For the second time, EDGE Davao was the only local paper outside of Metro Manila that was honored in the2016 Jose G. Burgos, Jr. Awards for Biotechnology Journalism held at Sulo Riveiera Hotel in Quezon City.
As the author of “Golden rice fights hidden hunger,” which appeared in the November 7, 2015 issue of EDGE Davao, I was personally invited to attend the awarding ceremony. The said article was named as one for the best features on biotechnology during the period of the search.
In last year’s competition, I won the first prize in the news story category for my report, “Understanding Biotechnology,” which appeared in the June 22, 2014 issue of EDGE Davao. In the feature category, my article, “Golden rice” (which was published in April 23, 2015 issue of EDGE Davao), won third place.
In 2013, I also got the first prize in the news category for another article I wrote on golden rice, which was then published in Sun. Star Davao.
The other two winners in the feature category this year were James Konstantin Galvez (first prize) for his write-up, “Corn growers urge government to approve new GMO rules,” which appeared in “Manila Times” (February 21, 2016); and Ray S. Eñano for his sotry, “Academe hurting from GMO ruling” published in the February 17, 2016 issue of “Manila Standard.”
The top three winners in the news category were: Mary Grace Padin for her article, “Genetically modified corn allowed farmers to earn $560 million – study” (“Business Mirror,” April 25, 2016); Diego Mora for his article, “Dutch experts boost security to prevent loss of UPLB pathogenic microbes” (“Interaksyon,” December 4, 2015) and Maricar Cinco, author of “Cheaper, healthier animal feed from UPLB” (“Philippine Daily Inquirer,” June 8, 2016).
The Institutional winners were as follows: “Business Mirror” (first prize), “The Philippine Star” (second prize) and both “The Manila Times” and “Interaksyo” tied for the third prize.
This year’s winners were chosen by a secretariat who went over with various publications – print and online – to pick up stories that pertains to biotechnology. After collection, these were submitted to another committee which selected the best among the best. Those shortlisted were given to the board of judges, which met three times to discuss who would be the winners.
The chairperson of the board of judges this year was Dr. Virginia G. Novenario-Enriquez, who obtained her MA and PhD in Mass Communication from the University of the Philippines Diliman. She won second prize in the Science Journalism Award in 1990 when she used to be the contributing editor of “Philippine Daily Globe.”
The two other members were Rev. Fr. Emmanuel C. Alparce and Carmelo M. Acuña. Alparce is a member of the technical committee for information, education and communication of the Department of Agriculture. Acuña, on the other hand, used to work as wires stringer for Reuters and regional correspondent for “Manila Bulletin.”
This year’s awarding ceremony is the 10th and used to be called Gawad Galing. It was the late Jose E. Burgos, who founded the award giving body. On its second year, it was renamed to its present name in honor of the late respected Filipino journalist, who launched “Ang Pahayagang MALAYA” during the ending era of the Marcos regime.
Now, it can be told. When he was still alive, Burgos used to contact me. I contributed some agricultural stories for a publication, “Lupa/Soil,” which he published. I think I still have some copies of it in the office. Other articles I wrote for the Press Foundation of Asia through its weekly dispatch, DEPTHnews, also appeared in the paper.
Then, one time, he wrote me an e-mail if I was interested to contribute something on a document on biotechnology. In another e-mail, he told me if I was interested to speak on biotechnology before a group of journalists. I answered affirmatively.
The seminar workshop he had envisioned was supposed to be done in December. But on November 16, he died.
This year’s awarding ceremony would have not transpired had it not been for God’s intervention. It must be recalled that in 2014, there was no awarding ceremony. I remembered it since I won for the first time in 2013.
“The past two years were very difficult years for the Burgos family,” said Edita T. Burgos, the wife of the late newsman. “The drought which devastated the Burgos farm, and the new government requirements for accreditation, contributed mainly to the initial decision that we would forego with the celebration of the Awards this year.”
But thanks to the support of Abraham J. Manalo (the executive secretary of SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center) and Dr. Vicencio Mamaril of the Department of Agriculture, the awarding ceremony pushed through.
Last year, I received five awards all in all. This year, however, I only got three. In November 22, I got the Best Reporter of the Year – Online News Portal from the 2016 Globe Media Excellence Awards. This was a new category for this year, so it made me as the first recipient for the three-part series on “Where have all our fish gone?”
In the Best Investigative/Explanatory Story for Print, I was named as one of the finalists – along with another reporter who used to write for EDGE Davao. But it was Lina Sagaral-Reyes, who is from Cagayan de Oro City, who won the coveted prize.
I was also nominated in Best Reporter for Print and Best Columnist but failed to be included in the top three.
Last year, I already won the Best Reporter for Print (for my feature on the growing of HIV/AIDS cases in the city) and the Best Investigative/Explanatory Story for Print (for my report on how Davao City was transformed from being called as a Murder City to today’s one of the safest cities in the world).
I failed to get the third nomination for Best Columnist last year. But in 2014, I got the award for the said category. I also received the Best Reporter for Print in 2013.
So far, I received three awards this year. Last March 29, I got the Binhi Award for Best Environment Story for my feature, “Topsoil: Going, going, gone?” which was also published in EDGE Davao. I got two previous Binhi awards from the Philippine Agricultural Journalists, Inc. some two decades ago.
