Cebu Daily News was awarded Best Editorial Page among daily community newspapers nationwide in the 2010 Civic Journalism Community Press Awards.
The award rites held last night in the Traders Hotel in Manila recognized outstanding examples of community journalism in the country with trophies handed out by the Philippine Press Institute (PPI) and the Coca-Cola Export Corp.
Special mention was made of CDN’s “Siloy is Watching” photo corner in the opinion section, which was commended as “a triumph of civic journalism, as it encourages citizens to contribute photos of what they see on the road that needs government or private sector attention.”
The award commended CDN for an opinion section that is “well presented both in layout and content.”
“The editorials, while fair, do not equivocate against bad governance,” said the panel of judges.
It was the fourth time the paper won the Best Editorial Page award since CDN joined the competition in 2002.
The PPI awards , first launched in 1996, is looked forward to by newspapers based outside Metro Manila as the only award program of its kind.
Out of five categories, three were won by Cebu dailies.
Aside from the commendation for CDN, Sun.Star Cebu was cited as Best Edited paper and Best in Photojournalism.
For weekly papers, the winners came from Baguio, Davao and Bulacan. (See table for the complete list).
PPI, the national association of newspapers with almost 70 members, held its 15th national conference on “Reporting Governance and Human Rights” with Justice Secretary Leila De Lima as the opening keynote speaker on Wednesday.
She commended Philippine journalists for “holding up the mirror of truth”, at the risk of angering people in power, in order to fight a “culture of mediocrity” and corruption.
“You will continue to make us all uncomfortable for a long, long period of time,” she said. “Thank you for fulfilling this mission.”
De Lima said journalists bear the “deep genetic imprint” of courageous pre-war figures in history and will not be silenced, even with the Maguindanao massacre where 32 journalists were killed.
In receiving CDN’s trophy last night, publisher and acting editor in chief Eileen G. Mangubat, said the paper, which lives by its slogan as “the only independent newspaper in Cebu”, would continue to “to make those in power uncomfortable for a long time to come.”
The Best Editorial page award is given for “distinguished editorial writing – clearness of style, moral purpose, sound reasoning and power to influence public opinion….” and for providing a “forum for diverse opinions of community members.”
Retired Justice Vicente Mendoza of the Supreme Court, the guest speaker in the award ceremony, discussed the role of a free press and an independent judiciary as indispensable partners.
“Between the two, they can keep the government clean,” he said, adding that a “free press is essential to self-government” by keeping the public well informed.
Editors and publishers also gathered yesterday for the PPI annual membership meeting to discuss industry concerns that ranged from the future of newspapers in a digital age, and updates on killings of media practitioners to Cebu’s pioneer example of a Cebu Citizens-Press Council that promotes professional standards in media work.
Jake Macasaet of Malaya was elected chairman of the PPI board of directors, whose members include media executives of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Star, Manila Standard Today, BusinessWorld and the Philippine Journal.
This year’s panel of judges for the PPI- Coca-Cola Civic Journalism Community Press Awards was headed by Vergel Santos of BusinessWorld . Members were managing editor Glenda Gloria of Newsbreak, entrepreneur Pacita Juan, Prof. Gerardo Mariano of De La Salle University, and senior manager Evelyn del Rosario of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company.
Winners for the Weekly Newspaper Category are Mabuhay (Bulacan) for Best in Photojournalism and Best Edited Paper; and Edge Davao for two awards as Best in Science and Environmental Reporting as well as Best in Business and Economic Reporting.
Baguio Midland Courier won for Best Editorial Page.