Columnist Fr. Cimagala wins CAMMA award

Press Release
August 30, 2011

CEBU CITY  –  The 15th edition of the biennial Cebu Archdiocesan Mass Media Awards (CAMMA) declared columnist Fr. Roy Cimagala the best in column writing in ceremonies held in SM Cebu on August 28. This is the third time to win such award.

Fr. Cimagala writes a column, Hints and Traces, for Cebu's Freeman newspaper, and has been consistently putting Christian values into public issues covered by the media.

The Cebu-based priest is chaplain of Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE) among many other pastoral assignments. His love for writing led him to contribute commentaries to different media outfits.

“I feel that the burning issues of today need to be given the inputs of human and Christian values,” he said. “This does not mean there's only one concrete human and Christian view regarding these issues. There can be many, since they are often matters of opinion. But at least they are views with a Christian tone,” he added.

To Fr. Cimagala, this Christian tone includes elements of an earnest search for truth that is always done in charity, respecting the dignity of persons, concern for fairness and, in general, faithfully following the many codes of ethics that have been crafted to guide people in media.

He bats for what is constructive and positive, rather than focusing on the negative. He is also for building up a network of cooperative work among the different parties and sectors of society, rather than pitting one party with another.

CAMMA's theme this year is “Truth, Proclamation and Authenticity of Life in the Digital Age.” The aim of the organizers is to give due recognition to the generous and often heroic work of mediamen.