ILOILO City – Panay News brought home two major honors from The Medical City (TMC) Iloilo’s 3rd Paglaum Media Excellence Awards held on April 30, 2025, at the Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo.
Ime Sornito-Sorial took home the top award, Healthcare Story of the Year, for her in-depth report “Iloilo Fights Silent Killers; Movement for Healthy Hearts Saving Thousands of Lives, Millions in Resources.”
Meanwhile, Mai Ladiao was named Most Promising Healthcare News Writer for Print for her story “Iloilo’s Remote Islands Battle Heart Disease; Struggles, Cost and Health Care Gaps.”
The TMC Paglaum Awards recognize excellence in health reporting across Western Visayas — celebrating stories that elevate public awareness and inspire systemic change in healthcare.
The awarding ceremony was part of The Medical City Iloilo’s 15th anniversary celebration, emphasizing the institution’s ongoing commitment to public health and media collaboration.
In his keynote address, Dr. Stuart Bennet, president and Group CEO of The Medical City Enterprise, emphasized the role of responsible journalism in today’s health landscape.
“There’s a lot of misinformation in healthcare nowadays. Everybody’s a Google doctor expert. So having media partners to make sure the right message is passed — not just about what we’re doing, but also about the health needs and priorities of the population — is very important,” Dr. Bennet said.
He also praised the power of real stories in reflecting the impact of healthcare services, adding, “All of this positive media is not a coincidence. It’s not advertising. It’s really people telling true stories about how they came to us, and they felt better when they left us.”
Also present at the event were The Medical City Iloilo CEO Dr. Felix Villa, hospital staff, award judges, media partners, and bloggers.
The event highlighted the strong partnership between health institutions and the media in advocating for informed, compassionate, and community-centered healthcare./PN
