By PNA and U.S. News Agency / Asian

The Cebu Provincial Board (PB) has commended Sun.Star Superbalita, a Cebuano-language daily, for its recent awards during the 15th Cebu Archdiocesan Mass Media Awards (CAMMA).

Superbalita got two awards in the Cebuano newspaper (tabloid) category: the Best in Editorial Writing and Best in Column Writing for Ernesto Lariosa.

Superbalita is one of the publications named in a pending ordinance of Cebu Vice Governor Agnes Magpale that seeks to ban the sale and distribution of tabloids that are “sexually provocative in nature.”

Cebu provincial lawmakers also congratulated Sun.Star Cebu, an English-language daily, after it won all five categories it was nominated for in the CAMMA.

In a separate resolution, the PB also requested tri-media organizations in Cebu to sustain their efforts in the celebration of Press Freedom month in September.

Cebu PB Member Arleigh Sitoy, author of the resolution, said the press plays an important role in the country, especially in the dissemination of information, as well as in raising public awareness.

The PB, he said, finds it appropriate to urge tri-media organizations in sustaining their efforts in the celebration of press freedom month.

“The said celebration was devised to highlight and honor our much vaunted freedom of expression and press freedom as enshrined and guaranteed by the Constitution,” Sitoy said.

The issue on press freedom was raised in Magpale’s proposed ordinance about tabloids.

The Cebu Media Legal Aid (CEMLA) came up with a stand against the passage of her ordinance.

In a statement, CEMLA said they reject obscenity in publications, just like the proponents of the ordinance are concerned about protecting community values.

However, CEMLA believes the proposal to ban the tabloids is unconstitutional, unnecessary and dangerous.