An Oblate priest has won the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Fellowship for Professional Development for his outstanding work in journalism. Father Eduardo C. Vasquez Jr., OMI, was due to receive the award today from President Benigno Aquino at a ceremony in Makati City. The US embassy instituted the fellowship in 1988 to commemorate Benigno (Ninoy) Aquino Jr’s accomplishments in journalism and public service, and to honor former president Corazon (Cory) Aquino’s contributions in strengthening the country’s democratic institutions. They were the parents of the current president. Being recognized as a fellow also involves participation in a US exchange program -- the International Visitor Leadership Program -- which promotes international understanding through the exchange of information and ideas between people of the US and other countries. Father Vasquez was chosen as a fellow for his social work and public service through the media group i-Watch, which he founded in Upi, Maguindanao in 2006. The group is a documentary team from the Congregation of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) composed of poor people, trained by Father Vasquez in the field of video production. Over the past few years it has produced documentaries dealing with socio-political, cultural and environmental issues. The nature of his work has put Father Vasquez’s life at risk many times, especially when he was assigned to cover conflicts in Pikit, North Cotabato and Datu Piang, Maguindanao from 2008 to 2010, where he documented the plight of displaced civilians and victims of human rights violations.