MANILA – The Bohol Chronicle, celebrating its 61st anniversary yesterday, was gifted with its 3rd consecutive national award duirng the 2014 Civic Journalism Awards last Friday at the Diamond Hotel by clinching the “Best in Arts, Culture and History Reporting” over all of the country’s weekly newspapers.
The honor was bestowed by the (PPI) Philippine Press Institute, a prestigious print news organization in the country.
This was after the Chronicle won awards for “Best Editorial Page” in 2014 and “Best in Disaster Reporting” in 2013.
There were only 8 newspapers nationwide which won awards this year for both the daily and weekly categories with the Chronicle as the only winner from the Visayas in the Weeklies Category.
Bohol’s first newspaper bested other community weeklies from across the archipelago in that award segment. It topped The Ilocos Times and Business Weekly Mindanao, finalists from their respective regions.
“The Bohol Chronicle is a newspaper that shows professionalism, uniqueness, and in-depth reporting of culture, arts and history in the community,” said PPI in its award. “This newspaper goes beyond providing news or information and also inspires readers to get involved, get engaged for the development and preservation of culture and arts.”
Now on its 19th year, the annual awards are given “to raise the standards of journalism in the countryside , seek to honor news organizations not only for editorial excellence but also for their role as catalysts for community development,” said the PPI.
This year, The Bohol Chronicle was also a finalist in two other categories, including Best in “Business and Economic Reporting” and “Best in Environmental Reporting.”
It was noted during the Annual Awards Night that The Bohol Chronicle and the Mindanao Cross had the most nominations in the weekly category. The PPI awards night had six categories.
Bingo Dejaresco, The Chronicle editor-in-chief, received the award and recognition of merit for the paper.
The 16 finalists from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao were handed plaques of merit while the victors were given trophies and cash prizes.
PPI’s Civic Journalism Awards is now on its 19th year. However, it used to only give awards to regional newspapers when it started in 1997.
The event was supported by Nickel Asia Corporation, Malaya, BusinessWorld, Journal Group, The Philippine Star, Manila Standard Today, and the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
The Chronicle’s late founder, Zoilo Dejaresco Jr., who solely started the weekly newspaper in 1954, was the PPI’s third national chairman, succeeding Joaquin “Chino” Roces, founder of the Associated Broadcasting Company and the Manila Times.