NAGA CITY, May 25 (PIA) - The Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards Team travels far and wide, visiting every key cities in the county to make the competition even bigger each year and personally invite journalists to help promote agriculture through their respective media entities representing radio, print and television.

Now on its 9th year, the Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards Secretariat travelled back to this city once again and personally gathered members of the media over the weekend to encourage them to send news stories and features promoting inspiring tales regarding agriculture.

Paula B. Nucum of the 2015 Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards Secretariat stated that stories eligible for the competition are pieces that had been aired or published between Sept. 1 2014 and August 31, 2015. Deadline for submission of entries is on September 4, 2015.

Local journalists may choose from 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, and The Oriental Leaf Award.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Office here, represented by publi  information officer Emily Bordado joined this year’s roadshow to share the significant milestones that the agriculture sector has accomplished through the years and the current innovations being done by the government to alleviate the condition  of the farmers in the Bicol Region.

Bordado said that the importance being given by the Bright Leaf to agriculture news stories also promote the noble task of our farmers who had been the silent workforce in the country since time immemorial.

Bordado discussed President Benigno Aquino III’s priority programs for agriculture that can be used by participating journalists as their contest materials.  Under the DA’s banner program are Agripinoy Rice Program, Agripinoy Corn Program, Agripinoy High Value Commercial Crops Program, Agripinoy Livestock Program and the Organic Agriculture Program.

Aside from the news articles and broadcast materials, photo journalists were also given a fair share in the competition by including the Best Agriculture and Best Tobacco photo of the year.

Members of the jurors are composed of veteran journalists, members of the academe, screenwriters, authors, and photographers who have achieved excellence in their own professional fields.

Entries may be in submitted in English or any of the Philippine regional dialects. For local networks that will use their local dialect, participants should provide an English translation as part of the requirement.

Interested partakers may call the Bright Leaf Secretariat at (0915) 550-8301 or (0918) 413-0797. They can also send an email at secretariat@thebrightleafawards.com or visit www.thebrightleafawards.com. (MAL/LSM-PIA5/Camarines Sur)