The FREEMAN bags Rotary’s regional newspaper award

CEBU, Philippines - The Freeman scored another victory as it bagged an award yesterday at the 2016 Journalism Awards of the Rotary Club of Manila.

For the third time in a row, the paper, a member of The Philippine STAR Media Group, has been named as the Regional Newspaper of the Year by RCM.

The award came as a “surprise” to the news organization because there was no prior communication sent by the award-giving body.

It was STAR president and CEO Miguel Belmonte who informed the paper’s publisher Jerry Tundag about the award, which was delivered to the former’s office in Manila.

The awarding ceremonies were held yesterday noon at the New World Hotel Ballroom in Makati City.

The FREEMAN editor-in-chief Archie Modequillo said winning the award is vindication of the commitments and efforts of the people behind the publication.

“We feel honored nga atong efforts vindicated by this ward. But actually on a day to day, we want to do our best not because we want to get an award for it. It is just our working culture,” he said.

“This might be our harvest season,” he added.

Modequillo said the award not only makes the paper and everybody involved in its publication proud, but it fuels further the organization’s commitment to providing fair and fearless news.

For his part, managing editor Lucky Malicay said the awards only shows that “we have been doing well in delivering information to the public.”

The RCM Journalism Awards, a recognized awarding body in Rotary organizations worldwide, was launched in 1966 to honor outstanding contributions of individuals in print, television and radio and those who have exemplary performance in the development of the Philippine journalism.

Last month, The FREEMAN also emerged as the only daily newspaper in Cebu to bag an award at the Philippine Press Institute’s 2016 Civic Journalism Community Press Awards.

The paper was awarded Best in Editorial Page, besting two other nominees, namely Sun.Star Pampanga and Edge Davao. (FREEMAN)