BY LIZA BELLE PATAGOC & MICHELLE RAFAEL/DNSC Interns
ORGANIZERS of the Archbishop Thibault Media Awards (ATMA) 2026 are calling on media practitioners and students across the Davao Region to participate in this year’s recognition of works promoting human dignity and social welfare.
The invitation was announced during a media briefing on March 23, 2026, held at SM City Davao in Ecoland.
The ATMA highlights outstanding media contributions through various categories that reflect social teachings and contemporary issues.
These include the:
• LAUDATO SI AWARD (Praise be to you)
Care for our common Home and the Poor
– It promotes environmental awareness, social justice, and responsible reporting while encouraging solutions to environmental issues.
• Fratelli Tutti Award (All Brothers)
Social Friendship, Fraternity, and Peace
– It promotes dialogue, unity, and social justice by highlighting shared values and actions that advance peace and the common good.
• Familiaris Consortio Award (The Fellowship of the Family)
Family, Life, and Filipino Values
– It highlights family values rooted in Church teachings and Filipino culture, addressing challenges while promoting unity, responsible parenthood, and strong spiritual foundations.
• Mulieris Dignitatem Award (The Dignity of a Woman)
Women’s Dignity and Empowerment
– It upholds women’s dignity by recognizing their contributions, addressing inequality and abuse, and promoting empowerment and their rights.
• Populorum Progressio Award (The Development of Peoples)
Integral Human Development and Solidarity
– It highlights inclusive development by addressing inequality, promoting equitable opportunities for marginalized sectors, and fostering solidarity in solving social issues.
• Inter Mirifica Award (Among the Wonderful)
Parish Social Communication Excellence
– Exclusive to parish social communications members and recognizes works that are accurate, balanced, and responsible, while promoting ethical, innovative media aligned with Church teachings and pastoral goals.
• Christus Vivit Award (Christ is Alive)
Campus Journalism and Youth Engagement
– This is for campus journalists and honors works that empower youth, address issues affecting them, and inspire faith and hope as the Church and society’s future.
• Laborem Exercens Award (Through Work)
Dignity and Rights of Workers
– It promotes the dignity of work by advocating workers’ rights, highlighting ethical and spiritual values of labor, and addressing injustices affecting them.
• Erga Migrantes Award (Towards Migrants)
Dignity and Rights of Migrants and Itinerants
– It upholds the rights and dignity of migrants, addressing their challenges while recognizing their contributions to the Church and society.
• Evangelii Gaudium Award (The Joy of the Gospel) Evangelization Through Media
– This honors media works in evangelization that inspire hope, convey the Gospel’s transformative message, address social injustices, and highlight the work of dedicated evangelizers.
• Communio et Progressio Award (Unity and Advancement) Aims of Social Communication, Visual Storytelling, Photojournalism
– This recognizes photos that critically reflect the key themes of the Church’s social communication teachings.
• Dignitas Infinita Award (Infinite Dignity)
Human Dignity in Complex and Contemporary Issue
– Focuses on human dignity issues, specifically human trafficking, abuse, reproductive rights, PWDs, LGBTQIA+ concerns, and digital violence.
• Archbishop Clovis Thibault Special Award
Works that fully reflect Church teachings on evangelization, faith and justice, human rights, stewardship, care for creation, and uphold the highest journalistic ethics.
“Hopefully this is already our second batch as we process, so I hope mag-join ta,” said screening committee member Lunar Fayloga.
Participants are required to submit entries with complete details, including the title of the work, name of the author, media outlet, and chosen award category.
The deadline for submission is on April 18, 2026, and entries may be sent via email to archbishopthibaultawards@gmail.com.
Faygola emphasized that the competition is open to all, regardless of religious affiliation, and that entries will be judged based on the material and content of the submitted work rather than on the personal backgrounds of the participants.
Eligible entries must have been aired, published, or posted between October 2024 and Feb. 16, 2026.
The ATMA 2026 awarding ceremony will take place on May 16, 2026, at 3 p.m. at Finster Hall, 7th Floor of Ateneo de Davao University, Jacinto Street, Davao City.
