The submission of contest entries to the 2014 PAJ-SMC Binhi Awards, sponsored by the Philippine Agricultural Journalists, Inc. (PAJ) and San Miguel Corporation, has been extended to Friday, October 24, 2014, to give contestants additional time to submit their respective entries.
PAJ president and Philippine Star business editor Roman Floresca said with the extension, “we will be able to encourage more contestants to vie for this year’s contest, which was revived and expanded with bigger prizes of as much P50,000 cash for the winners of major categories.”
This year’s contest features 15 individual and institutional categories, with three major winners each for the outstanding agricultural journalist, agribeat reporter and environment journalist. The top three winners for each category will receive P50,000, P30,000 and P20,000 cash and a trophy, respectively, said contest chairman Noel Reyes, PAJ vice president, and former information director at the Department of Agriculture.
The PAJ has conducted the contest since 1978 in cooperation with institutional supporters like the SMC to recognize efforts of print and broadcast journalists, who continue to churn out comprehensive and quality reportage of the country’s agriculture, fishery, environment, agrarian reform, food and agribusiness sectors. Another corporate sponsor, Bayer Philippines, has again pledged its support to the PAJ and Binhi Awards.
The other individual categories are agri broadcast journalist, agri photo journalist, agri news story, agri feature story, and environment story, where the winners will receive P20,000 cash each and a trophy.
The 2014 PAJ-SMC Binhi Awards will also honor seven groups of media, government and private agencies, whose works will be judged as winners in the following categories: Agri Section of a National Daily agri Newspaper, Agri Section of a Regional or Provincial Weekly or Fortnightly Newspaper, Agri Magazine, Agri Newsletter, Agri TV Program, Agri Radio Program, and Agri Info and/or Media Campaign. The winner in each category will receive P20,000 cash and a trophy.
Reyes said the contest period starts from October 1, 2013 and ends September 30, 2014, which means all entries should have been published, broadcast, and/or implemented during the said one-year period.
Contest entries should be to the 2014 PAJ-SMC Binhi Awards Committee, at the PAJ office c/o Filipino Inventors Society Producer Cooperative (FISPC), ground floor near Pizza Hut, Delta Bldg., West Ave. corner Quezon Ave., Quezon City; or at DA Information Division, QC Elliptical Road, thru Arlhene S Carro.
For inquiries, please call or text: 0920-4889686 or 0925-3025922. No entry fees are required. However, non-PAJ members are enjoined to apply and pay P200 for their 2014 membership and annual fee. (NOR/PAJ)
