LOILO City – The 2013 Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards which honor the best agriculture stories and photos in tri-media across the country has started.
Now on its seventh year, the Bright Leaf Awards is a nationwide search open to all media practitioners promoting agricultural issues and best farming practices in print, radio and television.
David Isaac Buenaventura, project manager of Bright Leaf Agriculture, is encouraging journalists in Iloilo to join the annual contest that aims to build awareness and support in agriculture thru information coming from the media.
The categories for Bright Leaf Awards are:
- Agriculture Story of the Year
- Tobacco Story of the Year
- Best Television Program or Segment
- Best Radio Program or Segment
- Agriculture Photo of the Year
- Tobacco Photo of the Year
- Best Regional News story
- Best National News Story
- Best Regional Feature News Story
- Best National Feature Story, and
- Special Oriental Leaf Awards, a category synonymous to a grand slam award. This award will be given to those who won for three consecutive years.
Sunshine Jamero, former information officer of the National Irrigation Administration-6 (NIA-6) and last year’s winner for Best Regional Feature News Story, said this contest is an avenue for writers and journalists to share the little successes of farmers.
“We need to write stories that inspire and these stories about agriculture and farming can contribute to national development,” said Jamero.
Bright Leaf is open to all professional Filipino journalists residing in the Philippines and at least 18 years old at the time of the submission of an entry.
Buenaventura said participation is free of charge, but entries submitted should only be published, aired or broadcast between September 1, 2012 and August 31, 2013.
A participant can submit as many stories in any of the categories but no story can be entered in more than one category.
He said the submission of entries begins on April 30 until August 31 this year.
Bright Leaf Awards accepts entries written in English or in any of the Philippine regional dialects.
Participants can download and submit entry forms at www.brightleafawards.com or to the official Bright Leaf Secretariat, c/o COZOZ Inc., 1102 P. Ocampo corner Conchu Streets, Malate, Manila. (PIA-Iloilo/PN)