STAR named Business News Source of the Year anew

MANILA, Philippines —   For the second time in three years, The Philippine STAR has been named “Business News Source of the Year” at the annual Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines’ (EJAP) Business Journalism Awards.

The STAR was adjudged as the Business News Source of the Year after three reporters won in the 34th EJAP Business Journalism Awards sponsored by the Ayala Group last Friday at the New World Makati Hotel.

Louella Desiderio further etched her name in business journalism history as she won the Trade Reporter of the Year award, making it her fourth win in the last five years.

Jasper Emmanuel Arcalas won the Agriculture-Mining Reporter of the Year, his fourth time winning the award.

Gerard de la Peña’s long-form piece on the rise of a new airport in Bulacan titled “Airport solution tests resilience of Bulacan residents” won the Best Feature Story of the Year. The story, which tells the stories of residents affected by the new airport, was published in The STAR last Nov. 3, 2024.

Claiming the most number of wins this year, The STAR recaptured the Business News Source of the Year award, which it won in 2023 when it nearly swept all the categories at the annual EJAP journalism awards.

Iris Gonzales helms The STAR’s business section alongside editors Conrado Diaz Jr., Rica Delfinado, Lawrence Agcaoili and editorial assistant Elaine Briones.

The 34th EJAP Business Journalism Awards, which coincided with the organization’s 40th year, saw BusinessWorld and BusinessMirror bagging two awards each.

For BusinessWorld, reporters Luisa Jocson and Beatriz Cruz were adjudged as best reporters in the banking and finance beats, respectively.

Lorenz Marasigan won the Telco-Transport Reporter of the Year award while Lenie Lectura clinched the Energy Reporter of the Year for BusinessMirror.

Meg Adonis of Philippine Daily Inquirer won the Capital Markets Reporter of the Year while Darwin Amojelar from Manila Standard took home Macroeconomy Reporter of the Year honors.

This year’s board of judges is chaired by former finance undersecretary Milwida Guevara, who is the CEO of Synergeia Foundation. Comprising the board of judges is SEARCA director Mercedita Sombilla, UP School of Economics professor Sarah Lynne Daway-Ducanes, Maharlika Investment Corp. vice president for the investment management group Ma. Gladys Cruz-Sta. Rita, former finance secretary Cesar Purisima, former Securities and Exchange Commission chair Teresita Herbosa, former Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. president Rodrigo Franco, former national statistician Jose Ramon Albert and former trade secretary Adrian Cristobal Jr.

EJAP, the country’s premier organization of journalists covering the economy and business, is currently led by its president Myla Iglesias of Malaya Business Insight.