New Thinking For Agriculture! Double Challenge: To Philippine Agricultural Journalists (PAJ) members: “Masaganang Balita At Mataas Na Ani” (Bountiful News & Bounteous Harvests)

Why members of the Philippine Agricultural Journalists (PAJ) have yet to herald their own “Masaganang Ani At Mataas Na Kita” (Bountiful Harvests & Bounteous Income)? Except in the Binhi Awards – and that which I fathered.

Secretary of Agriculture William Dar fathered The New Thinking For Agriculture some 3 years ago before 06 August 2019, the day he was appointed as head of the Department of Agriculture (DA) by outgoing President Rodrigo R Duterte.

What about New Journalism for The New Thinking? I have yet to see many instances of the news & views written by PAJ members on The New Thinking (TNT), which of course is dynamite! For PH Agriculture.

Scary? I have yet to see members of the PAJ active in promoting non-scary science to the farmers.

Public journalism is for the public good. In agriculture, it seems to me the PAJ members have yet to deliver the goods! Via Popular Science.

Let’s review some history of aggie journalism.

ANN says PAJ executive officers led by President Alfredo Gabot (unidentified in above photograph) paid a courtesy call 10 Oct 2019, just 2 months after Mr Dar was appointed Secretary (Author Not Named, undated, “Meeting With PAJ Executive Officers,” da.gov.ph):

PAJ, organized on September 10, 1976, is a group of newsmen and information writers. The association aimed to improve the craft and standards of journalism by yearly launching the “BINHI Agricultural Journalism Awards.”

The PAJ execs in the courtesy visit were Fermin Diaz of LaMB Magazine; Noel Reyes, DA spokesperson and assistant secretary for communications and media affairs; Ma Ruby Lumongsod of Quedancor; Ma Aileen Garcia of IRRI; Inez Magbual of Best Media Source Corp; Thelma Tolentino of Farm Book; Michael Alunan of Business Mirror; and Rolly Gonzalo of DWIZ Radio. Also present were members of the PAJ Board of Directors: Roman Floresca, Johnny Goloyugo, and Melly Tenorio.

ANN says:

During the meeting, Dar called on the PAJ officers to strengthen their partnership with DA particularly in promoting its programs and elevate the quality of reportage in the sector.

Mr Dar’s challenge: “Elevate the quality of reportage in the sector” of Agriculture. Right challenge, right people!

PAJ was organized in 1976 by newsmen (embracing women). I came up with the “Binhi Awards” (name & concept), sowing the seeds of fruitful and vibrant aggie journalism, with financial rewards from the private sector. And Doroy Valencia, bless his soul! sponsored it.

Since August 2019, I have yet to see PAJ executive officers active in promoting Mr Dar’s “New Thinking For Agriculture,” the package of which contains Mr Dar’s – which should be every PAJ members’ – new thinking on environmentally-threatened Philippine agriculture, with “8 paradigms” that are “feeder roots” to The New Thinking Tree.

My guess is that Mr Dar has brought to PH Agriculture the complete science that it needs – and our journalists are not at ease with any part of it. In effect, our journalists are ignoring the once-in-a-lifetime Servant Leadership in Science of Mr Dar!@517