Inquirer reporters win in 32nd Ejap Business Journalism Awards

MANILA, Philippines — Inquirer business reporters Ronnel W. Domingo and Miguel R. Camus bagged awards during the 32nd Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines (Ejap) Business Journalism Awards, which was held in person for the first time in three years after the pandemic pause.

The awards ceremony, held Friday night in partnership with Ayala Corp., honors business reporters adjudged the best in their respective assignments for the previous year.

Repeat winners

Ejap, the umbrella organization of business journalists in the country, also named The Philippine Star the best news source for the year. The trophy is given to the media organization whose reporters garnered the most number of awards in the various business beats and for best feature story of the year.

Awarded best reporter for banking was Domingo, who has a total of five Ejap awards under his belt for his previous reporting in the finance, agriculture, and energy beats with the Inquirer.

Monetary policy and banking is also Domingo’s fifth beat, including return stints in energy and public finance, which in the Inquirer’s system is combined with the macroeconomy beat. He also covered trade and industry as well as agriculture and mining.

Camus was awarded best reporter for his coverage of the capital markets, including the Philippine Stock Exchange and Securities and Exchange Commission.

This is his eighth award from Ejap and second for the capital markets beat after winning the plum in 2012 while he was a reporter for the BusinessMirror. Camus also won best reporter and feature article awards while covering the telecommunications and transport beat for the Inquirer.

The six other beat categories and best features trophy were won by reporters for The Philippine Star.

Winning two awards each were Louella Desiderio (macroeconomy; trade and industry) and Danessa Rivera (agriculture; mining and energy).

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Panel of judges

Louise Maureen Simeon was best reporter for finance, Elijah Felice Rosales for telecommunications and transportation, and Iris Gonzales for best feature article.

Recognized as best reporter for the online category was Jon Viktor Cabuenas of GMA News Online. The panel of judges for the 32nd Ejap Awards was led by Mildwida Guevara, president of Synergia Foundation.

She was joined by Gerard Lukban, vice president and chief compliance officer at Fortune Insurance; Ma. Teresa Habitan, chancellor of the Philippine Tax Academy; Romeo Recide, former Philippine representative of the International Rice Research Institute; Leonido Pulido III, partner at Pulido Villaroman and Dela Fuente Law; Peter Favila, director of Philippine Stock Exchange; Dante Canlas, professor emeritus of the University of the Philippines School of Economics; Nicasio Conti, lawyer and professor of economics; and Rene Pizarro, economist, researcher and storyteller.

The current Ejap board is led by Inquirer reporter Jordeene Lagare as president.

Other directors are Darwin Amojelar of Manila Standard, VG Cabuag of BusinessMirror, Cabuenas of GMA News Online, Jimmy Calapati of Malaya, Alena Flores of Manila Standard, Lenie Lectura of BusinessMirror, Mimi Ong of ABS-CBN News Channel, Gerard dela Peña of TV5, Bernadette Romero of Daily Tribune.