San Miguel back as sponsor of PAJ agri journalism awards

MANILA, Philippines – San Miguel Corp. has partnered again with the Philippine Agricultural Journalists Inc. to stage the group’s annual national agricultural journalism contest, dubbed as the 2015 PAJ-SMC Binhi Awards.

PAJ president and former Philippine STAR business editor Roman Floresca commended SMC, under the leadership of president and COO Ramon S. Ang, for its continuing support to the Binhi Awards, which was first launched in 1978.

“We sincerely thank SMC president and COO Ramon S. Ang for their continuing support to the PAJ, particularly the ‘Binhi Awards’as we jointly raise the bar of coverage and reportage of the country’s agricultural developments and breakthroughs, and discussions of major industry issues, including success stories of farmers, fishers, livestock raisers, food manufacturers, and agribusinessmen,” said Floresca.

“Through the years, SMC has had the privilege to support and partner with the PAJ. We hope to encourage more journalists to write more inspiring stories on the Philippine countryside. We believe this agricultural journalism contest is an effective program that supports the empowerment of farmers, fishers, rural entrepreneurs and the agribusiness sector, in general,” Ang said.

SMC Media Affairs Group head Mary Jane Oconer Llanes and Floresca formalized the agreement with a simple signing ceremony at the SMC corporate offices in Mandaluyong City, Nov. 4, 2015 witnessed by PAJ officers.

The 2015 PAJ-SMC Binhi Awards will offer bigger cash prizes for 14 individual and institutional contest categories, ranging from P20,000 to P50,000, said Floresca, who once again designated PAJ vice president Noel Reyes as chairperson of the contest.

This year’s major individual categories are: agricultural journalist, agri-beat reporter, and environment journalist.

The first, second and third place winners will receive P50,000, P30,000 and P20,000 cash prize, respectively, said Reyes, who was formerly information director at the Department of Agriculture national office.

The other minor individual categories are: agri news story, agri feature story, environment story, and agri photo journalist of the year. Winners will each receive P20,000 cash and trophy.

The 2015 PAJ-SMC Binhi Awards institutional categories include: agri section of a national newspaper; agri section of a regional or provincial newspaper; agri magazine; agri newsletter; agri radio program; agri TV program; and agri info and/or media campaign of government or private sector agency. Winners will each get P20,000 cash and trophy.

The contest coverage is from Jan. 1, 2015 to Oct. 31, 2015, which means all news, features, photos, newsletters and magazines published, radio and TV programs broadcast, and info/media campaigns launched and implemented during said 10-month period are eligible to join the contest.

For contest requirements and details, visit the PAJ facebook account: Philippine Agricultural Journalists.