Type Student publication Founded 1975 | Format Magazine, Online | |
Editor-in-chief Rafael Maya C. Talabong Headquarters | ||
Matanglawin, literally "Hawk's Eye" and usually contracted as Mata, is the official student publication of the Ateneo de Manila University in the Filipino language. The student paper dedicates itself to discussing socio-political issues in the Philippines, the plight and suffering of the working class, as well as pressing student rights issues. It is part of the Ateneo's Confederation of Publications (COP), including The GUIDON and Heights.
Contents
- Origin of the name
- Branches of Service Bagwisan
- Editorial board Pamunuan 2016 2017
- Awards and Recognition Received
- Alumni
- References
From a circulation of a few mimeographed copies hidden in books at the Rizal Library in the 1970s, Matanglawin is now published in glossy form and has a circulation of more than 2,000, serving the Loyola Schools community. Copies of the publication are also sent to student publications across the Philippines.
Origin of the name
The word or name Matanglawin contained negative connotations based from Philippine literary canon. The character of Cabesang Tales from Jose Rizal's novel El filibusterismo took the word as his moniker when he descended into terrorism and banditry after having been maltreated and denied justice by the Spanish colonial government. There were also characters in the plays of patriot playwrights Aurelio Tolentino and Onofre Pagsanghan representing the Filipinos who became bootlickers and lapdogs of the colonial masters named as such, characterized by their rapacity and brutality against fellow Filipinos.
The publication, however, offers a different explanation as to how the name defines its work by breaking down the word into three other words: "mata" (eye) for the student journalist's meticulous attention to detail, data, wordings and critical observation; "tanglaw" (illumination) for the writer's duty to explain difficult topics to the common reader while at the same time offering new insights; and "lawin" (hawk) for the tradition of courage in championing the cause of justice and the rights of the poor, though deviating from any ideological advocacy.
Branches of Service (Bagwisan)
The publication does not limit itself to being simply a dead piece of paper; Matanglawin also presents itself as an organization of students who advocate social involvement and substantial reforms within its avenues of service to the University and the country. In view of this, the organization is divided into seven branches or "bagwisan" (literally, "wing"):
Editorial board (Pamunuan) 2016-2017
The Editorial Board 2016-2017 was formally acknowledged on May 30, 2016.
Awards and Recognition Received
Matanglawin has garnered a multitude of awards in its 40 years of existence. It has been nominated for the Catholic Mass Media Awards. In 2002, it has also won the Best Magazine Award at the annual Gawad Ernesto Rodriguez Jr, sponsored by the College Editors Guild of the Philippines. Its website and spoof issues have also been recognized by the said organization.
The publication is known for the quality of its investigative journalism, and its editorial columns. The spoof issue, Tanganglawin, has been cited for mixing tabloid humor with scathing political commentary. To make the organization more enticing to aspiring members who do not just want to write, it has included projects that allowed members to be involved in the planning and execution, as well as for participants to be able to have a discussion on relevant issues in the current context in a light and unconventional manner. Such projects include Tumpak, a competition for college students, and Bertigo, a competition for high school students in Metro Manila and nearby cities.