Agri VIPs to grace Binhi Awards

MANILA, Philippines - Agriculture Secretary Bernie Fondevilla, former Food Minister Jesus Tanchanco and SL Agritech Corp. chairman and CEO Henry Lim will deliver inspirational talks at the Binhi Awards Night of the Philippine Agricultural Journalists (PAJ) on April 16, at the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) Bldg. in Quezon City.

Highlight of the evening affair will be the awarding of cash prizes and trophies to the winners of the PAJ 2008-2009 agricultural writing contest which, according to PAJ president Sanny Galvez, was conceived by the group in 1978 “to give due importance and recognition to the vital role agricultural journalists play in national development.”

Anselmo Roque of the Philippine Daily Inquirer bagged the top “Agricultural Journalist of the Year Award” in English, followed by Rita dela Cruz of the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR) and Noel Provido of the DA Region II.

The “Agriculture Beat Reporter” award went to Neil Jerome Morales of Business World with Amy Remo of the Philippine Daily Inquirer placing second.

For winning for the third time the agricultural journalist of the year in English, Roque will be presented the prestigious “Hall of Fame” award, Roque was also a PAJ “Hall of Fame” awardee in Pilipino in 1989.

The other recipients of the PAJ’s “Hall of Fame” awards this year are Melody Aguiba of the Manila Bulletin (Agriculture Beat Reporter) and Greenfields Magazine (Agriculture Magazine).

Mat del Rosario, a former UST journalism professor, is this year’s chairman of the Binhi Awards board of judges. Its members are Diego Cagahastian, news editor of the Manila Bulletin; Ray Enano, business editor of the Manila Standard; Chito Lozada, business editor of the Daily Tribune and Roman Floresca, agriculture editor of The Philippine STAR. Chairman of the Binhi Awards committee is Noel Reyes, PAJ vice president for internal affairs.