Pangasinan Watch

Pangasinan Watch – June 8, 2015 Comm Asia TV
- P3.89 milyong halaga ng scholarship, ibinigay ni Gov. Espino sa halos 500 scholars
- Certified Palay seed, ipinamahagi sa mga magsasaka sa pangunguna ni Gov. Espino
- LTO Dagupan, aminado sa pagiging aktibo ng mga fixers sa kanilang distrito
- Pagsumite ng entries sa 9th Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Award, nagsimula na
- Pangasinense, inimbita ng Bakels Philippines, Inc. para sa libreng baking demo #‎pangasinanwatch #‎pwatch

9th Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards

You can’t see the Great Wall of China from space, not with your untrained eye, anyway. But a hike along its jagged steps is still possibly the most intoxicating journey you’ll ever experience, as the winners of the 2014 Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards have found out.

Never mind if this southern side of the Great Wall’s Juyongguan Pass has already been mostly restored, looking more polished compared to its northern entrance. The eight winners gleefully explored the stretch of craggy stone patchwork ahead, soaking in more than 2,000 years of history.

The hike up looked daunting enough from a distance, but traversing its irregular, rugged footpath was a formidable ambition—especially for the regular tourist. How armored soldiers then, with heavy metal breastplates, leather clothing and all, ran up and down its uneven steps during an attack was beyond us.

And up the journalists went all the way to the peak, with some going even farther to check out more beacon towers, China’s oldest “messaging” system. (They would be lighted fiery red to warn villagers on impending invasion in the evenings, or made to pump a stream of black smoke in the day.)

“It’s something you do only once in your life,” said Liberty Pinili, an editor from Sun.Star Cebu whose three-part story, “Fish in troubled waters,” co-authored with the paper’s managing editor, Cherry Ann T. Lim, was awarded Agriculture Story of the Year.

The Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards, launched in 2007 by Philip Morris Philippines Manufacturing Inc. (PMPMI) and now continued under Philip Morris International Fortune Tobacco Corp. (PMFTC) when the company joined forces with Fortune Tobacco Corp. in 2010, is an annual journalism competition highlighting the most relevant agriculture stories in print, radio and television.

Late last year, in a formal ceremony, the winners were awarded trophies, cash and iPad minis (for the top prizes). Awardees have always been treated to Asian trips. The previous years have seen the Top 3 winners visiting Vietnam or Bali, Indonesia. This year, Bright Leaf feted all winners with a three-day, all-expense-paid trip to Beijing, China.

Winners

Winners included: Inquirer’s double-winner Gabriel Cardinoza, Tobacco Story of the Year (“Pangasinan farmers pin hopes on tobacco”) and Best Agriculture News Story National (“Carabao vanishing in Pangasinan”); Baguio Midland Courier’s photojournalist Harley Palangchao, Agriculture Photo of the Year (“Frostlandia”); BusinessMirror’s Mauricio Victa, Tobacco Photo of the Year (“Leaves of gold”);

Marid Agribusiness Magazine’s Henrylito Tacio, Best Agriculture Feature Story National (“The prospects of swine industry in the Philippines”); Sun.Star Cebu’s Flornisa Gitgano, Best Agriculture News Story Regional (“Cold weather’s toll now P26 million); dxND’s anchor Malu Cadelina Manar, Best Radio Program or Segment (“Panahon”); and ABS-CBN’s Ruben Gonzaga, Best TV Program or Segment (“Father’s Day Episode”).

On the trip with them were PMFTC officers and staff, led by director for external affairs Bayen Elero, director for fiscal and regulatory affairs Chita Herce, communications manager Dave Gomez, Didet Danguilan, and communications specialist Marco Angelo Eugenio.

For some awardees, the Beijing excursion was their first trip abroad. After checking in at the five-star luxury hotel Sofitel Wanda, though, they knew they were in for a treat.

The itinerary mostly followed the touristy route, visiting, apart from the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square, and stopping by the Olympic Green Village to take a quick look—and selfie—at the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube structures.

But the Bright Leaf team had even better plans. After nourishing their souls with Chinese history, they were wined and dined at some of Beijing’s finest restaurants, including a well-plated 10-course meal at Da Dong Roast Duck, listed on CNN Travel’s 20 Best Beijing Restaurants; Capital M for Riesling, Medoc and steaks; and the Michelin-star-awarded chain, Din Tai Fung, for some of its highly regarded dim sum.

Development concerns

“We saw the need of raising the issues, of putting into the public domain the concerns and development in agriculture. It is befitting we recognize the articles, both published and broadcasted on radio and TV, and the journalist behind it,” said Danguilan.

The judges are from the academe, government, industry and practicing journalists, who weeded through more than a thousand entries received last year, she said. All entries for judging bear only a special code to avoid biases.

At present, PMFTC is doing a road show in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao to campaign for the awards, and to launch workshops and symposiums designed to complement the agriculture journalists’ careers. Last year, its first road show in Cebu paid off when the Queen City of the South took home three awards.

“The Bright Leaf serves as a channel in creating development consciousness in each region through journalism. We take them out on trips for them to gain experience and knowledge when they encounter a new culture,” she said.

The name Bright Leaf is culled from the vivid yellow leaves of Virginia tobacco, distinct for its flavor and aroma. Danguilan said its discovery once helped the struggling economy of North Carolina in the United States, hence it is a fitting name for the award.

Entries to the 9th Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards are now accepted from professional Filipino journalists living in the Philippines, 18 years old and above. Only entries published or broadcasted between Sept. 1, 2014, and Aug. 31, 2015, are eligible. Entries may be in English, Filipino or any regional dialect. Deadline for submission is Sept. 4.

9th Bright Leaf Agri Journalism Awards Now Open

TUGEUGARAO CITY, Cagayan, June 14 (PIA) - - The 9th Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards for 2015 has officially opened for nominations. - See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/2791434344207/9th-bright-leaf-agri-journalism-awards-now-open#sthash.5vdxZ3qi.dpuf

Monette Quiogue of the Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards Executive Committee said the awards honor the most outstanding and relevant agriculture stories that were published or aired on national and local television, print and radio media between September 1, 2014 to August 31, 2015.

She said the categories for the awards are: Agriculture Story of the Year; Agriculture Photo of the Year; Tobacco Story of the Year; Tobacco Photo of the Year; Best Agriculture Television Program or Segment; Best Agriculture Radio Program or Segment; Best Agriculture News Story-National; Best Agriculture News Story-Regional; Best Agriculture Feature Story-National; Best Agriculture Feature Story-Regional; and the Oriental Leaf Award, a special award given to those who have won a Bright leaf Award in any category for five consecutive years.

As part of its efforts to collect more entries in this year’s competition, Quiogue said their team will be here on June 17, 2015 for a road show at the Events Place, Hotel Carmelita.

“We will embark on a series of road shows across key cities in the country to personally invite local media practitioners to submit their entries and answer any questions they may have about the awards,” she said.

The competition is open to all professional Filipino journalists aged 18 years old and above.

“Since there is no fee to enter, journalists can submit as many entries as they want, however, a story cannot be entered in more than one category,” Quiogue said, adding that those entries may be in English or any of the Philippine regional dialects.

She added that for entries that are not in English, participants are required to provide an English translation.

For more information, visit the Bright Leaf website at www.thebrightleafawards.com or contact the Bright Leaf Secretariat through email at secretariat@thebrightleafawards.com or call (0915) 550-8301 or (0918) 413-0797. (ALM/PIA-2)

- See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/2791434344207/9th-bright-leaf-agri-journalism-awards-now-open#sthash.HBijocTc.dpuf

9th Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards Now Open.

DAGUPAN CITY, June 4, 2015 (PIA) – The best published agriculture stories, photos and broadcast reports of media practitioners in the country are now accepted in the 9th Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards.

The Bright Leaf Awards are given to the most outstanding and relevant agriculture stories in print, radio, and television. It will also honor the most compelling photos that capture the essence of tobacco farming and the agriculture industry.

It acknowledges as well the efforts of the Filipino journalists to bring to the forefront the current issues, new best practices, safety issues, crop sustainability and many other subjects relevant to one of the country’s most important industries.

Paula Nucum, secretariat, said that in order to collect a larger crop of entries in this year’s competition, the Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards Team is holding a series of road shows to reach out to tri-media practitioners from more agricultural provinces to invite them to submit their articles and photos.

In Pangasinan, Nucum said that a road show is scheduled at the Star Plaza Hotel in Dagupan City at 12 noon on Friday, June 5.

“This event will provide a venue for the discussion and clarification of all the details regarding the competition,” she said.

The categories for the Bright Leaf Awards are: Agriculture Story of the Year; Agriculture Photo of the Year; Tobacco Story of the Year; Tobacco Photo of the Year; Best Agriculture Television Program or Segment; Best Agriculture Radio Program or Segment; Best Agriculture News Story-National; Best Agriculture News Story-Regional; Best Agriculture Feature Story-National; Best Agriculture Feature Story-Regional; and the Oriental Leaf Award.

The Oriental Leaf Award is a special award given to those who have won a Bright Leaf Award in any category for five consecutive years. The Oriental Leaf Awardees become part of an elite group of individuals that comprise the Bright Leaf Hall of Fame.

For more information, visit the website: www.thebrightleafawards.com or contact the Bright Leaf Awards Secretariat through e-mail: secretariat@thebrightleafawards.com or call: (02) 697-8110, 0915-550-8301 or 0918-413-0797. (MCA/AMM/PIA-1, Pangasinan) - See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1941433407041/9th-bright-leaf-agriculture-journalism-awards-now-open#sthash.aYtRW0Ye.dpuf

9th Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Award Roadshow

NAGA CITY, May 25, 2015 - DA Bicol Regional Information Officer and chief of the RAFIS Emily Bordado (holding the microphone) speaks before local journalists and practitioners from the tri-media in Camarines Sur during the roadshow event of the 9th Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Award at Avenue Plaza Hotel in Naga City on May 22. She shared insights on the state of agriculture in Bicol and urged her fellow journalists to write about developmental articles about agriculture.

Local Journalists and practitioners from the tri-media in Camarines Sur pose for posterity after the roadshow event of the 9th Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Award at Avenue Plaza Hotel in Naga City on May 22.