Thirteen outstanding community newspapers from all over the country have been judged as finalists of the Philippine Press Institute – The Coca-Cola Export Corporation 2010 Civic Journalism Community Press Awards.
The PPI-TCCEC Civic Journalism Community Press Awards aims to recognize community papers excelling in the field of civic journalism. Five awards under the weekly and daily categories will be given on June 23, 2011 at the Traders Hotel Manila. These awards are: Best in Business and Economic Reporting, Best in Science and Environmental Reporting, Best in Photojournalism, Best Editorial Page, and Best Edited Paper.
The finalists for the Weekly Category are: Mabuhay (Bulacan), Baguio Midland Courier (Baguio City), The Bohol Chronicle (Tagbilaran City), West Leyte Weekly Express (Ormoc City), Edge Davao (Davao City), The Mindanao Observer (Dipolog City), and The Mindanao Cross (Cotabato City).
Under the Daily Category, the finalists are Sun.Star Cebu (Cebu City), Cebu Daily News (Cebu City), The Freeman (Cebu City), Mindanao Daily Mirror (Davao City), Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro (Cagayan de Oro City), and Sun.Star Davao (Davao City).
Trophies and cash prizes are provided yearly by the six major dailies that constitute the PPI Board namely, Malaya, Manila Standard Today, The Philippine Star, Philippine Daily Inquirer, BusinessWorld and Philippine Journal. This is also the third year of partnership with The Coca-Cola Export Corporation. No less than its president Guillermo Aponte will give the awards to the winners which will only be announced during the ceremony. Starting this year, the TCCEC supports the three-year sustainability program on “Building Better Communities Through Civic Journalism” that includes the holding of National Press Forum and Community Press Awards.
Keynoting the prestigious awards ceremony is Retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Hon. Vicente V. Mendoza who will speak on “Courts and the Press as Partners for Good Government”.
Mendoza finished his Bachelor of Laws at the University of the Philippines in 1957 and was accepted to the BAR the following year. He later took up his Master of Laws at the Yale Law School in 1971. He was appointed as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court by then President Fidel V. Ramos in 1994. Today, he remains as one of the most brilliant constitutionalists in our country.
A tribute to the late veteran journalist and newspapermen Jose Leetai Pavia will also be held during the event. Pavia was PPI executive director from 2001 to 2010. He was also publisher and editor of multi-awarded community newspaper Mabuhay.
The Community Press Awards will be the highlight of the two-day 15th National Press Forum “Reporting Governance and Human Rights” and Annual Membership Meeting which is the annual gathering of publishers and editors of member-publications to discuss and assess media issues and industry concerns.
On the first day of the forum, Secretary Leila de Lima of the Department of Justice will give the keynote address. De Lima is a staunch advocate of human rights. She was appointed chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights in 2008. She was later handpicked to head DOJ where she continues to strengthen the rule of law.
Also presenting papers on the 22nd are Rep. Lorenzo ‘Erin’ Tañada III on New Directions in Good Governance and the Commission on Human Rights on New Directions in Human Rights. Atty. Harry Roque Jr. will serve as reactor.
Topics for the industry forum on the second day will be Re-wiring Newspapers in the Digital Age, Social Media as a Change Agent, Updates on the Maguindanao Massacre and Media Killings, Press Council: The Cebu Experience, The Bright Child Campaign and Assessment Report on Civic Journalism.
The event is sponsored in part by Mang Inasal, GMA Network, Inc., Philex Mining, SM Retail, Land Bank of the Philippines, Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., Bank of the Philippine Islands, Manila Ocean Park, Unilever Philippines, Purefoods, CitiBank, Sun Cellular, and Traders Hotel Manila. The United Print Media Group is the official print media partner.
