MANILA, Philippines — An Inquirer’s story on organic agriculture as part of rebuilding efforts in a war-torn town in Lanao del Norte province was among the winners at the 17th Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards.
With this year’s ceremonies held in Makati City on Nov. 14, the Bright Leaf seeks to promote in-depth and impactful reporting on the country’s agriculture sector.
Published in the Inquirer on July 2, 2023, the story “From arms to farms” by Iligan City-based correspondent Richel Umel and Ryan Rosauro, chief of the Inquirer’s Mindanao bureau, chronicled the beginnings of an organic agriculture program in Kauswagan and how it shaped the development of the municipality.
The program was soon regarded as a model for other localities that had also dealt with conflict.
Umel and Rosauro bagged the award for Best Agriculture Feature-National category.
‘Lucky first’
The story was the lone winning entry from Mindanao and the first one submitted by the bureau for the Bright Leaf Awards.
“It was a lucky first. We thank the board of judges for recognizing our effort to chronicle the peace gains of Lanao del Norte through viable farming pursuits,” said Umel, who since 2000 has covered, major conflicts in the province between government forces and Moro rebels.
Umel, who lives in Linamon town also in Lanao del Norte, first evacuated his family before setting out to cover the hostilities in August 2008 that resulted from a botched peace deal between the government and separatists.
He has also covered postwar rebuilding efforts, such as the subject of the story for which he and Rosauro won their award.
The Bright Leaf was launched in 2007 by Philip Morris Philippines Manufacturing Inc. (PMPMI). It is continued today by PMFTC Inc., the company created in 2010 between the Philippine unit of PMI and local firm Fortune Tobacco Corp.
Other winners
GMA’s l-Witness bagged the plum “Agriculture Story of the Year” for its story “Magtanim ay ’di biro,” while its reporter Ian Carlos Simbulan got the Best Agriculture TV Program or Segment for “Bagsik ng Harabas.”
SunStar-Pampanga’s Ian Flora, who has been inducted into the Bright Leaf Hall of Fame after bagging five prizes in the past, collected two awards this year—one for Best Agriculture Feature Story-Regional and Best Story in Tobacco Product Alternatives.
Baguio City-based writer Marilou Guieb took home the Best Agriculture News Story-National Award for her story “Baguio, loving flies, but the good kind,” published in Business Mirror, while its banking and macroeconomy reporter Cai Ordinario was also inducted into the Hall of Fame for also winning five Bright Leaf Awards.
SunStar-Cebu’s senior reporter Earl Padronia bagged the Best Agricultural News Story-Regional Award.
Former journalist Dave Gomez, communications director of award sponsor PMFTC, said they intended Bright Leaf for media to help shine the light on the plight of the country’s agriculture sector.