Agriculture Secretary William Dar will lead the launching of the PAJ SMC Binhi Awards for excellence in agricultural journalism on December 3, Tuesday, at 1 p.m. at the Department of Agriculture conference hall in Quezon City.
Dar will be the guest speaker during the event as he affirmed his support to promote excellence in agricultural reporting in the Philippines in line with his “Masaganang Ani at Malaking Kita New Thinking in Agriculture” program.
President and COO Ramon S. Ang of San Miguel Corp., co-presentor, partner and main sponsor of the Binhi Awards with the Philippine Agricultural Journalists (PAJ), was also invited to co-launch the awards.
Also invited are Monetary Board Member Bruce Tolentino, who was formerly with the International Rice Research Institute and the Department of Agriculture, and other PAJ supporters and sponsors of the annual agricultural journalism contest.
Alfred Gabot, PAJ president, and Roman Floresca, PAJ past president and this year’s Binhi Awards Chairman, said the 2019 PAJ SMC Binhi Awards will be expanded to include rice reporting, budding agricultural writers, researchers and communicators in colleges, universities and high schools.
The PAJ will tap the Commission on Higher Education and the Department of Education to spearhead the youth awards.
Dar lauded the PAJ for including the youth in the awards, as this supports the DA program to encourage the youth to be active in agriculture and take over eventually from the country’s aging farmers and fishers.
He renewed his call for the youngsters in schools and out of school to engage in new thinking in agriculture that ensures bigger harvest and higher income through various programs, support and projects of the DA and its agencies.
PAJ also plans to include farm tourism reporting category for the awards, said PAJ vice presidents Noel Reyes and Fermin Diaz.
Revitalization of agricultural journalism is spearheaded by the PAJ and supported by the National Press Club led by its president Rolando Gonzalo, who is PAJ public relations officer for broadcast; the Philippine Rural Broadcasters Federation led by Dr. Rogelio Matalang, a member of the PAJ Board of Directors; the different PAJ chapters in Northern Luzon, Pangasinan, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Visayas and Mindanao, among others.
Other PAJ officers are Inez Magbual, treasurer; Ruby Lumongsod, secretary; Aileen Garcia, assistant secretary; Michael Alunan, PRO for print; Thelma Tolentino, auditor; Johnny Goloyugo, Melly Tenorio, Charisma Love Gado Gonzales, and Dr. Rex Navarro.