Six regional newspapers were given recognition for outstanding community journalism during the 2010 Philippine Press Institute – The Coca Cola Export Corporation Civic Journalism Community Press Awards on June 23, 2011 at the Traders Hotel Manila.
Weekly publications Mabuhay (Bulacan) and Edge Davao (Davao City) led with 2 awards apiece. Mabuhay won for Best in Photojournalism and Best Edited Paper awards while Edge Davao bagged the Best in Science and Environmental Reporting, and Best in Business and Economic Reporting Awards. Baguio Midland Courier (Baguio City) took home the Best Editorial Page award for the weekly category.

Among the dailies, Sun.Star Cebu (Cebu City) took the Best in Photojournalism and Best Edited Paper. Sister publication Sun.Star Davao (Davao City) bagged the Best in Science and Environmental Reporting and Best in Business and Economic Reporting Awards. The Best Editorial Page Award was given to Cebu Daily News (Cebu City).

CWC representatives Denia Gamboa and Daisy Atienza said the award was to give recognition to Ms. Lim’s coverage on issues concerning the Filipino child’s welfare and rights.

The Bright Child is a nationwide campaign that was launched in 2004 to support programs and services for children at the national, regional and provincial levels. The Council defines a Bright Child as a child who is active, alert, healthy, happy, cared for, and protected from violence, abuse, and exploitation.

The CWC-PPI Bright Child Award for Outstanding News Feature on Children is open to all PPI-member publications with news features on children. The CWC adopted Bright Child to consolidate initiatives, programs, and services leading to the holistic development of the Filipino children.

During the session “Re-wiring Newspapers in the Digital Age,” Carlos Sevilla, managing director of IT solutions company Softrigger Interactive predicted that most print publications will go digital by 2020. “Print is not dead but there is now an increasing dependence of the public on IPads, laptops and computers for news over television and newspapers.” To thrive in this new environment, traditional newspapers should migrate to digital platforms and offer online versions of their publications.

Former PPI executive director Gil H.A. Santos agreed that the way for the community papers would survive is creating online versions of their print content. Costs can be managed if publications band together to create a collective digital news shelf versus each paper going at it individually.

In the same forum, Gadget Magazine publisher and Pinoy Blogfest organizer Bell Alba said the community press can exploit the popular social networking sites to expand their reach and news sources.

She cited that almost 30 million Filipinos are online on any given moment and use the Internet to read blogs, use search engines, watch videos, and share information.
Community journalists can use these tools to promote advocacy. Because of the advancements in social media, Alba said, “Everyone has become a citizen journalist or citizen advocate.”