro-people journalism both as a respected member of the academe and through the alternative media that he helped to organize in the Philippines,” Altermidya said.

The network said that the former dean had long envisioned an umbrella organization for alternative media groups across different platforms in the Philippines. This finally became reality in October 2014 during the first National Conference of Alternative Media held at the UP CMC, where Teodoro was elected as the founding chairperson.

His commentaries published in Business World titled Vantage Point as well as the books he authored tackled not only the current media situation in the Philippines but also the climate of impunity in the country, and calls for the defense of human rights.

Teodoro was also part of the Board of Trustees of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility and also a board member of alternative news Bulatlat.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) paid tribute to the veteran journalist and lauded how he had tirelessly stood up in defense of press freedom throughout his years.

“The current and future generations of journalists have been gifted by Dean Teodoro’s lessons on journalism,” said NUJP.

The International Association of Women in Radio and Television – Philippines, for its part, also honored the memory and the contributions of Teodoro in the field of journalism. They said, “Teodoro was a press freedom fighter and an ally who always recognized the role of women journalists in the field of truth-telling and their bravery in the face of authoritarian regimes.” (JJE, RVO)