SUNSTAR CEBU and the Baguio Midland Courier bagged many of the awards in the seven categories of the Philippine Press Institute’s 2012 Civic Journalism Community Press Awards.
Sunstar Cebu walked away with four of the seven awards in the daily category, while the Baguio Midland Courier came away with three awards in the weekly category. The awards were the highlight of the PPI’s 17th National Press Forum at the New World Hotel in Makati City.
The awards were divided into seven categories, with separate awards for dailies and weeklies. The awards are meant to highlight the best of community journalism in the Philippines, a nation of 7,000 islands, 8 major dialects, and hundreds of variations of the spoken and written word.
2012 Civic Journalism Community Press Awards
Best Climate Change and Biodiversity Reporting:
- Baguio Midland Courier (weekly)
- Sunstar Cebu (daily)
Best Culture and Arts Reporting:
- Baguio Midland Courier (weekly)
- Sunstar Cebu (daily)
Best in Photojournalism:
- Mabuhay (weekly)
- Sunstar Cebu (daily)
Best in Science and Environmental Reporting:
- Mabuhay (weekly)
- Edge Davao (daily)
Best in Business and Economic Reporting:
- Baguio Midland Courier (weekly)
- Sunstar Davao (daily)
Best Editorial Page:
- Bohol Chronicle (weekly)
- Sunstar Cebu (daily)
Best Edited Community Newspaper:
- Mindanao Cross (weekly)
- Sunstar Davao (daily)
The Baguio Midland Courier was cited by the awards committee in the Best Climate Change and Biodiversity Reporting for its innovative and homegrown reports on the environment. “The newspaper does not rely on international news to fill its Environment section. It invests in its own journalistic pieces that are original and truly community-oriented. It also features the efforts of various stakeholders such as women, youth, the church, and many other voices, to help mitigate the impacts of climate change. Moreover, it features best practices on biodiversity and climate change from which readers can learn,” the award citation said.
In the daily category, Sunstar Cebu was cited for the same award for allocating space “for stories focusing on climate change, global warming, ways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and other related topics.”
“While Sun.Star Cebu has to improve in terms of making its climate change-related stories more in-depth and community-oriented, it has certainly laid the foundation for effectively reporting on this vital issue,” the judges ruled.
The Baguio Midland Courier was also cited for Best in Culture and Arts Reporting for its reports on cultural practices and indigenous activities in the Cordillera region, including the preservation of the Banaue Rice Terraces. Sunstar Cebu bagged the same award for a daily for its coverage of the Sinulog Festival.
In the Photojournalism awards. Mabuhay of Luzon won in the weekly category for “maximizing color and black-and-white photography in its pages, keeping in mind the intelligent use of technology and the highest standards of ethics.”
For the daily category in Photojournalism, Sunstar Cebu won the awards for “a comprehensive photo coverage of events, using creative angles and choosing the right moment to shoot the subjects’ raw emotions.”
For the Best in Science Reporting, Mabuhay was commended for its “original stories on a wide range of environment and science topics each week” and for exerting efforts to make its readers understand hard-to-comprehend topics. The award in the daily category went to Edge Davao, which the awards committee said was outstanding for regularly publishing science and technology articles that appeal to the ordinary readers.
For Business and Economic Reporting, the Baguio Midland Courier got its third award for “its regional-centric and developmental thrust in its reporting, particularly in the area of business and economics.”
“Its emphasis on agriculture-based commerce identifies well with its readers and gives them a community-centric editorial feel,” the citation reads.
Sunstar Davao bagged the daily award for Business Reporting for presenting “a complete business package, not only information that would benefit local and regional readers but also those who may have just grabbed a copy from the airport or hotel.”
For Best Editorial, the award for the weekly category went to The Bohol Chronicle, for “its timely issues of national importance with a Boholano point of view.” Sunstar Cebu bagged its fourth award in this category for carrying “a diverse set of opinions covering issues of both local and national importance.”
Finally, The Mindanao Cross was cited in the weekly category for Best Edited Community Newspaper for its “well-written stories, copy-fit headlines and purpose-driven layout.” In the daily category, Sunstar Davao was cited for its good use of photographs, technically-sound headlines, and over-all dramatic layout.
Tony Ajero of Edga Davao, speaking in behalf of all the winners, thanked all the judges for recognizing the best work of community journalists and expressed the hope that the next PPI summit would be held in Davao City. The proposal was met with applause by the community press.
The PPI national membership also elected the new PPI board of trustees. The new officers are:
PPI Chairman and President
Jesus Dureza/ publisher, The Mindanao Times
PPI Vice Chairman
Ruevivar Reyes/ publisher, Southern Leyte Times
Corporate Secretary
May Anne Cacdac/ editor, Sunstar Baguio
Treasurer
Al Pedroche/ editor, Pilipino Star Ngayon
