Fil-Am reporter with Leyte descent bags 2012 TOFA award for media in New York

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
October 8, 2012

TACLOBAN CITY  –  Filipino-American reporter Ryan Songalia, 25, won the media award for the prestigious Outstanding Filipino-Americans in New York (TOFA-NY).

Ryan, boxing reporter for RingTV who has Leyte descent, his father Jaime having come from Tanauan, Leyte, will receive his award on October 27 at the Weill Recital Hall of New York’s Carnegie Hall.

“I've won the media award for the 2012 Outstanding Filipino Americans of NY! Thank you everyone who took the time to vote, then asked their cousins and moms to vote also. Without all of you I couldn't have done it,” Ryan said acknowledging the Filipinos all over the world who rallied behind him.

“I greatly appreciate the help, given me here and promise to make my father's hometown proud,” Songalia told the Philippine Information Agency.

To recall, the Philippine Information Agency made a feature story on Ryan on July 12, 2012, urging Filipinos all over the world to vote for him online.

Ryan is currently a feature writer for the boxing magazine Ring Magazine and have covered Manny Pacquiao, Nonito Donaire and Brian Viloria fights from ringside.

He also worked as a reporter for New York Daily News, one of the highest circulated newspapers in the United States. He was the first Filipino admitted into the Boxing Writers Association of America in the organization's 90 years of existence and became the group's youngest full member at 21. He also works as a freelance journalist for GMA News, covering a variety of topics.

He studied journalism at Bergen Community College, but left because he was offered a job at the New York Daily News. He is finishing up a course on Digital Marketing at New York University on Friday, then flying to Manila on Tuesday. He lives between Manila and New Jersey.

TOFA-NY is an awards event held annually in New York during Filipino American History Month celebration in October.

It was created to give recognition to individuals and organizations that have raised the profile of the Filipino-American community in a unique and positive way and to celebrate their achievements.

The organizers are a group of multimedia professionals well plugged into the community. While they know many of the personalities in traditional as well as grassroots advocacy organizations, they are not associated with any group in any way, which makes this recognition process very independent. Pre-selection was based entirely on merit.