PeopleAsia Quill-ed it again!

They Quill-ed it again. And we are left with not just one view to a Quill  but three!

The no-nonsense PeopleAsia magazine — which has been bringing real lives, real stories and real people on its pages for the last 16 years — recently received three awards at the Philippine Quill Awards held at the Marriott Manila’s Grand Ballroom.

PeopleAsia’s editor-in-chief and general manager Joanne Rae Ramirez, managing editor Jose Paolo dela Cruz and creative director Chino Corrales were all smiles when they were handed two Philippine Quill Awards for Excellence and one Philippine Quill Award of Merit, recognizing the magazine’s achievements in the Special Events and Publication categories, respectively.

The Philippine Quill Awards recognizes the country’s most outstanding achievements in the areas of business communication. Organized by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines, the Quill Awards are given to notable organizations that successfully communicate and achieve business goals through use of excellent communication.

Papal Power

The Philippine Quill Award for Excellence in the Publication category honored Papal Power: Pope Francis in the Philippines, the magazine’s special issue that chronicled Pope Francis’ historic visit to the Philippines in January 2015. Completed, compiled, proofed and released only two weeks after the Pope’s departure from the country, the issue was not only a feat in speed and technical efficiency, but was also a shining example of the team’s abilities to work together as a well-oiled machine and pull together its resources.

The magazine immortalized the Filipino experience of faith and the Pope’s holiness — not just by reporting on the event’s highlights on the pages, but by engaging readers and making them a part of the process. As such, PeopleAsia opened a little contest called “Pope & I” that called for anyone and everyone to send in photos with the Pope and share their stories of faith and hope. Friends from The Philippine STAR, the Malacañang Press Bureau as well as photographers and writers from other organizations also became contributors to the issue, sharing either their words or their photographs. The issue flew off the shelves in Metro Manila as well as in Ormoc, Tacloban and other provinces in the Visayas; prompting PeopleAsia to print a second edition.

‘People of the Year’ Awards Night

Turning the attention to a different category, the second Philippine Quill Award for Excellence gave tribute to PeopleAsia’s highly anticipated annual gala, the People of the Year 2015 Awards Night held at the New World Makati Hotel.

Originally, the chosen “People of the Year” were simply unveiled in and honored by dedicating the publication’s year-end issue where their achievements were made known. Joanne said: “A magazine feature wouldn’t be enough especially if we wanted to create live and significant impact. Thus, the awards night was created, in an effort to showcase the best of the best, in an awards night that is entertaining as it is ambitious, meaningful as it is grand.”

Attended by public officials, movers and shakers of the business world, celebrities, influencers and other achievers, this particular awards night boasts of gathering around 50 to 60 diplomatic heads — even though it is not a government function — and gets together an average of 500 VIP attendees every year.

‘Men Who Matter’ 2015

Last but not the least, PeopleAsia’s special “Men Who Matter” issue garnered a Philippine Quill Award of Merit. Stylish, modern, well-rounded, charming and capped off with a touch of grit, PeopleAsia’s featured Men Who Matter awardees are embodiments of qualities that are not only important to the people behind the magazine, but matter to the readers, too. Featured in this award-winning issue were Ferdz Recio, Jiggy Manicad,  Bobby Joseph, Paul Soriano, Matteo Guidicelli, Adam Laker, Rep. Roman Romulo, Sen. Sonny Angara, Ranidel de Ocampo, Joee Guilas, Bernie Vergara, Martin Yeung and Gregory Domingo.

This is the second year that PeopleAsia has received Philippine Quill Awards. In 2014, the magazine received three Philippine Quill Awards of Merit for its special Women of Style and Substance, People of the Year and Cory Aquino issues.

Congratulations to the men and women of PeopleAsia magazine!

(E-mail me at bumbaki@yahoo.com. I’m also on Twitter @bum_tenorio and Instagram @bumtenorio. Have a blessed Sunday!)