AP’s man in Manila finally gets well-deserved award
THE ASSOCIATED Press ( AP) bureau chief in Manila who covered the early years of martial law in the 1970s finally received his award for his role in bringing the truth about the Marcos regime to the world.
Arnold Zeitlin, AP’s Manila bureau head from 1973 to 1976, received the Ninoy Aquino Medal of Valor and Certificate from former Sen. Heherson Alvarez at the National Press Club in Washington D. C. on Sept. 25.
The award was given to Zeitlin in absentia on Aug. 21 on the anniversary of the assassination of Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.
In a personal note, Zeitlin wrote: “A friend I had not seen in 40 years, Heherson (Sonny) Alvarez, traveled down by train on Thursday from New York to DC for the day so we could have lunch together. Before the downfall of Ferdinand Marcos, he, with his wife Cecil- ia Guidote, agitated in the US for the dictator’s downfall.
“He presented me with an award I was given in absentia in ceremonies marking the assassination of Ninoy Aquino in 1983, the event that inspired the movement to dethrone the Marcoses. The award was in recognition of my work as a news reporter during those turbulent days.”
Zeitlin went on: “By coincidence, this day was [ it’s the 29th], I believe, the 89th birthday in Makati of another longtime friend, Eggie Apostol, the little lady who in her lifetime brought down two presidents. Happy birthday, Eggie.”
Zeitlin is currently a visiting professor at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies in Guangzhou, China, and managing director at Editorial Research and Reporting Associates in Centreville, Virginia, USA.