PAJ fetes Binhi Awards winners

MANILA, Philippines - Winners of the Binhi Agriculture Journalism Awards in 2009-2010 were honored last April 16 at a program sponsored by the Philippine Agricultural Journalists Inc. (PAJ).

The top agriculture journalists received cash prizes and trophies during the Binhi Awards Night held by PAJ at the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Soils and Water Management (DA-BSWM) along the Elliptical Road in Diliman, Quezon City.

Top Binhi Awards this year was Dr. Anselmo S. Roque of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, who won the first prize in the Agricultural Journalist of the Year category.

For bagging the top prize of the category for the third time, Dr. Roque, a retired professor at the Central Luzon State University (CLSU) in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, was conferred the Binhi Hall of Fame Award, Agricultural Journalist of the Year, English category.

He is the second so far to win the Hall of Fame Award (English category) since Binhi was launched in 1978, or two years after PAJ was founded.

The first was Rudy A. Fernandez of The Philippine STAR, who received the award in 1992.

Second prize winner in the Agricultural Journalist of the Year category was Rita dela Cruz of the DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), who also won the Agricultural Photo Journalist award.

Third placer was Noel Provido of DA-Region 11 (Davao Region).

Neil Jerome Morales of BusinessWorld topped the Agribeat Reporter award while Amy Remo of the Philippine Daily Inquirer placed second.

Other winners were Nestor Cuartero of Manila Bulletin, Environent Journalist DA-Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), Agricultural Magazine; BAR Chronicle, Agricultural Newsletter; MRDO-Info Ace of the DA-Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP), Agricultural Info/Media Campaign; and Palay-Aralan sa Radyo DA-PhilRice, Agricultural Radio Program.

Also installed in the Binhi Hall of Fame were Melody Aguiba of Manila Bulletin, Agribeat Reporter; and Greenfields, Agricultural Magazine.

Undersecretary Joel Rodinas (representing Agriculture Secretary Bernie Fondevilla), former National Food Authority (NFA) administrator Jesus Tanchanco Sr., and SL Agritech Corp. chairman and CEO Henry Lim bon Liong presented the awards to the winners.