MANILA, Philippines?The Philippine Center For Investigative Journalism was presented with Agence France-Presse's prestigious Kate Webb Award on Wednesday for its outstanding contributions to press freedom.

The Kate Webb award is for local reporters or media organizations in the Asia Pacific who have produced exceptional work in dangerous or difficult circumstances, or have demonstrated moral or physical courage while reporting.

It carries a prize money of ?5,000 ($6,700), which will be used by the PCIJ to conduct a training program for Filipino journalists on how to safely conduct investigative reporting in dangerous environments.

At an awards ceremony held in Manila, AFP Asia Pacific director Eric Wishart and Webb's relatives commended the PCIJ for its fearless investigative reporting over two decades.

The Philippines is the world's deadliest country for journalists, and the dangers for reporters were highlighted last year with the massacre of 57 people, including 32 media workers, in the southern province of Maguindanao.

"The PCIJ has been a beacon of press freedom in the Philippines and deserves to be a source of inspiration for all of us who believe that journalists should shine a light in all the dark corners of our societies, whether it pleases those concerned or not," Wishart said a speech at the ceremony.

PCIJ executive director Malou Mangahas said her team wanted to also recognize all media workers in the Philippines who toiled under dangerous circumstances.

"We are most humbled and fully inspired by this award and the legacy of Ms Kate Webb," Mangahas said. "Tonight the editors and staff members and fellows of the PCIJ are truly and fully affirmed.

"Over the last 20 years of our young organization's life we might have been doing some good things to have been chosen to receive the prestigious Kate Webb award.

"We accept it in honor of over a hundred Filipino journalists, including 32 in Maguindanao, who have been killed for bringing to light the evils of corruption, political dynasties and bad governance."

The PCIJ is the second winner of the annual prize, which was created in memory of Webb after she died of cancer in 2007 at the age of 64.

New Zealand-born Webb was one of the finest correspondents to have worked for AFP and earned a reputation while covering the biggest events in the Asia Pacific as a brave and compassionate reporter.

The AFP Foundation, a non-profit organization created to promote higher standards of journalism worldwide, and the Webb family administer the award.