The BusinessMirror dominated the 2017 Philippine Agricultural Journalists-San Miguel Corp. (PAJ-SMC) Binhi Awards by bagging a total of six awards, including the top prize for all three major categories, in a ceremony held in Makati City on March 22.
Agriculture/Commodities reporter Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas won first prize in the Agricultural Journalist of the Year and Agribeat Reporter of the Year categories, while environmental journalist Jonathan L. Mayuga was adjudged as the top Environmental Journalist of the Year.
Mayuga’s entries—”Ghosts of mining’s past continue to haunt industry” and “Investing in rivers can help PHL bag ‘First World’ status” were recognized as the Best Environment Story of the Year and the Best Water Sustainability Story of the Year, respectively. The BusinessMirror’s Green page, edited by Lynn Resurreccion, was adjudged as the Best Agriculture Section/Environment of a National Newspaper of the Year.
The other winners in the major categories are: Fermin Diaz of LAMB Magazine (second place) and Ian Ocampo Flora of Sun Star Pampanga (third place) for Agricultural Journalist of the Year; James Konstantin Galvez of The Manila Times and Madelaine B. Miraflor of Manila Bulletin (second place) and Louise Maureen Simeon of the Philippine Star and Janina Lim of BusinessWorld (third place) for the Agribeat Reporter of the Year.
Sun Star Pampanga’s Flora also won second prize, while Henrylito D. Tacio of EDGE Davao bagged the third prize in the Environmental Journalist of the Year category.
The other winners in Binhi’s minor categories are:
Best Agri News Story of the Year: “Water crisis by 2025: Pampanga’s groundwater source in danger,” written by Flora of Sun Star Pampanga;
Best Agri Feature Story of the Year: “From pastry chef to would-be pasture chief,” by Diaz, LAMB Magazine;
Best Climate Change Story of the Year: “The cost of climate change,” by Tacio of the Philippines Graphic, sister company of the BusinessMirror;
Agri Photo Journalist of the Year: Jayson C. Berto, Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice);
Agricultral Magazine of the Year: PhilRice Magasin, Philippine Rice Research Institute;
Agricultural Newsletter of the Year: Uhay, Department of Agriculture (DA) Region 11;
Agri Regional Television Program of the Year: MANA TV, DA-Region 3;
Agri Regional Radio Program of the Year: Agri Tayo Dito, DA-Region 2; and
Agri Information & Media Campaign of the Year: National Rice Awareness Month, PhilRice.
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol, who was the guest of honor and keynote speaker, stressed the importance of pursuing food self-sufficiency in view of the challenges posed by climate change to global farm production, in his speech.
The DA chief, along with PAJ President and retired business editor of the Philippine Star Roman Floresca, and Dr. Crispin Maslog, chairman of the five-man board of judges handed over the cash prizes and trophies to winners of the three major and 12 minor Binhi contest categories.
More than 150 journalists and institutions joined the contest, said Noel Reyes, PAJ vice president for internal affairs and 2017 PAJ-SMC Binhi Awards committee chairman.
Aside from Maslog, the other four judges are: SMC AVP for Corporate and Media Affairs Head Mary Jane Oconer Llanes; Leo Deocadiz, publisher-editor of The SUN Hong Kong and former Philippine Daily Inquirer business editor; Ruben Pascual, managing director of RJP Consulting and former agricultural attache to the United States and Europe, and PhilExport COO; and Jimmy Cantor, deputy managing editor and concurrent sports editor of Malaya Business Insight.
The PAJ has been conducting the Binhi Awards since 1978 to recognize the efforts of media persons covering the agriculture, environment and agrarian-reform beats, including writers, editors and broadcast journalists for their reportage, agricultural publications, radio and television programs, and information campaign, Floresca said.
Image credits: Roy Domingo