Kodak Philippines, Inc. has partnered with Probe Foundation, Inc. and the United Nations Millennium Campaign – Philippines for this year’s Stand Up, Take Action campaign, a global initiative to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and end extreme poverty by 2015.

Probe Foundation and Kodak are spearheading the Search for the Philippines’ MDG Warriors, a two-part competition involving a nationwide search for MDG advocates and a student documentary contest. Photo shows (from left) Yasmin Tang, Executive Director of Probe Media Foundation Inc.; Jerome Nicdao, Country Business Manager for Retail Systems Solution, Kodak Philippines, Inc.; Anna Cabaños, Country Business Manager for Digital Capture & Devices, Kodak Philippines, Inc.; Dulce Saret, National MDG Campaign and Advocacy Specialist, UN Millennium Campaign – Philippines; and Lucille Sodipe, Project Officer for The Search for the Philippines MDG Warriors.

MANILA, Philippines, June 25, 2010—Probe Media Foundation, Inc. recently signed up Kodak Philippines Ltd. as co-presenter of their Search for Philippines’ Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Warriors. A partner of the UN Millennium Campaign, Probe Media Foundation, Inc. recently launched the search as its contribution to the 2010 Special Edition Stand Up and Take Action Campaign to achieve the MDGs in the Philippines.

The Search for Philippines’ MDG Warriors is a two-part competition. The first part aims to recognize outstanding individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions in their own community towards achieving the MDGs. The guidelines and nomination form for the Search can be downloaded at www.probeTV.com.  Nominations will be accepted until July 15, 2010. The second part is intended to showcase the MDG Warriors’ stories through world-class documentaries made by college students.

The MDGs are eight specific and concrete goals anchored on eradicating extreme poverty by 2015. By signing the Millennium Declaration of 2000, 189 world leaders committed to achieving the following Goals anchored on eradicating extreme poverty: 1) end extreme poverty and hunger; 2) achieve universal education; 3) promote gender equality and empower women; 4) reduce child mortality; 5) improve maternal health; 6) combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; 7) ensure environmental sustainability and  8) develop a global partnership for development. The Stand Up Campaign, a yearly global mobilization aimed at reminding government leaders of their MDG commitment, is special this year because it is happening right before the MDG Summit to be held in New York in September.  At the Summit, world leaders will be asked to present their MDG Breakthrough Plans for the accelerated achievement of the MDGs by 2015.

“We strongly believe in Probe’s MDG advocacy. We want to take part in discovering a new breed of heroes who will inspire others to work for the achievement of the MDGs,” said Jerome Nicdao, Kodak Philippines Ltd. Country Business Manager for Retails System Solutions. Kodak Philippines Ltd. is the exclusive distributor of Kodak products in the country.

Kodak Philippines Ltd. is giving away Kodak Play Sport HD video cameras to the winners of the documentary contest and cash prizes to the MDG Warriors. Kodak is also sponsoring the photo contest titled “MDG Warrior in Action,” which will feature the MDG Warriors finalists at work on their chosen advocacy. An exhibit of the winning photos will be set up during the awards night, which will coincide with the MDG Week in September.

“We are very grateful to the support that Kodak Philippines, Ltd. has extended in this project,” said veteran journalist Cheche Lazaro, President of Probe.  “As we transition to the second part of the competition, we are positive that Kodak’s contributions will encourage and motivate aspiring documentarists to showcase the MDG warriors.”

“The United Nations Millennium Campaign welcomes private partners who are committed and willing to contribute resources to the cause. The MDGs are grand goals, but putting pressure on government leaders to accelerate the achievement of the MDGs becomes easier if we get everyone involved,” said Minar Pimple, UN Millennium Campaign Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific.

For more information on the Search and sponsorship opportunities, please contact: mdgwarriors@probetv.com.

MANILA, Philippines, May 21, 2010— As build-up to the September 17-19 Special Edition Stand Up, Take Action Campaign to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Probe Media Foundation, Inc. partnered with the United Nations Millennium Campaign to launch the “Search for the Philippines’ MDG Warriors.”

“As a UN Millennium Campaign partner, Probe is taking a more positive approach to helping promote the MDGs. We are doing this by searching for inspiring people and organizations, and by encouraging students to tell their stories to the public,” said veteran broadcast journalist Cheche Lazaro, President of Probe.

Probe has been committed to helping create a deeper understanding and appreciation of social issues by producing stories that move the hearts and capture the minds of viewers. By involving students, Probe also hopes to discover a fresh generation of talented broadcast journalists and ‘documentarists.’

This two-part competition involves a nationwide search for individuals or organizations whose selfless work and commitment to public service have produced a great positive impact on any of the MDGs, and a contest for college students to produce a documentary about the winning MDG warriors.

“We are aiming to discover a new breed of heroes,” Lazaro said. “We believe that while the government has the primary responsibility of working to achieve the MDGs, we, as a country, can get there faster and easier if we all take a stand and get ourselves actively involved.”

According to Minar Pimple, UN Millennium Campaign Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, “By honoring these individuals and organizations, we encourage others to make their own contribution for the accelerated achievement of the MDGs. At the same time, this is one way of putting the pressure on government leaders to deliver on their MDG commitment, especially as we commemorate the 10th year of the Millennium Declaration.”

By signing the Millennium Declaration of 2000, 189 world leaders committed to achieving eight Millennium Development Goals anchored on eradicating extreme poverty by 2015. These are:
1) end extreme poverty and hunger;
2) achieve universal education;
3) promote gender equality;
4) reduce child mortality;
5) improve maternal health;
6) combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases;
7) ensure environmental sustainability and
8 ) develop a global partnership for development.

The Stand Up Campaign, a yearly global mobilization aimed at reminding government leaders of their MDG commitment, is special this year because it is happening right before the MDG Summit to be held in New York in September. At the Summit, world leaders will be asked to present their MDG Breakthrough Plans for the accelerated achievement of the MDGs by 2015.

Nomination for the Search for the Philippines’ MDG Warriors opens on May 25, 2010, and will run until June 30, 2010, at 11:00 P.M. Anyone who is of legal age by June 30, 2010, can nominate any individual or organization that has impacted the society by working to achieve the MDGs, provided the nominee has not been previously awarded by any national or international award-giving body. The nomination form can be downloaded from, www.probetv.com (click here). Self-nominations will not be accepted.

Seven finalists representing each of the seven (MDG 1-7)   focus MDGs of the Campaign in the Philippines, will be chosen to receive cash prizes and special awards. From these finalists, a special committee will determine the grand winner, who will be awarded with a study tour abroad.

To find out more about the Search for the Philippines’ MDG Warriors, download the competition guidelines (click here).