Manila Rotary’s 19th Journalism Awards

Now on its 19th year, the Rotary Club of Manila’s Journalism Awards gave recognition to the most outstanding media practitioners in print and broadcast media during the awarding ceremonies held at the Grand Ballroom of the New World Makati Hotel last Thursday. The Manila Rotary happens to be the first — and certainly the most prestigious — Rotary Club in Asia and its Journalism Awards has become one of the most anticipated events for the year. No less than Sen. Grace Poe was the guest of honor and speaker, with US Ambassador Philip Goldberg — who is an honorary member of the Manila Rotary — taking time off from his busy schedule to attend the awarding ceremonies before flying to Iloilo for the Independence Day celebrations last Friday.

This year’s awardees are certainly the best of the best — with Ted Failon copping the Investigative Reporter of the Year award while Conrado Banal III was voted the Opinion Writer of the Year. Inquirer editor-in-chief Letty Jimenez-Magsanoc bagged the Journalist of the Year Award while The Standard – formerly the Manila Standard Today – emerged as the Newspaper of the Year for its scoops and exposes on hot button issues like the Mamasapano incident and just recently, the BBL payola issues. The paper was also recognized for the innovations it is undertaking like the integration of the digital platform with the print version.

Kabayan Noli de Castro was named the Television Male Broadcaster of the Year with Vicky Morales-Reyno as the Television Female Broadcaster of the Year. Other awardees include Ruby Tayag, Vic de Leon Lima and special awardees Tony Lopez and former Ambassador Tony Cabangon-Chua for their significant contributions to the industry. ANC was voted the TV station of the year while DZMM was named the Radio Station of the Year. BusinessWorld was the Business Newspaper of the Year while the Mindanao Daily Mirror and Cebu’s The Freeman received the Regional Newspaper of the Year award. Incidentally, The Freeman is a sister publication of The Philippine STAR, which has been elevated to the Hall of Fame for having won “Newspaper of the Year” for three consecutive times.