Eugenia D. Apostol

Proven to be one of the Philippines' most influential newspaper publishers for the past three decades, Eugenia "Eggie" Duran-Apostol is a tireless advocate for press freedom.

She was instrumental in helping overthrow two corrupt rulers in the country, Ferdinand Marcos and Joseph Estrada by turning public opinion against them.

"To suppress the expression of differing but legitimate opinion would be like covering the kettle and not allowing the steam to escape. Then you could have an explosive situation." - Mrs. Apostol's words when she was summoned before a panel of military officers when her magazine's aggressive reporting began to trouble the Marcos regime.

During the Marcos years, Eggie published the magazine, Mr. and Ms., and released a special edition which turned out to be a political supplement covering the Aquino-Galman trial. This encouraged editorials and commentaries that criticized the dictatorship.

She spun off another publication, the Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) which covered the dramatic campaign for the snap elections of 1986. The PDI has become the country's leading newspaper today.

In 1999, Mrs. Apostol launched a tabloid newspaper, the Pinoy Times which exposed anomalies of the former President Joseph Estrada. Unlike other tabloids at the time which were devoted mostly to scantily clad women, the Pinoy Times, written in Taglish also aimed at less educated readers, covered investigations about politicians. It comprehensively exposed stories about Mr. Estrada's mansions and mistresses. She personally did undercover work toured the city to find the mansions and photographed them. The Pinoy Times stopped publishing in December 2001.

Sources: "Wily Media Maverick Who Helped Topple Estrada" by Thomas Fuller, International Herald Tribune "Eugenia Apostol: Powerhouse Publisher in the Philippines" by Patrick Butler, The International Journalist "Introduction to Eugenia duran-Apostol, TOTAL Awardee for the Media" by Lito Zulueta Press Club Golden Jubilarians (Thesis prepared by Miriam College students)

She finished her Bachelor of Literature in Journalism at the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters of the University of Santo Tomas, magna cum laude. She started her career in journalism as Women's page editor of the Sentinel, a national Catholic weekly. She became the women's section editor of the Manila Times, the Sunday Times Magazine and the Manila Chronicle.

She was the founding chair and trustee of the "Friends of Intramuros." She is also co-founder and President of "Kilusan ng mga Mamimili sa Pilipinas."

She was President of the Manila Newspaperwomen's Club in 1967 and a trustee of the Philippine Press Institute from 1987-1990..

For her pioneering work as an editor and publisher and her investigations into crime and corruption, she was bestowed the Knight International Press Fellowship Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was the first of its kind given by the fellowship for devoting "more than five decades to securing a free press for her country and continuing to serve as a check on any government that would seek to limit that freedom." (See acceptance speech)

Her many admirers say that she has a special knack for selling newspapers. Her Pinoy Times rose from a daily circulation of 30,000 copies to 170,000 copies in 2001 after its establishment 18 months before. Publication of the weekend editions peaked to 400,000 per issue. The Pinoy Times brought news of the presidential scandal to the very people who voted for him.

She received the 1999 Outstanding Thomasian Alumni Award for Media "for using the pen in the cause of democracy, for being a paragon of press freedom, for showing that the tough field of publishing knows no sex."

Today, she continues to do advocacy work for freedom and democracy as the Chairperson of the Foundation for Worldwide People Power.

She is happily married to Jose Z. Apostol.

Her biography is featured in the book "Seven in the Eye of History" along with those of former President Corazon C. Aquino, Jaime Cardinal Sin, Ifugao elder Macli-ing Dulag, peace negotiator Luis Jalandoni, activist Eduardo Quintero and comfort woman Ma. Rosa Henson.

Her Works

Ms. Apostol started the first woman's magazine, Woman's Home Companion, which she edited. During the Marcos years, she published Mr. and Ms., women's magazine filled with gossip and entertainment news. However, underneath all the pages of lifestyle and leisure, a special edition was released which featured investigative stories on the assassination of Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. Mrs. Apostol financed the magazine using money from her husband and a small group of friends-cum-investors. When much-needed financing got scarce, she pawned a diamond ring, a gift from her husband, to pay for salaries.

She was the founder and Chairperson of the Philippine Daily Inquirer from 1985-1994.

She produced and released the television documentary "Batas Militar" in time for the anniversary of the declaration of martial law in 1997. The documentary featured the years of Marcos dictatorship and the popular struggle to topple it.

She also founded and published Hu! Ha!, a weekly publication in 1997-1998.