Edge Davao reclaimed its spot as the country’s winningest daily, garnering three of five awards categories, in the 2016 Civic Journalism Press awards held last May 25 at the marine-themed H2O Hotel along the picturesque Manila Bay.
This is the second time in the paper’s nine-year history to gather the most number of awards during the covered period of stringent annual review and selection process administered by the Philippine Press Institute (PPI) among the country’s community newspapers.
Of the five awards categories, Edge Davao bagged the most coveted “Best Edited Community Newspaper” for excellence in coverage, content, writing and editing. Under this category, the newspaper “must demonstrate a high level of consistency in its quality of writing and reporting that empowers community members to think, observe or act on issues and concerns affecting their community.”
It was also adjudged as “Best in Environmental Reporting” for excellence in news and features about the environment. Under this category, the newspaper “must demonstrate regularity and effectiveness in the reporting of news, issues, and concerns on the environment.” It also “gives priority to current and emerging environmental issues, creating a venue for the promotion of environmental literacy and culture and encouraging its public to develop a global mind-set.”
Edge Davao was also declared as “Best in Photojournalism” for “excellence in news coverage of community life through photos, thus capturing realities in the community which may need to be addressed or simply appreciated as part of its dynamic transformation actively participated in by the reading public.”
Under this category, the newspaper “must demonstrate creative ability to depict human interest subjects in pictures to enhance the marketability of the newspaper without resorting to portrayal of sex and violence.”
The paper was also a finalist in the “Best Editorial Page” category which recognizes distinguished editorial writing including “clearness of style, moral purpose, sound reasoning, and power to influence public opinion in what the writer conceives to be the right direction.”
During the past nine years of Edge Davao’s circulation, it already gathered 11 awards in the PPI-managed annual press awards program which honors community newspapers that have demonstrated journalistic excellence in various fields of reportage.
