Marivir R. Montebon is an Author, Editor, Activist and a passionate writer for society and people. She published OSM! on May 18, 2012 with the clear vision in mind that this online magazine is to be the epitome that good things that people do have to be cherished and amplified. Hence, OSM! is born as a counter media culture of the ‘what bleeds leads’ notion.Growing up weary of the bad news is news syndrome, Montebon has committed OSM! to be the brand of journalism of positively inspiring lives…whether as career professionals, community leaders, youth leaders, or entrepreneurs and business persons. In this manner, journalism has done its purpose of informing and inspiring, and being a positive contribution to a community and world of peace and understanding.
In March 2012, Montebon was awarded the Woman in Media/Journalism award by the New Jersey-based Pan-American Concerned Citizens League.
Montebon served as managing editor of the Migrant Heritage Chronicle, a community paper based in Washington, DC. She is well into the topics of politics and world development, art and culture, and women issues and concerns.
Ms. Montebon began her profession in the media at a young age, starting off as a campus journalist in the portals of her school, the University of San Carlos in Cebu, Philippines. Immediately after college, she begun a colorful career in print and broadcast media.
She has three published books. Her debut was in 2000 which is titled “Retracing our Roots: A Journey into Cebu’s Precolonial and Colonial Past” and the second book was published in 2007 titled “Beyond the Seed Money”. It is about successful women micro-entrepreneurs in Cebu. Her third book is a memoir, Biting the Big Apple, which is available in print and digital versions in Amazon.com and in justcliqit.com.During her stint as day and assignments editor at the Freeman Newspaper between 1996-2001, the paper became a hall of famer of the Konrad Adenauer Awards for Community Journalism by winning for three consecutive years the Best in Environmental Reporting and Best in Cultural and Historical Reporting Awards.
Ms. Montebon conceptualized and produced the television talk show “Babaye” (Woman) for the Catholic Television Network which features success stories of women from all walks of life. The show ran in 2002-2010 and was being enjoyed not only in the Philippines but in Asia as well.She may be reached at marivirmontebon@gmail.com.
NWU is the sole provider of IFJ Press Passes to freelance journalists in the U.S.