CDN reporter wins for whale shark report

MARIAN Christie Codilla, Cebu Daily News senior reporter, was awarded Reporter of the Year for the category of Environment and Disaster Response in the first Globe Cebu Media Excellence Awards held at the Casino Español in Cebu City yesterday.

Codilla was cited for her Feb. 8, 2012 article “The Discovery” which appeared in a special CDN annniversary report on “Oslob, Whale Shark Hotspot.”

The article explained how local divers knew about whale sharks being handfed by fishermen and swimming close to the southern town “but the world found out through Facebook”.

Codilla is also the multi-media coordinator of CDN.

Thirteen other Cebu journalists were recognized for producing the best work in print, radio, and TV reportage, and blogs in the previous year. The winners received a trophy and a cash prize while their editors were also recognized.

The winners were chosen by a panel of judges led by Fr. Dionisio Miranda SVD, president of the University of San Carlos.

Other judges were Yahoo Philippines country Editor Erwin Oliva, Ng Khai Development Corp. president and CEO Wilson Ng, LTFRB 7 Regional Director Ahmed Cuizon, Dr. Ester Velasqez, Dr. Erlinda Alburo of the Cebu City Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission, Prince Warehouse Club president and CEO Robert Go and Lito Buñag, managing director for Investor Relations Global Inc.

A screening committee made of select members of the academe from eight Cebu colleges and universities reviewed and selected the 49 finalists before they were evaluated by the judges.

Punongbayan & Araullo,a leading audit and accounting firm, counted and validated the winners.