PPI to honor best newspapers in annual confab

The Philippine Press Institute (PPI), also known as the national association of newspapers, will honor the best weekly and daily regional newspapers in categories such as best in photojournalism, best in business reporting, best in science and environment reporting, best in editorial page, and best edited paper, as they take the limelight in the 2007 Annual Community Press Awards on May 29, 2008 at the Diamond Hotel Philippines. This is the highlight of the institute’s 12^th National Press Forum and 2008 Annual Membership Meeting from May 27 to 30, which will kick off with the opening of the exhibits on the first day.Publishers and editors of its member-newspapers will attend the four-day event to discuss, among other things, topics such as human security act, the bill on the right to information, the right of reply, the safety of journalists, and the conference theme “Building Better Communities Through Civic Journalism.

For the first time, the annual event opens its doors to non-PPI members. Journalism schools, media organizations, members of the diplomatic corps, government officials, NGOs and civil society groups have been invited to participate in some segments of the programs. A seminar on media accountability and ethics will be conducted for the scholastic press associations. An exhibit and a media bazaar will be added as new components to make the event more relevant and engaging. Special booths on Civic Journalism will underscore the best practices of some award-winning newspapers in the regions.

During the awards program, the best practices on Civic Journalism will be cited. The new awards logo and trophy design of the “PPI-Coca Cola Civic Journalism Community Press Awards” will also be unveiled. The Coca-Cola Export Corporation (TCCEC) will be PPI’s new partner in the awards program starting next year.

The Konrad Adenauer Foundation was the principal partner of the Institute since the first awards presentation in 1997 until 2005. It has always been supported by Malaya, Philippine Daily Inquirer, BusinessWorld, Journal Group of Publications, Manila Standard Today, and The Philippine Star which has provided the cash prizes and trophies since 2000.

The first and only one of its kind in the country, the annual awards program aims at raising the standards for responsible journalism in the countryside, seeks to honor news organizations not only for excellence in reportage and editorial content but also for their roles in their respective communities as development catalysts and chroniclers of events.

The regional newspapers which made it as finalists in this awards season are: (weekly) Mabuhay, Bulacan; Sunday Punch, Dagupan; Baguio Midland Courier, Baguio; Balikas, Lipa; Pampanga News, Angeles; and Metro Post, Dumaguete; and (daily) Cebu Daily News, Cebu; Sun.Star Davao, Davao; and Mindanao Times, Davao.

Past winners of the ‘best edited paper’ were Sun.Star Cebu, The Freeman, Mindanao Cross, Mindanao Mirror Bulletin, The Voice, Mindanao Bulletin, Mabuhay, Sunday Punch, Sun.Star Davao, Baguio Midland Courier, and Mindanao Daily Mirror. The Freeman and Sun.Star Cebu, both based in Cebu City, are the only daily newspapers that were elevated to the Hall of Fame in 2000. They garnered the most number of awards from 1997 to 1999.

This year’s board of judges is composed of PPI trustee and veteran journalist Augusto B.Villanueva, chief executive officer of Next Mobile, Inc. Mel V. Velarde, columnist and host of ANC’s The Explainer Manolo Quezon, director of the Research Management Office and faculty member of the College of Communication of Polytechnic University of the Philippines Professor Angelina R. Enriquez-Borican, and executive director of the Environmental Studies of Miriam College Dr. Donna Paz T. Reyes.

The PPI, established in 1964, is a non-stock and non-profit organization whose mandate is to defend press freedom and promote media ethics for the professional and skills development of journalists in the country by way of seminar-workshops and forums.

This milestone event is supported by NAPOCOR, UNILEVER, PAGCOR, SM, PHILAMLIFE, PLDT, KAFFE DE ORO, MICROSOFT, ROBINSONS, CHOWKING, DENTAL FIRST, PROSOURCE, ISLAND ROSE.NET and JOEL CRUZ SIGNATURE which provided some cash assistance to help defray costs and tokens for the PPI member-delegates.