Bright Leaf Journalism Awards To Bring Agriculture Closer To Public Eye

PIA Western Mindanao

by Dominic Sanchez

ZAMBOANGA CITY, June 29(PIA) Millions of farmers live in poverty in spite of being part of the multi-billion peso agriculture industry. The 12th Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards aims to bring this and similar issues to the public eye by honoring outstanding works of journalism focused on agricultural stories.

Bayen Elero-Tinga, External Affairs Director for Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corporation (PMFTC), said in a meeting with local media on Tuesday (June 26) that about 12 million or one-third of the Filipino population is involved in the multi-billion peso agriculture industry. She  shared approximately 5,000 farmers are in the tobacco industry alone, yet  majority of the 12 million are poor farmers all over the countryside.

“There is a lot of room for improvement in agriculture. Promoting agricultural growth will in turn promote economic growth. There is so much opportunity not just for the farmers, but for other industries as well,” she said.

Elero-Tinga cited the development potential of individual communities down to the farmers themselves in agricultural regions such as Zamboanga Peninsula. This potential can only be achieved if decision-makers zoom in to issues that need urgent intervention through a variety of programs, projects and services.

“We want to bring agriculture in the front and center so that the public will know about its importance, how it is now, and what needs to be done to improve it,” she said.

The prestigious Bright Leaf Awards is held every year by PMFTC. Last year, 600 entries were submitted. Journalists 18 years old and above are qualified, with published agricultural pieces that may either be photos, news or feature stories, and broadcast news and stories. This year, the Best Online Story has been added as an official category.

Prizes include trips to Asian destinations, cash and gadgets.

Interested applicants are invited to like www.facebook.com/brightleafawards for more information. Submission of entries is only until September 1. (ALT/DIS/PIA9-Zamboanga City)

THE BRIGHT LEAF CARAVAN VISITS ZAMBOANGA CITY

The Bright Leaf Caravan travels to Zamboanga City in its 12th year of celebrating excellence in agricultural journalism.

ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Bright Leaf Caravan journeys to the 3rd largest city in the Philippines to invite Zamboanga City journalists to join 12th Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards.  The event was held at the Orchid Garden Hotel.

As an agricultural company, the Bright Leaf Awards is PMFTC’s way of honoring the most important and outstanding agricultural news stories that were able to raise the discourse of critical agriculture issues, and celebrating the best photographs that captured the spirit of Philippine agriculture in a single frame.

During the session, PMFTC External Affairs Director Bayen Elero-Tinga welcomed the attendees and invited them to submit their entries and participate in this year’s competition.

Since it was launched 12 years ago, the Bright Leaf Awards has already established itself as being the premier agriculture journalism competition in the country.  Every year the number of entries grow from just 82 in its first year to over 600 entries in 2017.

With the theme 12 Years of Bounty for 2018, Bright Leaf invites journalists nationwide to submit entries for 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
  • Best Agriculture Feature Story-Regional
  • Best Online Story

For the first time ever, the Best Online Story has been included among the categories.

This special award will be given to the best agriculture news or feature story that is published on an online news website.

For more information about the Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards, you may contact the Bright Leaf Secretariat through their mobile numbers (0945) 477 2035 or (0929) 195 0620, their landline (02) 9755236, or send an email to secretariat@brightleafawards.com. You can also visit the Bright Leaf website at www.brightleafawards.com or its Facebook page www.facebook.com/brightleafawards/ to learn more information about the competition and past winners.

Bright Leaf Caravan

Manila Bulletin

ZAMBOANGA CITY-The Bright Leaf caravan goes to Mindanao following a series of roadshows in Luzon and Visayas aimed to solicit support from local media men in the promotion of agriculture in this part of the country.  Didet Danguilan-Santiago, communications manager of Bright Leaf, yesterday invited Zamboanga City-based jounralists to join the 12th Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards, which is organized annually by Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corporation (PMFTC), as a contribution to the promotion of agriculture in this part of the country.  According to Santiago, the Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards was PMFTC's way of honoring the most important and outstanding agriculture news stories that were able to raise the discourse of critical agriculture isses, and celebrating the best photographs that captired the spirit of Philippine agriculture in a single frame.

Bright Leaf Embarks On Mindanao-Leg Caravan

ZAMBOANGA CITY-The Bright Leaf caravan visited the city for the first time on Tuesday to encourage local media practitioners to join this year’s 12th Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards.

The caravan is part of the Mindanao leg activity following the series of roadshows in Luzon and the Visayas areas.

“As one of the pioneer award-giving bodies in agriculture journalism, Bright Leaf continues to honor and give due recognition to journalists and photographers, who bring to public attention the importance of agriculture in our everyday lives,” said Bayen Elero-Tinga, Philip Morris and Fortune Tobacco Corporation PMFTC external affairs director.

Tinga said that as an agricultural company, PMFTC envisions the Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Award as a way of honoring the most important and outstanding agriculture news stories.

Launched 12 years ago, the award focuses on news that were able to raise the discourse of critical agriculture issues, and celebrating the best photographs that captured the spirit of the Philippine agriculture in a single frame.

This year’s competition is anchored on the theme “12 Years of Bounty for 2018.” It is open to journalists nationwide.

Didet Danguilan-Santiago, PMFTC communications manager, said agriculture stories, photos, television and radio programs or segments aired or public between September 1, 2017 and August 31, 2018 can be submitted in the competition.

The deadline for submission of entries is on September 1, 2018.

The entries to be submitted must be in accordance with the following categories: Agriculture Story of the Year; Tobacco Story of the Year; Agriculture Photo of the Year; Tobacco Photo of the year; Best TV Program of Segment; Best Radio Program or Segment; Best Agriculture News Story (National and Regional); Best Agriculture Feature Story (National and Regional); and Best Online Story.

Santiago said this is the first time that the Best Online Story has been included among the categories. This special award will be given to the best agriculture news or feature story that is published on an online news article.

The entries can be submitted to their website and by courier (Bright Leaf Awards 2018, Juicebox Shop Inc., Unit 2F Phoenix Heights Condominium, 40 Henry Javier Street corner Danny Flooro Street, Pasig City, 1600). (PNA)

Bright Leaf Caravan Visits Zambo City

Daily Zamboanga Times

By Ely Dumaboc

The Bright Leaf Caravan arrived in Zamboanga City yesterday following a series of roadshows in Luzon and Visayas to solicit support from local media practitioners in the promotion of agriculture in the country.

Didet Danguilan-Santiago, communications manager of  Bright Leaf, invited Zamboanga-based journalists to join the 12th

Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards as a contribution to the promotion of agriculture.

The Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards honors the most important and outstanding agricultural news stories that  raise the discourse of critical agriculture issues, and celebrate the best photographs that capture the spirit of Philippine agriculture in a single frame.

During the session, PMFTC External Affairs Director Bayen Elero-Tinga welcomed  local newsmen here and invited them to submit their entries and participate in this year’s competition.

“As one of the pioneer award-giving bodies in agriculture journalism,  Bright Leaf continues to honor and give due recognition to journalists and photographers, who bring to public attention the importance of agriculture in our everyday lives,” said Elero-Tinga.

From the time it was launched 12 (twelve) years ago, entries for the Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards grew from just 82 during its first year to 600 in the year 2007.

With the theme 12 Years of Bounty for 2018, Bright Leaf invites journalists nationwide to submit entries for 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

• Best Agriculture Feature Story-Regional

• Best Online Story

This is the first time that the Best Online Story has been included among the categories. This special award will be given to the best agriculture news or feature story that is published on an online news website.(Ely Dumaboc)

THE BRIGHT LEAF CARAVAN LANDS IN ROXAS CITY

Watchmen Daily Journal

Roxas City welcomes the Bright Leaf Caravan, celebrating 12 years with the best and the brightest of agricultural journalism.

ROXAS CITY – PMFTC Inc. brings the Bright Leaf Caravan to Western Visayas with its first ever visit to Roxas City to introduce the local media to the 12th Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards.  The event was held at the Islands Hotel in Lawaan, Roxas City.

As an agricultural company, the Bright Leaf Awards is PMFTC’s way of honoring the most important and outstanding agricultural news stories that were able to raise the discourse of critical agriculture issues, and celebrating the best photographs that captured the spirit of Philippine agriculture in a single frame.

James Earl E. Ogatis, Public Relations Officer II of the Department of Agriculture Western Visayas Field Office was the guest speaker.  Mr. Ogatis shared valuable information about the DA’s latest projects in the area.  PMFTC External Affairs Director Bayen Elero-Tinga also addressed the attendees and invited them to submit their entries and participate in this year’s competition.

Since it was launched 12 years ago, the Bright Leaf Awards has already established itself as being the premier agriculture journalism competition in the country.  Every year the number of entries grow from just 82 in its first year to over 600 entries in 2017.

With the theme 12 Years of Bounty for 2018, Bright Leaf invites journalists nationwide to submit entries for 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
  •  Best Agriculture Feature Story-Regional
  •  Best Online Story

For the first time ever, the Best Online Story has been included among the categories.

This special award will be given to the best agriculture news or feature story that is published on an online news website.

For more information about the Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards, you may contact the Bright Leaf Secretariat through their mobile numbers (0945) 477 2035 or (0929) 195 0620, their landline (02) 9755236, or send an email to secretariat@brightleafawards.com. You can also visit the Bright Leaf website at www.brightleafawards.com or its Facebook page www.facebook.com/brightleafawards/ to learn more information about the competition and past winners.

Trekking Above Taroko Gorge

KRIPOTKIN

The Philippine Star

by Alfred A. Yuson

 

The viewpoint offers a panorama of verdant mountain peaks rising above a valley and a wide river that flows out to sea.

Decidedly the highlight of the Bright Leaf awardees’ Taiwan tour on March 21-25 was the day-long trip to Taroko National Park, a three-hour drive to the southeast coast from Taipei.

This was on the third day of the five-day jaunt, after we had already toured around the capital the first two days. Despite the long drive punctuated by pee stops at a 7-Eleven and a hot spice center, getting a taste of the countryside was most welcome for our 17-person group composed of eight 2017 Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism winners (some of whom were photographers and TV show producers), two of the judges, media representatives and PMFTC Inc. officials.

Travel on a tour bus through the Suhua Highway also impressed us with the enviable state of infrastructure that made for smooth portage. Whenever our bus ascended mountain roads, we noted how cliffsides had protective features guarding against landslides. We also passed through numerous tunnels carved out of mountainsides, the longest of which ran all of 12 kilometers.

image: http://media.philstar.com/images/the-philippine-star/lifestyle/travel-and-tourism/20180603/Tour1-Taiwan-Taipei-101.jpg

The iconic Taipei 101 building, briefly the tallest in the world, still sports the world’s fastest elevator.

The topography reminded us of our Cordilleras, with deep ravines plunging down to rivers and streams. Elegant hanging bridges spanned several gorges, although there appeared to be no habitation on either side. Our guide Helena pointed out the river rocks below as mostly marble.

By the Taroko Gateway where a marble boulder served as a calligraphy-emblazoned marker, and before which we had one of our obligatory group shots, the viewpoint offered a panorama of verdant mountain peaks rising above a valley, with a highway span running above a wide river that flowed out to sea.

From this point, our bus ferried us a short distance to enter the national park, where we started on foot — not before being provided with safety helmets — on a hikers’ trail that followed the contours of Taroko Gorge. Below us meandered the rock-strewn river, parts of which had whitewater features.

Past what was billed as Swallow Grotto, we entered a long tunnel that occasionally offered natural windows to the riveting scenery below. It was a rewarding long walk to our bus that had parked ahead for our eventual pick-up past a tourists’ stop with souvenir stalls, refreshment counters and deck tables alongside guard rails for a stretch of viewpoints.

image: http://media.philstar.com/images/the-philippine-star/lifestyle/travel-and-tourism/20180603/Tour1-Taiwan-Chiang-Kai-Shek-Memorial-Hall.jpg

The imposing entrance to the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall

For lunch, we stopped at a classy resort hotel nestled in the mountains, where the Silk Palace menu privileged us with what I thought was the best of the exemplary meals we had in Taiwan. The lauriat featured Mei-Yuan appetizers; braised sunfish XO sauce; steamed prawn with Chinese herbs; steamed sea bass; Kung-Pao chicken; baking vegetable with cheese; braised gingko with yam; bamboo shoot with spareribs soup; dessert and fresh fruits.

Allowed to loiter around the resort for a post-prandial hour, we discovered a top deck by a pool where lounging sofas lined a rectangular terrace that had a large brazier with wooden logs in the middle — obviously for cold nights. But for the nonce, a mild afternoon sun was perfect balm in spring weather, with green mountains all around us.

I got to reflect on our trip thus far: not only was it proving most enjoyable, given the pleasant Taiwanese disposition and array of good food and delicacies; it seems, because of this, we Pinoys have of late made the island part of an easy bucket list. Only a couple hours’ flight away, it quickly comforts visitors with attractions that come without the usual bane of traffic or teeming crowds.

And where there were long queues that marked the popularity of an eatery, our efficient guide relied on protocols that favored a tour group and guaranteed special entry.

image: http://media.philstar.com/images/the-philippine-star/lifestyle/travel-and-tourism/20180603/Tour1-Taiwan-Shilin-Night-Market.jpg

A human attraction at the bustling Shilin Night Market

Having flown in at mid-morning on Day 1, it was too early to claim our rooms at the Grand Sheraton Taipei. So we were taken straight from Taoyuan airport to our first stop: early lunch at the Xinyi branch of Din Tai Fung for its fabled bao xiao long: dumplings with delicate soup inside the 18-fold encasements. We delighted over the full range that included the special one with truffles — bookended as they were by appetizers, soup and fried rice.

The line outside was even longer by the time we stepped out. And it was easy enough to ask a lady traffic cop where smoking was allowed. She pointed to a nearby corner across an alley.

Next stop was at Ikea for an hour’s shopping or idling among the sofas, followed by a quick stop at a branch of Sugar and Spice to pick up cookies and pastry boxes. Finally checking in close to 4 p.m., we reassembled shortly for dinner at the 53-year-old Umeko for traditional Taiwanese cuisine, the highlight of which was the culminating lobster dish with its bodacious presentation. A shopping trek through the bustling Shilin Night Market capped that first day.

image: http://media.philstar.com/images/the-philippine-star/lifestyle/travel-and-tourism/20180603/Tour1-Taiwan-Lobster.jpg

Bodacious presentation for a lobster dish

Day 2 was entirely taken up by a city tour, with stops at the Palace Museum and Martyrs’ Shrine before lunch. At the iconic Taipei 101 building (briefly the tallest in the world before Dubai’s Burj Khalifa topped it), we rode up what is still the world’s fastest elevator, making it to the 89th floor’s indoor observation deck in 37 seconds.

Followed stops at Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall and Longshan Temple before another sumptuous repast, this time at Mala Hot Pot, where the splendid shabu-shabu segued to unlimited bowls of Haagen-Dazs and Movenpick ice cream. Some in our party still found the energy to explore the Ximendeng Youth Shopping District nearby.

On our third night, traveling back from Taroko, dinner was at the roadside eatery Wong Yao Chi for kiln-baked-then-fried chicken at Jiaoxi, still an hour before Taipei. A second try at Ximendeng gave me a chance to purchase boots and cosmetics for daughter and granddaughter, plus mochi balls of all persuasions, chili quails’ eggs and the must-buy pineapple cakes.

Day 4 was free day, allowing some of us to revisit Ikea and try out yet another shopping area around Yongkang Park. Basking in diminishing sunshine while seated on a park bench, I observed families at play. The pleasantness was very much in evidence, the same quality that characterized the service wherever we dined, as well as the safe taxicab rides, and which extended to outright amiability on the part of hotel staffers and street vendors alike.

image: http://media.philstar.com/images/the-philippine-star/lifestyle/travel-and-tourism/20180603/Tour1-Taiwan-Anime-mascots.jpg

Anime mascots serve as welcoming features at eateries and souvenir centers.

I harked back to that mid-morning stop at Wuta town in Yilan county an hour before we reached Taroko park, where the depot-like structure billed as Chili Hunter offered an eye-popping display of hot sauce bottles from all over the world. They came with labels such as Red Bandit, White Zombie, Little Nukey, Burn Monster, Beyond Death Sauce, Fatal Fire, Burn in Hell, Osama!, Ass Kickin’ Moonshine Pepper Mash, and Jump Up and Kiss Me.

By the entrance, a red-nosed mascot looking like a fiery anime character served as an attraction, alongside a row of quaint wooden tables for visitors. Inside, that chili warehouse may have seemed too hot to handle, certainly not for the faint of heart. But reveling in the spring sunshine outdoors was just about as pleasant an experience as the island could offer.

Read more at https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/travel-and-tourism/2018/06/03/1820985/trekking-above-taroko-gorge#sH9LZsgv6Xh5d1Hz.99