SUNSTAR Davao bagged two awards from the 2023 Civic Journalism Community Press Awards of the Philippine Press Institute (PPI) on Thursday, April 25, 2024, at the Century Park Hotel in Manila on April 25, 2024.
SunStar Davao won Best in Photojournalism and Best Environmental Reporting in the daily category.
According to the citations, SunStar Davao was recognized for its innovative layout, which effectively conveyed information without relying on photographs, leading to the Best in Photojournalism Award.
“The paper consistently fielded their photojournalists for the task. Their clever way of laying out the pages and still making it informative without using any photographs or images was a huge point for them,” PPI said in its citation for Best in Photojournalism.
Additionally, SunStar Davao's comprehensive coverage of environmental issues distinguishes it from other newspapers for its breadth, depth, and consistency, earning the Best in Environmental Reporting Award.
PPI highlighted SunStar Davao’s stories on topics such as the Philippine Eagle, plastic pollution, mangroves, watershed, climate change impacts on agriculture and coastal communities, and biodiversity, with their “powerful photos” and “graphics,” noting that these stories engaged readers and policymakers alike.
Part of its citation says SunStar Davao won the Best Environmental Reporting (daily category) for “helping its community understand how problems related to the environment, one of the most complex and important issues of our time, will change their lives.”
SunStar Davao OIC editor-in-chief Cristina E. Alivio expressed gratitude for the awards, attributing them to the dedication of SunStar Davao's personnel.
"These awards are proof of our hard work and commitment to bringing stories from the community, of the community, and for the community," she said.
Alivio thanked PPI for the recognition, emphasizing that the awards inspire SunStar Davao to continue telling impactful stories and amplifying the voices of the marginalized.
“These inspire us to work harder and better storytellers, listening to the voice of the voiceless and empowering them as part of a community," she said.
SunStar Davao was also nominated in several categories, including Best in Reporting on Migration issues, Best in Business and Economic Reporting, Best in Editorial Page, and Best Edited Community Newspaper.
Overall, the SunStar Philippines network secured three awards for daily newspapers. RGP
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