STAR correspondent wins SM SUPER Award for Media

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine STAR reporter Lalaine Jimenea will receive the SUPER Award for Media for her exceptional coverage of the wrath of Super Typhoon Yolanda in November last year, the SM Foundation Inc. announced Monday.

SM Foundation executive director Debbie Sy said Atom Araullo and Ted Failon of ABS-CBN; Ranulfo Docdocan of ABS-CBN Tacloban; and Love Añover, Jiggy Manicad and Micaela Papa of GMA 7 will also be awarded for their coverage of the typhoon.

Other awardees are Joecel Huesca of GMA Iloilo; Greggy Magdadaro of GMA Cebu; Benjie Dorango and Erwin Tulfo of TV 5; David Santos of Solar News; DJ Yap of the Philippine Daily Inquirer; Tara Yap of Manila Bulletin; Lorelei Salarda of dyBR Tacloban; Jazmin Bonifacio of dyDW; Jimmy Angay-angay of dzRH; Joey Gabieta of lsDE; Jamela Alindogan of Al Jazeera and Andrew Stevens of CNN.

The members of their teams will also be awarded, the SM Foundation said.

The awarding ceremonies will be held on May 19 at the Mall of Asia SMX Convention Center in Pasay City at 5:30 pm.

Sy said the SUPER Awards for Media aims to pay tribute to the tenacity and courage of the media practitioners who risked their lives while covering the wrath of Yolanda.

“While they knew of the potential danger that the typhoon was bringing before it hit the country, they persisted and covered the event. We now want to honor the select men and women of media for stepping forward with such dedication and unparalleled courage,” she said.

These media practitioners became instrumental in calling all the nations to provide immediate relief, much needed funds, resources and technology to help rebuild towns, cities and lives devastated by the monster storm, she added.

The awardees were chosen by Australian Ambassador Bill Twedell represented by Geoffrey King, councilor for Development Cooperation; Luiza Carvalho, director and resident coordinator of the United Nations in the Philippines; Rolando Tolentino, dean of the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication; and Ana Maria Garcia, president of SM Shopping Center Management Corp.

The awardees were chosen from more than 30 nominees submitted by different media organizations and entities.

 SUPER stands for Salute to Unparalleled People, Endeavors and Resources. The media award is a private-sector undertaking sponsored by SM Foundation, the socio civic arm of the SM group of companies.