2021 Annual Civic Journalism Community Press Awards

2021 Annual Civic Journalism Community Press Awards

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2021 PPI Awards Board of Judges and Screening CommitteeDownload

Winners Citations

WINNER for the DAILY: MINDANAO TIMES (Mindanao)

Mindanao Times features regular coverage of Overseas Filipino Workers as well as of government services and programs for their repatriation during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as for their vaccination and eventual redeployment to countries that had reopened their borders to migrant workers.

The newspaper has features on the lives of overseas Filipinos beyond their work, which helps give a peek not just into how Filipinos are integrating with the cultures of their host countries but also into how they maintain their identity and culture while abroad. It also gives space for discussion on ensuring the rights and welfare of overseas Filipinos, particularly of Filipinas who may be targets of violence and abuse abroad.

Although the Philippines has been sending out workers for decades, keeping issues like trafficking and abuse in the public consciousness helps put into context the sacrifices and risks that Filipinos face when going abroad to work.

WINNER for the WEEKLY: BAGUIO CHRONICLE (Luzon)

Baguio Chronicle is commendable for its coverage of issues concerning overseas Filipinos, particularly their stories calling for assistance for a Filipina nurse who needed help with medical expenses as well as on the welfare of migrant workers displaced by the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and of a Baguio resident who had been accepted to a poetry fellowship abroad. While most stories about overseas Filipinos are about their work conditions and the remittances that they send back to the country, stories that focus on their needs and those that highlight their achievements help give a human face to the Filipino diaspora.

Notable as well is thecoverage of internal migration in the Cordillera region and in Baguio City as local governments tried to balance the need to protect their residents from COVID-19 and the need for businesses to maintain operations and for workers to earn livelihoods.

BEST IN PHOTOJOURNALISM

WINNER for the DAILY: SUNSTAR CEBU (Visayas)

Commuters risking their lives as they run after a bus, a health worker kneeling in the middle of an empty road out of exhaustion, firefighters rescuing an injured resident as a huge explosion goes off at the back, a woman praying in front of empty chairs: these are just some of the poignant and powerful images that graced the pages of SunStar Cebu in 2021. The paper’s insistence to rely on their talented pool of photographers rather than using handouts and images grabbed from social media which seems to be the norm in Philippine publications these days has certainly rewarded them. The pictures are vibrant and are always in the thick of action. A great use of visuals to transport the readers into the actual story.

WINNER for the WEEKLY: METRO POST (Visayas)

MetroPost balances its visuals by interjecting artfully done daily life and feature images along with its hard news pictures. In what is probably its most commendable issue for 2021, the paper ran a banner along with an entire back page featuring only photography on Super Typhoon Odette’s aftermath in Negros, harnessing the power of visuals to best illustrate the magnitude of the damage and loss.

BEST IN ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING

WINNER for the DAILY: MINDANAO TIMES (Mindanao)

Mindanao Times regularly reported on various environmental issues such as initiatives to curb waste to green concerns and development closer to home such as the rich biodiversity of Mindanao, the protection of Mt. Apo Natural Park and Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary, and the coral rehabilitation in Camiguin. It also became an important platform for various ideas and opinions from different sectors as it carried statements from environmental groups about pressing issues including emerging challenges for the planet addressed to US President Joe Biden.

WINNER for the WEEKLY: PALAWAN NEWS (Luzon)

As expected from a publication based in the country’s last frontier, Palawan News regularly published environmental stories on a wide range of topics. The articles are written in clear and balanced fashion. Their stories provided valuable public service by helping readers understand and become aware not just of global environmental concerns but, more importantly, of local concerns as the publication put a lot of importance on grassroots reporting giving voices on the ground and empowering local, marginalized and unrepresented groups.

BEST IN BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC REPORTING

WINNER for the DAILY: SUN STAR CEBU (Visayas)

For consistently comprehensive coverage that offers the reader big picture viewpoints as well as analyses from various perspectives that help enrich one’s understanding of business activity in and around the community.

WINNER for the WEEKLY: HERALD EXPRESS (Luzon)

For consistently comprehensive coverage that offers the reader big picture viewpoints as well as analyses from various perspectives that help enrich one’s understanding of business activity in and around the community.

BEST EDITORIAL PAGE

WINNER for the DAILY: SUN STAR CEBU (Luzon)

The Best Editorial Page (Daily Category) goes to SunStar Cebu for insightful, well-written commentary on diverse local and national issues that affect Cebuanos in all walks of life.

WINNER for the WEEKLY: BAGUIO CHRONICLE (Luzon)

The Best Editorial Page (Weekly Category) goes to Baguio Chronicle for its well-written, fact-based opinion pieces covering a diverse range of issues, and for encouraging readers not only to make their voices heard but to think critically on pressing topics.

BEST EDITED COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

WINNER for the DAILY: SUNSTAR PAMPANGA (Luzon)

The presentations of the front page in most issues of Sunstar Pampanga are eye-catchers with a commendable layout of the text and photographs. The fonts used for the heads and texts are so readable and attractive, they can motivate the reader to pursue reading. The choice of news materials was also of interest to the readers in the region and the stories were written in a way as if the readers are hearing the newspaper talk. Ethical standards in journalism were followed. News items were written in simple English that is easy to comprehend, abiding by the principles of journalism.

WINNER for the WEEKLY: BAGUIO CHRONICLE (Luzon)

The layout of Baguio Chronicle is good and the use of a blown-up photo of a kettle pot on its January 23-29 issue easily attracts a reader. In most of its issues, the news delved on the status of the COVID pandemic which was, during the period, very relevant to the community considering that Baguio was among the hardest hit. The news items were also written in conformity with journalistic standards and followed journalism ethics.

Compiled by the Awards Secretariat

Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication

(AIJC) October 17, 2022

2021 PPI Awards Winners CitationsDownload
Winners of 2022 Civic Journalism Community Press Awards. Photo by Kier Labrador
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Criteria for Judging