GMANews.TV, 'i-Witness' bring home top PopDev Awards

GMA Network took home three trophies from the 2007 PopDev Media Awards after a series of stories by GMANews.TV was judged "Best in News Reportage Writing" and a report by the public affairs show "i-Witness" was named "Best TV Documentary." A collection of photographs by GMANews.TV's photo editor also got a citation for photo essay. A series of election stories - "Birth control issue killing bets' chances," "Current issues drown out campaign noise" and "GO, TU in mud fight" - written by Abraham "Abe" Cerojano were judged "Best in News Reportage Writing." The committee conferred the award to Cerojano "for making a significant difference in the amount and accuracy of public knowledge of population and human development issues affecting the Filipinos from October 1, 2006 to August 15. 2007." The board of judges for the print and online categories - Rep. Edcel Lagman, Jose Favia of the Philippine Press Institute, Prof. Luis Teodoro of the UP College of Mass Communication/Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility and Inquirer columnist Rina Jimenez-David - met on November 6 to decide on the final winning entries. Named runners up in the same category were stories that also appeared on GMANews.TV: "Poverty, hunger as poll issues;" "GO smells scam in P1-B anti-hunger fund;" "19 Days to E-Day: Money talks anew" by Cerojano; and "Bird flu alert up;" "Saan ihihimlay ang mga namatay?" and "The El Niño Phenomenon" by GMA Network's News Research department. Joe Galvez, GMANews.TV's photo editor, got a citation for his photo essay "Living in a Canned World." "P 36," a documentary by Jay Taruc for "i-Witness," was named "Best TV Documentary" while "Pop Culture" also of "i-Witness" was runner up in the same category. The Annual Media Awards was held at the Traders Hotel in Pasay City on Tuesday. The Awards is undertaken by the Philippine Legislators' Committee and the United Nations Population Fund through its 6th Country Programme. Now on its third year, the Awards pays tribute to print, broadcast and online media practitioners who have produced, published and aired "responsible and exemplary news and feature articles and programs on population and development" during the year. The Awards also aims to encourage the media to actively examine population and development issues that affect the country's development, and to heighten public awareness and knowledge on population and development issues. The other winners are: A. Print Category Best in News Reportage Writing Winner: Linette C. Ramos, Sun.Star Cebu, "LGUs told: Invest more in schools;" "Stop trafficking, porn: officials told;" "9,000 households in Cebu City still use unsanitary toilet facilities;" and "Gov't told to end malnutrition" Runners up: Jujemay G. Awit, Sun.Star Cebu, "Popcom urges parents to go back to school;" "Dads reminded to keep promise;" "Poll bets fear backlash, shun family planning issues;" "Abortion on the rise: survey" Ira P. Pedrasa, BusinessWorld, "Migration affecting quality of voting population-economis ts;" "Exit tax pressed for leaving professionals; " "Poor get raw end of deal in urban migration;" and "Informed choice slowing down annual population growth rate" Best in Investigative Reporting Winner: Mayette Q. Tabada, Rene H. Martel, Rianne C. Tecson, Jujemay G. Awit, Cherry Ann T. Lim, Sun.Star Cebu, "Surviving Aging" (1st Part: "Plight of elderly;" "Debate rages on drug discounts;" 2nd Part: "Going herbal, generic, capitalist;" "Waiting for that pension check;" 3rd Part: "Bumps in travel, but not a peep heard;" "Livelihood programs many, but takers among elderly few;" Last Part: "Second wind; Bread for the aged; Enforce the law") Runners up Mayette Q. Tabada, Rianne C. Tecson, Jujemay G. Awit, Cherry Ann T. Lim, Sun.Star Cebu, "Hidden Scourge" (1st Part: "Passing it on;" "Not the usual suspect;" "Living with HIV in Cebu" 2nd Part: "Condoning condom;" "Epidemic of fallacies;" "Flavored, ribbed, dotted;" Last Part: "Damage control;" "On guard;" "'Be responsible'") Liberty A. Pinili, Jeanette P. Malinao, Linette C. Ramos, Cherry Ann T. Lim, Rianne C. Tecson, Mayette Q. Tabada, Sun.Star Cebu, "Is the well running dry?" (1st Part: "What lies beneath;" "Drill weary;" 2nd Part: "A long walk;" "How safe is trucked, bottled water?;" "High and dry" 3rd Part: "Watershed guardian;" "Saving on a rainy day;" "Cebuanos drinking recycled sewage water;" Last Part: "United they must stand;" "Here, there and everywhere;" "Crossing lines") Best in Opinion Writing Winner: Rene Ezpeleta Bartolo, The Mindanao Times, "A little less of everything" Runners up Julia Careeon-Lagoc, The News Today, Iloilo City, "A brighter day for little Jane" Rene Ezpeleta Bartolo, The Mindanao Times, "What do we want, really?" B. Online Category Best in Investigative Reporting Winner: Frank Cimatu, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, "Sex, Laws and Video Nights" Runners up Red Batario, Girlie Alvarez, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, "Postcards from the Road Back" Lala Ordonez-Cascolan, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, "A Mother's Breastfeeding Story" Best in Opinion Writing Winner: Samira Gutoc, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, "Confronting Peace, Battling Stereotypes" Runners up Maytet Diokno-Pascual, Clarence Pascual, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, "Walking on a Knife's Edge" Alecks Pabico, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, "The Philippines, Now a 'Second World' Country?" C. Broadcast Category Best Radio Production Winner: PAKSA – DZMM, "Populasyon Sa Pilipinas Paano Ito Makokontrol" Runners up Population Special Report, DZMM, "Populasyong Mabilis ang Paglobo, Ano nga ba ang Benepisyo at Sakripisyo?" Imbestigador, DXGM Super Radyo Davao City, "Series of commentaries on population" Best TV Documentary Runner up Bantay OCW: Special Edition, "Helen" Citation for Single Photo: Jose Enrique Soriano, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, "Indisputable Hunger" Citation for Editorial Cartoon: Josua S. Cabrera, Sun.Star Cebu, "Too many mouths to feed" The Awards has been given with the collaboration of the Commission on Population, Employers' Confederation of the Philippines, Philippine Press Institute, Konrad Adenauer Asian Center for Journalism at the Ateneo de Manila University, Philippine NGO Council on Population, Health and Welfare, Forum for Family Planning and Development, Philippine Center on Population and Development. - GMANews.TV