INQSkwela, PDI photo win golds in Asian media tilt

RECOGNITION | Inquirer Foundation executive director Connie Kalagayan and Inquirer Group of Companies chair Sandy Prieto-Romualdez with the 2023 WAN-Ifra Asian Media Awards trophies. (Contributed photo)

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) recently earned top honors — one for its educational advocacy and the other for its photojournalism — at the 2023 WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards.

INQskwela, a program launched in 2019 and which now counts a growing list of local governments as partners and public schools as beneficiaries, won the gold award in the Community Service Category.

Also bagging the gold, in the News Photography Category, was “Relief,” a photo taken by Inquirer photographer Richard A. Reyes and published on the front page on May 13 this year.

Reyes’ shot captured detained former Sen. Leila de Lima waving at supporters in a moment of jubilation as police escorted her out of a courthouse following her acquittal in one of the drug trafficking cases filed against her during the Duterte administration.

Reading, media literacy

WAN-Ifra stands for the World Association of Newspapers and the International Federation of Newspaper Publishers. It is a global organization and resource hub formed to protect the rights of journalists and publishers to operate with independence while providing expertise and services for innovation and growth in the evolving media landscape.

It covers a network of 3,000 news publishing companies and technology entrepreneurs and draws its legitimacy from 60 member publisher associations representing 18,000 publications in 120 countries.

INQskwela topped the category that recognizes a media company’s pioneering efforts to serve its community. The entries here were evaluated based on their efficacy as social initiatives, the impact of their marketing strategies, the level of community engagement, and their success in meeting objectives.

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INQskwela is a social responsibility program conceived and launched by the Inquirer Foundation to support the country’s education system and help learners improve their reading comprehension and critical thinking. Among its goals is for the youth to develop their media literacy by being mindful of fake news and getting their information only from credible news sources.

With partner local government units (LGUs) serving as sponsors, public schools get to subscribe to the Inquirer Plus app — the digital version of the broadsheet — allowing teachers to incorporate Inquirer news reports, features, and opinion columns in the lessons, particularly in social studies.

“We share the honor and accolade with the progressive leadership of our LGU partners led by former Mayor Rex Gatchalian of Valenzuela City, Mayor Benjamin Magalong of Baguio City, Mayor Doña Tesoro of San Manuel, Tarlac, Mayor Javi Benitez of Victorias City, Mayor Glorime Faustino of Calumpit, Bulacan, Vice Mayor Yul Servo of Manila City and their respective DepEd (Department of Education) division superintendents,’’ said Connie Kalagayan, Inquirer Foundation executive director.

“We thank them for supporting our campaign and for championing the advocacy of improving learner’s education in the country,” she added.

Launched in 2019, the project was suspended due to the pandemic and was revived in 2022.

Leaders, innovators

The Asian Media Awards was established to promote the highest standards in editorial content, photojournalism, newspaper and magazine design, infographics, community service, marketing, and revenue diversification. It also recognizes media organizations that have emerged as leaders and innovators in adopting digital strategies as trends in news consumption shift from print to online.

This year’s awards ceremony was held on Oct. 20 at Orchard Hotel in Singapore as part of the 2023 WAN-Ifra Digital Media Asia conference.

Sandy Prieto-Romualdez, chair of the Inquirer Group of Companies, delivered the welcome address to open the conference as chair of the WAN-Ifra Asia-Pacific Committee.