PASAY CITY -- SunStar Pampanga reporter Ian Ocampo Flora is among this year’s winners of the Bantog: The Science for the People Media Awards given by the Department of Science and Technology — Science and Technology Information Institute (DOST-STII).
Flora was conferred the regional media practitioner award during ceremonies at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City over the weekend. He is the lone winner for the said category.
Flora was presented the award by STII Director Richard Burgos, Dean Dr. Ma. Theresa H. Velasco of the College of Development Communication of the University of the Philippines Los Banos and DOST Sec. Fortunato dela Peña.
Bantog: The Science for the People Media Awards is given to media practitioners (print, radio, TV, and online) in recognition for their important role in promotion of science and technology information. It has four categories, which include the institutional award (media organizations); professional award (media practitioners); regional media practitioner award; and DOST outstanding information officer award.
STII Director Richard Burgos said that Bantog aims to focus on the exemplary science and technology reporting in the country and how these impact the country and its development. He added that awards aim to promote further science and technology reporting in the coming years.
Other major awardees include Stephanie Tumampos of Business Mirror (professional award for print); Connie Sison of GMA Network (professional award for television); Custer Deocaris - DZEC Radyo Aguila (professional award for radio); Mikael Angelo Francisco - GMA News Online (professional award for cyber press); and DOST's Outstanding Information Officer Ma. Elena Talingdan - DOST-NRCP.
Flora was recognized for his science and technology reporting in the region. His entries included science and technology applications in agriculture, environmental conservation and climate change.
Early this year, Flora two major awards and a minor citation in this year’s Philippine Agricultural Journalists-San Miguel Corp. (PAJ-SMC) “Binhi” awards. He was awarded second place for Environment Journalist of the Year and third place for Agricultural Journalist of the Year and recognized for his articles in the field of environment, agriculture and climate change in 2017. Flora also won the Best Agri Story of the Year for his article “Water Crisis by 2025: Pampanga groundwater source in danger.”
Flora is also a four-time winner of the Brightleaf Agriculture Journalism Awards. He won in the 7th Bright Leaf Journalism Awards 2013 for Best Agriculture Feature Story and Tobacco Story of the Year for the 9th Bright Leaf Journalism Awards and 10th Bright Leaf Journalism Awards in 2015, 2016 and 2017 respectively.
Aside from being a local reporter, Flora is also a college professor and book editor. Flora is a graduate of AB Communication Arts and has a Master’s Degree in English Language and Literature Teaching from Holy Angel University. (JTD)