MULTI-AWARDED journalist Ian Ocampo Flora of Sun.Star Pampanga bagged two major awards and a minor citation in this year’s Philippine Agricultural Journalists-San Miguel Corp. (PAJ-SMC) “Binhi” Awards at the Makati Diamond Residences, Makati City.
Flora was awarded second place for Environment Journalist of the Year and third place for Agricultural Journalist of the Year.
Flora was 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.” The article discussed the looming water problem in Central Luzon.
Flora covers the agriculture, culture and arts, and provincial politics in Pampanga. He is also Sun.Star Pampanga's resident society columnist.
Flora received his awards from PAJ president Roman Floresca, Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol who was the keynote speaker, SMC AVP for corporate and media affairs head Mary Jane Oconer Llanes and 2017 PAJ-SMC Binhi Awards committee chair Noel Reyes.
The PAJ has been conducting the Binhi Awards since 1978 to recognize the efforts of media persons covering the agriculture, environment and agrarian reform beats, including writers, editors and broadcast journalists for their reportage, agricultural publications, radio and television programs, and information campaign, said PAJ president Roman Floresca, and retired business editor of the Philippine Star.
More than 150 journalists and institutions joined the contest, said Noel Reyes, PAJ vice-president for internal affairs and 2017 PAJ-SMC Binhi Awards committee chair.
Aside from Llanes, the other three judges were Leo Deocadiz, publisher-editor of the SUN HongKong and former Philippine Daily Inquirer business editor; Ruben Pascual, managing director of RJP Consulting and former agricultural attaché to the USA and Europe and PhilExport chief operating officer; and Jimmy Cantor, deputy managing editor and concurrent sport editor of Malaya Business Insight.
As a prelude to the Binhi awarding ceremonies, the PAJ and SMC bestowed a posthumous award to “Ka Louie” Tabing, founding chair of the Philippine Federation of Rural Broadcasters (PFRB), and anchor of popular early morning “Sa Kabukiran” radio program. (JTD)