Author: DA-AFID | 1 April 2019
Bringing to life inspiring stories about Davao cacao farms and products in social media has a price to pay and rewards to reap.
The Department of Agriculture in Region XI (DA-XI) has bagged the 2018 Binhi Awards – Agricultural Information and Media Campaign of the Year for its “Storytelling #CacaoDavao Experience,” during the recent awarding ceremony held March 28, 2019, at Makati Diamond Residences Hotel in Makati City.
The Binhi Award is a prestigious award-giving body of the Philippine Agricultural Journalists (PAJ) in cooperation with the San Miguel Corporation.
“Since 1978 the PAJ has been conducting the Binhi Award to recognize the efforts and outstanding body of works of media persons and government information officers in the country,” said Noel Reyes, PAJ vice president for external affairs and chairman of the 2018 PAJ-SMC Binhi Awards committee.
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol, PAJ President Alfred G. Gabot and former Agriculture Secretary Senen C. Bacani, chairman of the Board of Judges, handed over the cash prizes and trophies to the winners.
Other members of the Board of Judges (BOJ) are Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Monetary Board Member Bruce J. Tolentino, veteran journalist and educator Dr. Crispin Maslog; and broadcast journalist and former party-list representative Angelo B. Palmones.
The BOJ has recognized the innovative social media campaign of DA-XI where netizens were mobilized to take a photo and share their delightful experiences with cacao farms and products.
Around 300 social media posts were monitored from its 100-day campaign, which started on August 8, 2018, to November 15, 2019. Top six entries were selected and from there the Best #CacaoDavao Story and People’s Choice Award were identified by a select panel of judges.
Campaign takeaways include increased awareness and patronage on the emerging Davao chocolate brands in national and international markets. It has also sparked the idea that Davao chocolate products can be more convenient gift items and “pasalubong” when traveling to in other parts of the country and abroad.
“I never experience a government-initiated promotional campaign as innovative as this and supportive as well to our local cacao industry,” said revered cacao matriarch Charita Puentespina during the #CacaoDavao awarding ceremony held December 17 in Davao City.
The Agricultural Information and Media Campaign is the fourth Binhi group award received by DA-XI information team. The first was in 2003 for the Agricultural Newsletter of the Year and the same award was received in 2016 and 2017. | via Noel T. Provido
MEDIA CAMPAIGN AWARD | Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol hands over the trophy to Storytelling #Cacao Davao campaign team leader Noel Provido of DA-XI. Joining them (from L-R) are Jayson Brizuela, SMC Media Affairs Manager; Alfredo Gabot, PAJ President; Arjay Delino of DA-XI info team; Former Agriculture Secretary Senen Bacani, Chairman Board of Judges; Henry Lim Bon Liong, SL Agritech Corp.; and Roman Floresca, outgoing PAJ President. | Photo by Ardy Tompong, DA-AFID
