MOPC names STAR newspaper of the year

MANILA, Philippines — The Manila Overseas Press Club has named The Philippine STAR as newspaper of the year, citing its chief executive officer, editor-in-chief and columnist – the first time in 78 years that MOPC honors outstanding journalists and media organizations.

The STAR, led by president and CEO Miguel Belmonte, won as best newspaper for 2023 “for excellent newspaper publishing, quality journalism, the broadest range of opinions and steadfastness in speaking truth to power no matter the political climate and the economic situation.”

Editor-in-chief Ana Marie Pamintuan was named journalist of the year for embodying “the best in Philippine journalism today – brainy, hardworking, fair and balanced, courageous, global in values, local in relevance and unyielding in the search for truth, freedom and justice.”

Alex R. Magno was MOPC’s columnist of the year “for the excellence, depth and clarity of his columns written from the perspective of an economist and a political scientist and for contributing to a better understanding of a broad range of issues.”

Winning the Lifetime Achievement Award is Luchi Cruz-Valdes, chief of News5 under The STAR’s sister company TV5: “For over 37 years of distinguished broadcast journalism in six major TV stations as a reporter, investigative journalist, host, news anchor, debate moderator and in many other roles…” the citation read.

Awarding is tomorrow morning at the Fairmont ballroom.

Other recipients of the 2023 MOPC Bell of Freedom and Excellence Prize are Dennis Datu of ABS-CBN Integrated News, as TV Reporter of the Year; Deo Macalma, Radio Broadcaster; DZRH, Radio Station; Dax Lucas, Business Writer; Globe Telecom’s Maria Yolanda C. Crisanto, Leadership in Digitalization and Advancing Journalism’s Mobile Frontiers; Mike Enriquez of GMA Network Inc., Lifetime Achievement in Broadcast Journalism;

Cheloy V. Garafil, of Presidential Communications Office, Distinguished Journalism and Government Service; Carmela Tiangco of GMA Network, Television Broadcaster; former chief justice Artemio V. Panganiban Jr., columnist of Philippine Daily Inquirer, Journalist of the Year – Law; GMA Network CEO Felipe L. Gozon, for Television Station of the Year.

The guest of honor and speaker, Secretary Ivan John Uy of Department of Information and Communications Technology, will receive a glass trophy for his digitalization program.