True to its tradition of recognizing excellence and in celebration of its 50th year, the Metrobank Foundation Inc. (MBFI) will once again award the best journalists from print, broadcast and online media for 2012.

Through the signing of a memorandum of agreement for the Journalists of the Year (JOY) Awards, the MBFI has partnered with the Probe Media Foundation Inc. (PMFI) to administer the awards program that will include nomination, screening and judging a journalist’s body of work for the last five years. “Metrobank has always been exposed in the sectors that are concerned with development. The media for one, have been very helpful,” says Aniceto M. Sobrepeña, President of MBFI.

In the photo are (from left to right): MBFI Executive Director Nicanor L. Torres, Jr., MBFI Executive Vice President Elvira Ong Chan, MBFI President Aniceto M. Sobrepeña, PMFI Founder and Trustee Cheche Lazaro, PMFI Vice President Twink Macaraig, and PMFI Executive Director Yasmin Mapua-Tang.

In November 2001, Sheila Coronel, Dean Armando Malay and Jessica Soho became the first batch of awardees. The awards program will be formally launched during Metrobank’s 50th Anniversary celebration in September. The winner will be announced early next year. PPI members can nominate candidates for the print category.

Details of the awards will be posted in the PMFI website in due time.