The Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) Visayas bureau team that won the Explanatory/Investigative Story of the Year for Digital in the 2020 Globe Media Excellence Awards (GMEA): Dale Israel (top left), Ador Vincent Mayol (top right), Nestle Semilla (bottom left) and PDI Visayas bureau chief Connie Fernandez-Brojan (bottom right).
CEBU CITY—The Visayas bureau of Philippine Daily Inquirer won big in the 2020 Globe Media Excellence Awards (GMEA) which was held online on Thursday (Nov. 26).
The Inquirer team won the Explanatory-Investigative Story of the Year for Digital for its reporting on the plight of Cebu doctors and nurses amid the fight against COVID-19. The team is composed of Connie Fernandez-Brojan, Inquirer Visayas bureau chief and Vincent Mayol, Nestle Semilla and Dale Israel.
The articles “Cebu City cries out: ‘We need more docs, nurses’” and “Overworked Cebu nurses seek aid as morale drops”, which came out on Inquirer’s front page last June 26 and 27, had prompted the government to send more doctors and other health professionals to Cebu and grant financial aid and other incentives to nurses to alleviate their condition.
The wining team will receive a cash prize of P35,000.
Named finalists were Inquirer Visayas bureau reporters and correspondents Nestor Burgos Jr., Joey Gabieta, Leo Udtohan, Carla Gomez and Raffy Cabistrante.
This year’s GMEA gave recognition to the work of journalists, bloggers and social media influencers in the Visayas and Mindanao which continued amid the pandemic and despite risks.
The award was anchored on issues and realities of “Life in the New Normal” which included pandemic response, impact of quarantine on different sectors and the difficult road to recovery.
The other categories and winners in this year’s GMEA are:
Visayas
– Explanatory-Investigative Video Story of the Year for Digital: Erwin Nicavera (Sun.Star Bacolod)
– Breaking News of the Year for Digital: Neil Jean Navarro and Laureen Mondoñedo-Ynot (Sun.Star Cebu)
– Photo of the Year for Digital: Aldo Banaynal (The Freeman)
– Social Media Advocacy of the Year: Ram Mancelita (Sugbo.ph)
– Blog of the Year Award: Maria Sigrid Lo (LovinglyMama blog)
– News Report of the Year for Print: Erwin Nicavera (Sun.Star Bacolod)
– Explanatory-Investigative Story or Documentary of the Year for Print: Cherry Ann Lim (Sun.Star Cebu)
– News Report of the Year for Radio: Rowena Capistrano (Word Broadcasting Corporation)
– COVID-19 Story of the Year: Rhick Lars Vladimer Albay (ANCX)
– Community Development Story of the Year: Erwin Nicavera (Sun.Star Bacolod)
– Newsmaker of the Year: Maria Lourdes “Nini” Cabaero (SunStar Publishing Inc.)
– Editor of the Year: Michelle So (SunStar Publishing Inc.)
Mindanao
– Explanatory-Investigative Story of the Year for Digital: Ace June Rell Perez (Sun Star Davao)
– Explanatory-Investigative Video Story of the Year for Digital: Rhyndl Nephi-Z, Nef Luczon (Philippine News Agency)
– Breaking News of the Year for Digital: Ace June Rell Perez (Sun Star Davao )
– Photo of the Year for Digital: Erwin Mascariñas (Mindanao Goldstar Daily)
– Social Media Advocacy of the Year: Ace June Rell Perez (Sun Star Davao)
– Blog of the Year Award: Verna Liza Luga (Woman Elan Vital)
– News Report of the Year for Print: Ace June Rell Perez (Sun Star Davao )
– Explanatory-Investigative Story or Documentary of the Year for Print: Ace June Rell Perez (Sun Star Davao )
– News Report of the Year for Radio: Rose Bernales (dxRD Sonshine Radio)
– Explanatory-Investigative Story-Documentary of the Year for Television (Jerry Dumdum Jr. Brigada News TV)
– COVID-19 Story of the Year: Lina Reyes (Mindanao Gold Star Daily)
– Community Development Story of the Year: Angelo Lorenzo (Philippine News Agency)
– Newsmaker of the Year: Lina Sagaral Reyes (Freelance)
– Editor of the Year: Reuel John Lumawag (Sun Star Davao)
Globe has received over 400 entries from Visayas and Mindanao.
“GMEA 2020 comes at an unusual time as the world faces a shared health and economic crisis that presents new ways of living,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe chief sustainability officer and senior vice president for corporate communications.
“Media play an important role in the COVID-19 response even as it poses challenges to the industry, like a quick pivot to more digital content,” Crisanto said.
“Globe wants to champion stories that show us different life perspectives during the pandemic,” Crisanto added.
Globe first launched its Media Excellence Awards in 2012 to promote freedom of the press and media excellence.