Weekly Blueprint
CITY OF MALOLOS The country's premier agriculture awards made its roadshow in this historic capital on Tuesday, February 27. The 12th Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards launches its competition here in search of the best agriculture stories and photographs in the country for 2018.

The roadshow's first leg has been well attended by media practitioners in print, radio, and TV based in the province .
During the roadshow, details of the awards were discussed. The Bright Leaf caravan, which was initiated by Philip Morris-Fortune Tobacco Corporation will embark on a five-month nationwide swing, stopping over at 10 key cities and provinces to invite agriculture journalist to submit entries to the competition, which will culminate with the awarding ceremonies in November.

The Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards aims to support agriculture and honor Filipino journalists by giving recognition to outstanding work in media that promotes the development of, and creates awareness on issues relating to Philippine agriculture.

With this year’s theme 12 Years of Bounty for the season, Bright Leaf recognizes the agricultural sector’s pivotal role in nation-building, through the journalists and their stories.

“As one of the pioneer award-giving bodies in agriculture journalism, we will continue to honor and give due recognition to journalists and photographers who are the people behind the stories that pay tribute to the struggles and successes of our country’s farmers and other producers. They are the brave messengers who bring to public attention the importance of agriculture in our everyday lies,” said PMFTC Inc. Communications Manager Didet Dangulian-Santiago.

Bright leaf invites journalist nationwide to submit entries to the following categories: Agriculture Story of the Year; Agriculture Photo of the Year; Tobacco Story of the Year; Tobacco Photo of the Year; Best Television Program or Segment; Best Radio Program or Segment; Best Agriculture News Story National; Best Agriculture News Story Regional; Best Agriculture Feature Story National; and Best Agriculture Feature Story Regional.

This year’s Bright Leaf competition also introduces a new and special category— the Best Online Story, which will be awarded to the best agriculture news or feature story published in an online news website. The addition of this new award category is in keeping with the current trend of readers getting their information speedily in the digital space.

In the last 12 years, the Bright Leaf Awards has truly built a legacy of being the premier agriculture journalism competition in the country. From only 82 entries in its first year, Bright Leaf now reaps hundreds of entries as the judges search for the best exemplars of agricultural journalism in 2018.

There is no entry fee in joining the competition. Journalists and photographers may submit as many entries for consideration. However, an entry may not be submitted in more than one category. Entries should be published, aired, or broadcast between September 1, 2017 to August 31, 2018. These must be in English or any Philippine dialect, with corresponding English translations.

The deadline for entries is September 1, 2018.
Winners will be announced during the 2018 Bright Leaf Awards ceremony in November, and will be receiving cash prizes, iPads, and an all-expense-paid trip to an Asian country.

Since its launching in 2007, the Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards has become the highest competition for agriculture journalist all over the Philippines. For the past years, print, TV, Radio and photo journalist have actively and eagerly participated in this competition to find out who will be chosen as the best. (Maureen Batongbakal)