EDGE DAVAO, The Business Paper, received two national awards during last Thursday night’s presentation of the 2010 Civic Journalism Community Press Awards at the Traders Hotel, Manila.
The paper was declared “Best in Business and Economic Reporting” and “Best in Science and Environmental Reporting” in the weekly newspaper category.
It was the first time the three-year old Edge Davao entered the nationwide contest conducted yearly by the Philippine Press Institute (PPI) in cooperation with The Coca Cola Export Corporation (TCCEC) Philippines Division, PPI’s partner in the advocacy for civic journalism as a framework seeking to promote journalism as medium of community feedback and participation.
For being adjudged “best in science and environmental reporting,” Edge Davao is cited for presenting a “holistic approach to the reporting of science and technology coupled with environment. It presents many feature articles and news features on health, science, technology and environment. It is easy to read and grammatically correct and well-written.”
As awardee in “best in business and economic reporting,” Edge Davao got the jurors’ nod because its “coverage of news on the economy and business and trade has more impact on the business community of the region.” The contest judges also cited its two sections featuring “Agritrends” and “Entrepreneurs.”
Antonio M. Ajero, editor in chief, received both trophies for the paper. Later he was also asked by PPI executive director Ariel Sebellino to speak for Edge Davao, which is the institute’s youngest member publication, and on behalf of the other winners.
The other winning weekly newspapers were:
Mabuhay, best in photojournalism and best edited paper; and Baguio Midland Courier, best in editorial page.
Among the daily newspapers, the winners were:
Sun.Star Cebu, best edited paper and best in photojournalism; Sun.Star Davao, best in science and environmental reporting and best in business and economic reporting; and Cebu Daily News, best editorial page.
Earlier, the PPI members elected a new set of officers. Among those elected were Malaya publisher Jake Macasaet as PPI chairman-president and former secretary Jesus G. Dureza, who is now publisher of the Mindanao Times as trustee for Mindanao.
The awards night’s guest of honor and keynote speaker was Justice Vicente V. Mendoza who spoke on “Courts and the Press as Partners of Good Government.”
The press awards coincided with the 15th National Press Forum on “Reporting Governance and Human Rights” and the 2011 annual membership meeting.
The Coca Cola export firm also renewed its financial support for PPI’s advocacy of civic journalism for the next three years, according to Wally Panganiban, TCCEC director for media affairs, who represented TCCEC President Guillermo Aponte, in the program.
The annual awards national board of judges was composed of Vergel O. Santos, BusinessWorld publisher and PPI vice chair, as chairman; Glenda M. Gloria, NewsBreak Publishing, Inc. managing editor, Gerardo A. Mariano, De La Salle University assistant professor, Pacita U. Juan, chair of the Philippine Coffee Board Inc. and director, ECHOstore sustainable lifestyle, and Evelyn M. del Rosario, senior manager of community relations division, Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), as members.
The entries from Mindanao were screened by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines College of Communication. Those from the Visayas were handled by St. Scholastica College Department of Mass Communication, while the entries from Luzon were passed upon by the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication.
