Leo Udtohan
Leo Udtohan (born on May 25, 1981) is a Filipino journalist, poet, producer and youth advocate. He currently serves as stringer/correspondent of GMA 7 Manila News and Public Affairs. He is a former news contributor for the BBC and Reuters.
Biography
Udtohan was born in Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines to Arino and Paulina Udtohan. He has three sisters, Rowena Udtohan-Jala, Arlene Udtohan-Pesquira and Ruth, who died of leukemia at 17.
Udtohan finished elementary at Booy South Elementary School in 1993. At age 12, Udtohan was interviewed by the Cable News Network (CNN) when his school became a Recipient of the Books for the Barrios Incorporated, a non-profit organization in California, United States of America. That was his first exposure in the media.
He finished Bachelor in Secondary Educations majoring in History and Filipino minor in English and Psychology. He passed the licensure examination for teachers in 2003 and member of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas (KBP).
Works
Udtohan had some articles published in the local newspapers in his hometown province and in the national broadsheets including the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Star and Manila Bulletin.
He was a correspondent of ABS-CBN's Magandang Gabi, Bayan (MGB)and other programs on ABS-CBN before moving to GMA 7 Manila as stringer in 2003. He is providing up-to-date news for the network's toprating news programs such as 24 Oras, Saksi, on QTV-11 Balitang Tanghali and News on Q and GMA Pinoy TV. He serves as coordinator and stringer of Jessica Soho Reports and Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho on GMA 7.
He also serves a Funfare stringer, a column by a well-known journalist Ricky Lo of the Philippine Star.
He wrote a column for Bohol Sunday Post, True and now at the Bohol ChronicleBared which is first-of-its-kind in the province of Bohol bringing society, entertainment and all sundry writing to a different level- way from the more common and sensationalized gossip-writing therefore adding a very distinct touch of class and competence to his trade.
Udtohan, as a videojournalist, is best remembered for his exclusive stories on GMA 7 News. His biggest break as stringer was during the Mabini Food Poisoning on March 8, 2005. Through Udtohan, GMA 7 was the first network to do a breaking news AbOUT the incident. Reporters Mich Cruz and Mariz Umali were able to report the following day.
On Loon outbreak in January 2007, Udtohan was quickly on the spot, and the event helped make his name. Other exclusive stories are Christ statue in Bohol church found bleeding, food poisoning, carabao beauty pageants and youngest mayor in the Philippines. His notable stories for Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho include sea popper, stingrays and sea urchins.
In 2006, he went to Warsaw, Poland to cover the Miss World Pageant, the only Filipino journalist to attend the pageant at that time.
Udtohan tried another field in producing a travel show for On-Footaired on Living Asia Channel hosted by travel icon Tim Tayag.
Volunteer Works
Udtohan is an ACTIVE SK volunteer. He s also an advocate for the environment as a member of the Bohol Nature Conservatioon Society. he fought for the bio-piracy, pocket reclamation, coastal clean-up and [...] down of trees.
Awards and achievements
- In high school, he graduated with honors with the highest awards including the Journalist of the Year award and Leadership Award at the University of Bohol.
- Udtohan won first place in the Division Schools Press Conference in newswriting and feature writing and he was considered the Highest Individual Pointer in n1997. He was qualified for the National Schools Press Conference in Tangub City, Mindanao.
- In 2001, the City Government of Tagbilaran conferred him the Model Citizen Award, the youngest to receive the award. The said award is given to citizens who show exemplary performance. Other awardees for the Model Citizen Awards are Col. Louie Oppus, Alfonso Uy, Bohol Governor Erico B. Aumentado.
- In 2003, he was nominated for the United Nations Young Environmental Envoy.
- In 2003, Udtohan received the Editor's Choice Award and the Ambassador of Poetry from the International Library of Poetry based in USA for his outstanding contribution in the world of poetry. His poems are published in Nature's Echoes and other poetry albums published by the International Library of Poetry.
Sources
- http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=356963&publicationSubCategoryId=70
- http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=277485&publicationSubCategoryId=70
- http://www.philippinehotelreservations.com/travel_story028.html
- http://www.scribd.com/doc/3119343/AJMay23-08
- http://www.philippinehotelreservations.com/travel_story034_bien_unido_charms.html
- http://www.panglaoisland.net/by%20Ronnie%20Hoyle/ThetribalspreadoftheAtis.htm
- Philippine Daily Inquirer, April 1, 2000 ROSALINDA...'MI AMOR'
- Philippine Daily Inquurer, June 10, 2000 THALIA SHARES HER 'MADNESS' IN New album
- June 4,2000 ROSALINDA FINAL EPISODES, BOHOL CHRONICLE
- September 22, 2000 ROSALINDA...AY AMOR! MOD MAGAZINE
- June 16,2002, WEEPY, HEARTBREAKING LATIN AMERICAN TELENOVELAS, BOHOL TIMES
- August 23, 2002, THALIA TURNS 31, MANILA BULLETIN
- http://www.newsflash.org/2004/02/sb/sb003528.htm