Holding the Line

When Maria Ressa won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021, many felt it was a victory not only for Philippine journalists, but for truth and justice

Maria Ressa’s name is spoken with awe by journalists around the world: she is a beacon for truth and a warrior in the fight against disinformation. She is the founder of Rappler, one of the few Philippine media organisations to openly criticise the country’s president Rodrigo Duterte and his policies, and has called out technology giants for spreading fake news and inciting hatred and violence. This dedication to journalism has led to accolades including Time magazine’s Person of the Year in 2018, Unesco’s Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize in 2021 and, of course, the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize, alongside fellow journalist Dmitry Muratov.

Tatler hosted Ressa in conversation with fellow journalist (and Tatler Philippines’ December cover subject) Karen Davila on having a sense of purpose, what she holds Mark Zuckerberg accountable for, and why she is still optimistic.

The following questions and responses have been edited for clarity and length. Watch the full conversation online at www.youtube.com/user/philippinetatler

People might grow up imagining the possibility of winning an Oscar or an Olympic gold, but not usually a Nobel Prize. How was it for you, and how did you prepare for your Nobel Lecture?

I couldn’t have imagined this. It was shocking. And then to look at all the statistics: I was the only woman [laureate] in 2021. And, in the time the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded, only the 18th out of over 1,000. I felt like the responsibility is almost crushing: writing that speech was one of the most difficult things to do. What we do with it is the challenge now.