Ateneo Lecturer John Nery is Hailed as Asia’s Best Opinion Writer

Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist and Ateneo de Manila University Communication Department lecturer John Nery was recently named Asia’s best opinion writer by the Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA). Nery, who is also the chair of the Asian Center for Journalism, won the Excellence in Opinion Writing Award for the regional category at the SOPA’s annual awarding ceremony held online and live streamed on August 26, 2020.

Nery writes a regular column for the Philippine Daily Inquirer, which also appears in the inquirer.net, the paper’s digital version where he formerly served as editor-in-chief. The SOPA judges acknowledged Nery’s “fearless, unbiased commentary,” and said his columns were “clearly and engagingly written in an increasingly difficult political and social climate.” The judges also said he wrote with “a clear voice, with a clear consistent message and opinion.”

An AB Philosophy graduate of the Ateneo, Nery has been teaching courses on Opinion Writing and Media and Politics since 2019. In receiving the award, Nery states, “In a time of increasing difficulty for journalism, this recognition is both an honor and a motivation. I have been writing opinion, in different capacities, for 20 years. The newspaper’s tradition of ‘fearless views’ has shaped my writing; it is gratifying to know that the award directly honors that tradition. My deepest thanks to SOPA.” ■