Phl Quill Awards reveals nominees

MANILA, Philippines - Anticipation from the business sector is set to reach a new high with the announcement of frontrunners for the top honors in The Philippine Quill Awards 2013, the country’s highest and most comprehensive awards in business communication. 

The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines has announced the nominees for the Top Division Awards and the Special Awards ahead of the awards night on Monday (Nov. 11), which will be aired on ANC, the ABS-CBN News Channel at a later date.

For the Top Award in Communication Management, the nominees are â€œAccredited Meralco Contractors Program: Institutionalizing Change” (Meralco), “Typhoon Pablo Power Restoration” (Meralco), â€œVision Petron 2013:  Lakbay Tagumpay” (Petron Corp.), “Serbisyong PRU-bliko--Todo na to! Pru Life UK Employee Welfare Committee 2013 Initiatives” (Pru Life UK), and â€œJump In Campaign” (Smart Communications). 

Battling it out for the Top Award in Communication Skills are “Rescue 5 Activity Book” (ABC Development Corp./TV5), “Women on Top: Meralco Pioneers Linewomen Training in PH” (Meralco), “Jesuits in Mindanao: The Mission” (Media Wise Communication Inc/Muse Books), “Dispatch--Explore. Teach. Inspire.” (Primer Group of Companies), and “Adobo: Project Reinvention” (Sanserif Inc.).

For Company of the Year, the nominees are ABS-CBN Corp., Energy Development Corp., Manila Electric Company, Metrobank Foundation, and last year’s winner SMART Communications, Inc.

Communication agencies Campaigns and Grey PR Inc., DDB Philippines, Stratworks, Studio 5 Designs Inc., and 2012 winner Ogilvy Public Relations Manila are leading the pack in the race for Agency of the Year. These awards will go to the company and the agency with the most excellence awards this year. 

The Philippine Quill Awards 2013 will also feature the 2nd Philippine Student Quill Awards, the junior version of the Quill that recognizes outstanding communication work by undergraduate college students from different provinces and regions in the archipelago.

Nominees for Top Award in the Student Quill are “Kapa: The Guilds Literary Folio 2012-2013” (Bataan Peninsula State University); “Bawas-Bisyo Bill: Taas Presyo, Bawas Bisyo” (University of the Philippines-Diliman), “Balik USTe” (University of Santo Tomas), “Biodiversity: One Community, One Country” (University of Santo Tomas), and “Kultura Republika” (University of Santo Tomas).

Vying for School of the Year are Bataan Peninsula State University, Holy Angel University,

University of the Philippines-Manila, University of Santo Tomas, and last year’s winner Colegio de San Juan de Letran Manila.

 Aside from these awards, almost 200 outstanding entries will be awarded with awards of excellence and merit covering communication research management, communication management, communication skills, and communication training and education across 42 categories in this year’s staging of the prestigious annual awards program, according to Philippine Quill Awards 2013 chair and IABC Philippines vice president Kane Errol Choa.

“The Quill has reached a record-high in terms of number of entries.  It is a testament of the business community’s trust and confidence in the Philippine Quill Awards as a symbol of excellence in business communication,” he explained.

He added that entries for the Student Quill increased 40 percent this year with entries coming from different parts of the country and not just Metro Manila.

 This is the 12th year that the IABC Philippines, which is also celebrating its 30th anniversary, is staging the Philippine Quill Awards, known in industry circles for its high and international standards and stringent judging procedure with entries evaluated by the country’s most respected communication professionals, practitioners, and field experts.

 The Philippine Quill is the local counterpart of IABC’s Gold Quill Awards, joined in by the world’s biggest corporations and agencies and regarded as the highest standard in business communication. Earlier this year, the Philippines brought home seven Gold Quill Awards.

IABC Philippines president and IABC International executive board director and IABC Foundation Trustee Ritzi Villarico Ronquillo said that local companies and organizations have been joining the Quill Awards not only for the prestige that goes along with the trophy, but most especially for the learning experience they get  by participating.

“The IABC Philippines is serious and determined in setting the standard in the practice of communication in the country. We go beyond giving awards by giving feedback to our entrants on how they can improve and strengthen their communication efforts. Many of our past winners have told us how the Quill’s emphasis on strategic planning, efficiency, and results has helped them improve how they do things in their respective organizations. We want our impact to be lasting and developmental,” she shared.  

The credibility of the Quill Awards and the IABC Philippines shows in the overwhelming support from the business sector. Gold sponsors for the Philippine Quill Awards 2013 include ABS-CBN Corp., Air Asia Zest, Pru Life UK, SMART Communications, and San Miguel Corp.. Silver sponsors are Energy Development Corp., Manila Electric Company, and Security Bank. Bronze sponsors are PAGCOR, PAG-IBIG, Petron Corporation, and Unilever Philippines.  Reyes Tacandong & Co. is the official tabulator.

The media partners are Adobo magazine, ANC (ABS-CBN News Channel), BusinessWorld, DZMM TeleRadyo, Manila Bulletin, and The Philippine Star, while the media intelligence partner is iSENTIA and the online registration partner is STI.

 Talk about the awards and the nominees on Twitter using the hashtag #PhilQuill2013.