When a 7.8-magnitude earthquake — one of the strongest to hit the Philippines in decades — struck off the southern province of Sarangani, AP’s Manila bureau quickly launched a coordinated, multi-format response.
Correspondent Jim Gomez led the text coverage, rapidly advancing the story with updates on tsunami warnings, official statements, and reporting from trusted regional sources. A longtime contact provided firsthand accounts of the earthquake’s impact, early casualty information, and key local contacts that helped AP stay ahead of competitors.
At the same time, video journalist Joeal Calupitan worked with AP’s UGC team and executive producer to verify and clear dramatic eyewitness videos showing school evacuations, structural collapses, and damage assessments. The verification process itself became a reporting tool, leading the team to new sources, including a local school principal whose account added depth and color to the main story.
Strong coordination across AP bureaus in Japan, Malaysia, and Indonesia ensured regional tsunami warnings and impacts were incorporated into coverage, providing broader context for global audiences. Reporting teams also overcame significant logistical challenges, including airport closures, power outages, and poor mobile connectivity.
Despite these challenges, Calupitan and photo stringer Basilio Sepe captured the aftermath of the disaster and subsequent aftershocks, adding color and context. They also worked in close coordination with Gomez to ensure cross-format alignment.
The judges commend the team’s rapid response to breaking news in a hard-to-reach area. The team leveraged local expertise and contacts to coordinate and deliver exceptional coverage in all formats.
For exceptional breaking news coverage with all-formats coordination, Gomez, Calupitan, and Sepe win this week’s Best of AP — First Winner.
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