The country’s agriculture and environment journalists will be honored once again in this year’s edition of a national agricultural journalism contest, dubbed PAJ-SMC Binhi Awards, spearheaded by the Philippine Agricultural Journalists, Inc. (PAJ) in partnership with San Miguel Corporation (SMC).
The contest recognizes the continuing efforts of print and broadcast journalists who churn out comprehensive and quality reportage of the major developments, issues and concerns in the country’s agriculture, fisheries, environment, agrarian reform, food and agribusiness sectors.
The 2015 PAJ-SMC Binhi Awards features a total of 14 individual and institutional categories, said contest chairman Noel Reyes, PAJ vice president, and former information director at the Department of Agriculture.
The three major individual categories are Agricultural Journalist, Agribeat Reporter and Environment Journalist. The top three winners for each group will receive P50,000, P30,000 and P20,000 cash and a trophy, respectively.
The other five individual categories are: Agri Photo Journalist, Agri News Story, Agri Feature Story, and Environment Story. Winners will receive P20,000 cash each and a trophy.
The 2015 PAJ-SMC Binhi Awards will also honor seven groups of media, government and private agencies, whose works will be judged as this year’s winners in the following institutional categories: Agri Section of a National Daily Newspaper, Agri Section of a Regional or Provincial Weekly or Fortnightly Newspaper, Agri Magazine, Agri Newsletter, Agri TV Program, Agri Radio Program, and Agri Info and/or Media Campaign of Gov’t or Private sector agency. The winner in each category will receive P20,000 cash and a trophy.
Reyes said the contest period starts from November 1, 2014 to October 31, 2015, which means all entries should have been published, broadcast, and/or implemented during the said 12-month period.
The requirements for each category are:
• Agricultural journalist, agribeat reporter, and environment journalist – original published clippings or photocopies of at least 10 best articles with corresponding newspaper/publication masthead, date, and byline or tagline;
• Agri news story, agri feature story, and environment story – original published clippings or photocopies of the story with corresponding newspaper/publication masthead, date, and byline or tagline;
• Agri broadcast journalist – five sets of CDs of the 10 best episodes of the contestant’s agri radio or TV program, including certificate of broadcast and endorsement from the station or network manager;
• Agri photo journalist – five sets of original or photocopies of at least 10 published B/W or colored photos with caption, corresponding newspaper/publication masthead, date, and photo credit or certification that said photo was taken by the contestant;
• Agri section of a national newspaper and agri section of a regional or provincial newspaper – five sets of published original or photocopies of 10 best agri section or page;
• Agri magazine and newsletter – five sets of 12 issues (if monthly) or four issues (if quarterly), and a letter of endorsement from the publisher or head of agency;
• Agri info/media campaign – five sets of info/media campaign paraphernalia (program brief, posters, flyer, brochure, radio/TV ad, and preferably campaign results review); and
• Agri TV and radio program – five sets of DVD (for TV) or CD (for radio) disks of at least five best episodes, with corresponding printed scripts, and certificate of broadcast.
Each entry should be accompanied with a nomination letter, endorsed by his/her editor or head of office, and submitted on or before December 31, 2015, to the 2015 PAJ-SMC Binhi Awards Committee, at the PAJ office c/o Filipino Inventors Society Producer Cooperative (FISPC), ground floor near Pizza Hut, Delta Bldg., West Ave. corner Quezon Ave., Quezon City.
For inquiries, please call or text: 2015 PAJ-SMC Binhi Awards Committee, 0920-4889686 or 0925-3025922; or email – norunibest@yahoo.com or marubylumongsod@yahoo.com. No entry fees are required. However, non-PAJ members are enjoined to apply and pay P200 for their 2015-2016 membership and annual fee.
(Noel O. Reyes)
