CDN wins grand prize in the Mega Cebu Investigative Report Competition

CDN WON MEGA CEBU INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING/OCT. 3, 2018: Metro Cebu Development and Coordinating Board Co-Chairperson Gordon Alan Joseph (5th from left) and MCDCB-RPOD-PMO Director Evelyn Nacario-Castro (leftmost) award Cebu Daily News as the grand champion for the Investigative Report Competition organized by the Metro Cebu Development Coordinating Board for the Mega Cebu Month 2018 in Grand Convention Center.(CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

“UNTANGLING the gridlock,” a seven-part special report of Cebu Daily News, was named the grand champion in the print category of the Mega Cebu Investigative Report Competition 2018, which was announced during the 6th Mega Cebu Month celebration held at the Grand Convention Center of Cebu on Wednesday night, October 3.

The special report discussed the tangled traffic situation in Cebu, its effects on business, mitigating measures taken by government agencies and the “right projects” that should be worked on to resolve the traffic woes in the long run.

A look into the envisioned projects that are seen to improve the mobility within the metropolis based on the Urban Transport Master Plan of the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (Jica) was also discussed in the series.

The seven-part piece was put together by the CDN team headed by Day Desk and Writing Editor Ador Vincent Mayol and composed of reporters Jose Santino Bunachita, Morexette Marie Erram and Nestle Semilla; and Correspondents Rosalie Abatayo, Jessa Mae Sotto, Norman Mendoza, John Aroa, Benjie Talisic, Futch Anthony Inso and USJ-R Journalism Intern Delta Dyrecka Letigio. The stories were edited by Rosemarie Holganza-Borromeo.

The competition was organized by the Metro Cebu Development and Coordinating Board (MCDCB) for this year’s celebration of the Mega Cebu Month.

Gordon Alan Joseph, chair of the MCDCB Executive Committee and president of the Cebu Business Club, said the media has the power to shape the opinion of the public towards developments that are anchored to a better and liveable Cebu.

Mega Cebu, a multi-sectoral consortium of private sector and government stakeholders created in 2011, envisions of a sustained urban growth in Metro Cebu in the next 30 years.

“It’s (going to) take a lot of hard work and a lot of cooperation among the stakeholders, in particular, the government units. If we succeed in doing this, with successful coordination among LGUs and the private sector, we may make the most competitive and maybe once again the most beautiful city in the Philippines,” Joseph told CDN.

Other winners
“Rising Water,” Sun.Star Cebu’s three-part report that tackled the flooding woes in Cebu City, bagged the second prize while The Freeman’s two-part entry on Cebu City’s solid waste management was third.

For the Radio category, Rowena Capistrano of dyRF Radyo Fuerza bagged the grand prize for her piece “Pansayan na, Basurahan pa,” while the second and third prizes were both won by Futch Anthony Inso of dyHP-Radio Mindanao Network (RMN) for his entries Temporaryo and Angkas, respectively. Inso is also a correspondent of CDN.