By Llewelyn Mark Inid
Henrylito D. Tacio, the lead content writer of the Philippine Morning Post, won the Best Column of the Year in 2014 during its annual Globe Media Excellence Awards (GMEA). Last year, he was given the same award by the same award-giving body.
This year, Tacio is again shortlisted as one of the three finalists of the Column of the Year category (Mindanao Division).
His regular column in Philippine Morning Post, “Views to Ponder,” was cited as one of the top three finalists. He is against himself as his column, “Think on This,” which is published regularly by Edge Davao, was also in contention.
The third finalist was Jinggoy Salvador of Sun. Star Davao.
The winner of this category is still unknown. The awarding ceremony will be held in Cebu City on March 31.
Tacio has won the GMEA trophy several times already. In 2013, he was named Reporter of the Year.
In 2015, he got two awards: one for Reporter of the Year and another one for Investigative Report of the Year.
In 2016, he won the Investigative Report of the Year – On-line.
In addition to those six awards, he was elevated to the Hall of Fame in science reporting in 1998 by the Philippine Press Institute for winning the award five times.
Another Hall of Fame he received was from the Jose Burgos Award for Biotechnology for getting the award four times.
Tacio also got four trophies from the Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards.
He has also received several Binhi Awards given by the Philippine Agricultural Journalists, Inc. He got awards from the United Nations Environment Program and Earthsavers for his climate change reporting and water issues.
Other awards were from the AIDS Society of the Philippines, Department of Science and Technology, and Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
In 1999, the municipality of Bansalan bestowed him an Outstanding Bansaleno for his contribution in journalism. During the 50th anniversary of Davao del Sur, he was also given a citation.
The 10th GMEA has 14 categories anchored on three Globe sustainability pillars: Digital Nation, Care for People and Care for the Environment. These pillars represent the company’s commitment to achieving a balance among economic growth, social development, and environmental conservation.
This year’s theme, #OneDigitalNation, celebrates innovations that uplift lives with compassion, care, and kindness, reflecting Globe’s commitment to using technology for the betterment of society. Through technology, the media are able to deliver messages of hope and progress and contribute to improving Filipino lives.
“We are proud to unveil our finalists for this year’s GMEA Awards, who represent the best journalistic work we’ve seen in Visayas and Mindanao,” said Yoly Crisanto, Chief Sustainability, and Corporate Communications Officer at the Globe Group.
“Their stories in print, broadcast and digital have made a real impact within the region, giving a voice to the marginalized, exposing wrongdoing, shedding light on important issues, and also inspiring positive change in communities,” she continued. “Our roster of exemplary finalists this year makes our celebration of GMEA on its 10th year even more special.”
GMEA has been a platform for recognizing the achievements of storytellers in the Philippines since its inception in 2012. The awards aim to encourage journalists and social media advocates to produce stories that promote social good and advocate for the common good.
