Emmanuel John Lazaro: race against the clock
In the Philippines, radio journalist Emmanuel John Lazaro, aged just 29, is already running out of time as he races against the clock to make sure alternative voices are heard on environmental issues.
On your marks, get set? Go!
Filipino journalist and long-distance runner Emmanuel John Lazaro always seems ready to give his all. As can be seen on his Viber profile photo, where he's trying to catch his breath on an athletics track: Running helps me stay focused and patient. It's a bit like journalism, where you have to do things in stages to get information and tell a story that's enjoyable to listen to."
E.J., 29 today, was bursting with energy as a child. “He didn't really like staying at home and preferred to play outside! Always at the top of the class, he was very interested in everything going on around him”, recalls Rowegie Abanto, his friend since primary school. E.J. confirms this: “I was very interested in science, but I also enjoyed playing outside. I could already see that trees were being cut down and then I started to see the consequences of the typhoons."
In 2009, typhoon Ketsana caused terrible flooding in the Philippines.
Emmanuel John Lazaro was 13 years old at the time: Trapped at the market by the waters, my parents were only able to return home the following day. This traumatic experience has stayed with me and turned into a responsibility to do something. I could have been a scientist, but journalism is a good way of disseminating information and making sure alternative voices are heard."
Talking about solutions
“Outgoing, enthusiastic and funny”, according to those close to him, E.J. went on to study audiovisual arts and communication at the Polytechnic University of the Phillipines. From 2017 to 2022, he worked for ABS-CBN, before joining PBS-BBS (Presidential Broadcast Service-Bureau of Broadcast Services). He still works there as a correspondent for Radyo Pilipinas, contributing to a variety of documentaries.
“E.J. always goes above and beyond what is required of him in his coverage in the field. He takes my advice, even though he has already received awards for his work", says Melany Valdoz-Reyes.
The woman who introduces herself as “one of his mums and supervisors” at PBS-BBS goes on: “Thanks to the training provided by CFI's Terra Asia project, E.J. knows how to use artificial intelligence to design jingles, for example. He shares his knowledge with the other members of our team. I encourage him to maintain his thirst for knowledge. We need reporters who specialise in environmental issues.”
It's a good thing the young man can't seem to get enough: “I use different tools to compare several periods and countries, which allows me too see the impact of human activity on climate change. Before the end of Terra Asia, I'd like to talk about solutions, for example towns in the Philippines that close their gates to cars every Sunday to allow people to come together and cycle or run."
Emmanuel John Lazaro is always asking his “supervisor mum” Melany about COP 21, which she covered as a journalist in 2015 in Paris. In a race against time to inform his community, E.J. concludes: “I hope to represent my country at a future COP to see how these measures can be incorporated into our public policies. In 2025, typhoons once again claimed many victims in our country… We are a long way from the targets set in the Paris Agreement... There's no time to lose, we've got to get to work!
Interview conducted by Emmanuel de Solère Stintzy (Journalistes Médiateurs)