 Like Plaridel, the recipient of this award must believe in the vision of a Philippine society that is egalitarian, participative, and progressive, and in media that are socially responsible, critical and vigilant, liberative and transformative, and free and independent.Given annually, it started in 2004 with Eugenia Apostol, publisher and founding chair of the "Philippine Daily Inquirer" as its first awardee.In 2005, it was awarded to premier actress and current Batangas governor Vilma Santos, for film.