"Oh my God, no, never, never," the 58-year-old journalist, co-founder of the news website Rappler, told AFP in an interview when asked if she had expected to win the Prize, which she formally receives on Friday.

"Up until today, from the time I was told... You know that painting 'The Scream'," she said, describing her feelings as she brought her hands to her face, mimicking the figure in the painting by Norway's Edvard Munch.

Ressa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in early October, together with Russia's Dimitry Muratov, editor-in-chief of the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, for "their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression."

The two investigative journalists, facing pressure from authorities in their respective countries, were due to receive the prestigious award on Friday at a small ceremony at Oslo's City Hall at 1 pm (1200 GMT).

"This Nobel light is blinding," Ressa said.

"There's no brighter light than this," she added.

"It's for all journalists around the world. We've seen the decline in terms of the quality of journalism, the safety of journalist and then the quality of democracies over the last decade," she said.

Ressa, whose website is highly critical of Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, is the subject of seven lawsuits in her country, that she says risk putting her in jail for 100 years.

Currently on parole, pending an appeal after being convicted of defamation last year, she needed to ask four courts for permission to be able to travel and collect her Nobel in person.

"It was never an option," she replied when asked if she considered life in exile.

"If I were to leave at a time when (our work) is most necessary, then I wouldn't be who I am or I would be far weaker than I thought I was," she said.

An election to find a successor to Duterte is scheduled in the Philippines on May 9.