Marthy Angue Philippines with photos courtesy of CFO
and Betsy von Atzigen, Switzerland
16 March 2022, Manila Hotel, Philippines. Roots and Wings Magazine received a major honor from the Commission on Filipinos Overseas as one of the 19 recipients of the 2022 Migration Advocacy and Media (MAM) Awards for 2022. Celebrating the role of media in bringing to light the achievements, plight, and diverse experiences of Filipino migrants, the MAM Awards conferred its 2022 Print Journalism Award for Best Magazine to Roots and Wings in an intimate ceremony at the Manila Hotel, 16 March 2022.
Roots & Wings Magazine Associate Editor Marthy Angue received the award on behalf of the Team.
In his opening remarks, CFO Secretary and Chairperson Francisco P. Acosta recognized how the MAM winners advocated for overseas Filipinos amid a global crisis and, indeed, many of the 2022 winners played vital roles in informing, entertaining, and uplifting the Global Filipino in a time of pandemic. Awardees had been selected from across the breadth of the Filipino Diaspora, hailing from Japan, China, the United States, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Canada, Hong Kong, United Arab Emirates, South Korea, and the Philippines.
In a pre-recorded acceptance speech, magazine founder Rachel Hansen and editor-in-chief Elizabeth (Betsy) Jance von Atzigen thanked the Commission on Filipinos Overseas for the recognition, expressing how the award serves to inspire the publication to continue providing Filipinos in Europe with inspiring stories and quality information.
The CFO also awarded the first winners of the HiMigrasyon Songwriting Contest, a competition to celebrate overseas Filipinos and to produce music to call attention to migration issues, at the ceremony.
PHILIPPINE EMBASSY BERNE, SWITZERLAND HONOURS ROOTS & WINGS
Standing in front of timeless Mi Ultimo Adios backdrop at the Philippine Embassy Bern, Switzerland (L-R) First Secretary and Consul Princess Tomas-Tayao, Rawmags Editor in Chief Betsy Jance von Atzige and Minister and Consul General Josephine Reynante
On the 11th of March 2022, Roots & Wings 2021 Best Magazine and Migration Advocacy and Media (MAM) Awardee was honoured by the Philippine Embassy in Bern, Switzerland. Editor-in-Chief, Betsy von Atzigen had the pleasure to accept the recognition on behalf of Rawmags.
A new page of the Guest Book lay open beneath the engraved Mi Ultimo Adios. Witness to the signing of the book was national hero Dr. Jose Rizal himself, flanked by the Philippine national flag.
This award stems from Rachel Hansen’s initiative in summer of 2009 to chronicle, promote and keep alive the Filipino heritage among community members in Europe. A Team of professional volunteer journalists, writers, contributors, editors, web and magazine designers have effected a dozen years of magazine transformation into what it is today and committed to deliver an engaging bi-monthly publication that enriches and keeps Filipino art, business, community, customs, foreign affairs, literature, music, sports and traditions alive among our million-strong Euro-Filipinos into the next generations.
L-R: Guest Eppie Balagasay, Roots & Wings Editor in Chief Betsy Jance von Atzigen, Minister and Consul General Josephine Reynante, Pamela Gotangco, Presidential Awardee and guest Susan Nagel-Alcario.