The 1974 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts

RESPONSE of Zacarias B. Sarian

The announcement of the Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts this year came as a total surprise to myself and to the members of my family. We are certain that to many of our friends, the news was equally unexpected.

It was, of course, a most pleasant surprise. Never in our wildest dreams did we think that some day this recognition would be bestowed upon us.

We would like to believe, however, that the Award is not an individual recognition. Rather, we would like to think that it is a recognition of the positive and constructive contribution of agricultural reporting in stimulating greater productivity and, therefore, improving the quality of life among the great mass of our people for whom the late President Magsaysay showed so much concern. We mean, of course, the millions of our farmers who must coax the good earth to bloom and yield the all-important sustenance of life.

Farming is an honest and respectable means of earning a living. But it is one of the most risky undertakings. Unpredictable floods, droughts, outbreaks of pests and diseases, market fluctuations, lack of capital, scarcity and high cost of inputs—these are but some of the problems that the farmer has to contend with in his year-round operations.

Also, lack of education has often been the misfortune of the ordinary farmer. How to convey to him in understandable and practical terms the latest findings of agricultural researchers, the new agricultural strategies of the government and related developments, has been the big problem, not only of the agricultural journalist, but more importantly of the farm extension worker.

Disseminating useful farm news has been exceedingly difficult. Farm stories have not been as sensational as crime reports or politics, especially in the pre-martial law days, so that it was almost impossible to read about agriculture on the front pages of our newspapers unless there was some anomaly involved.

Martial law, fortunately, has made very profound changes in the newspapers' treatment of agricultural and developmental news. A cursory scanning of the dailies and magazines would readily reveal that farm news is, indeed, being given ample, if not special, coverage now.

No doubt the recognition that the Magsaysay Award Foundation is giving to agricultural journalism today will further bring to the forefront what farm reporting can contribute to the overall task of nation building.

If this is a good sign for us agricultural journalists, it should also open our minds to the awesome responsibility and absolute necessity of always striving for excellence in our calling. We believe that responsible agricultural journalism is not just a matter of writing about agriculture often and lengthily. Rather, we think that during this time when agricultural production is the top priority in the Philippines and elsewhere, the farm writer should be able to contribute his share more meaningfully by concentrating on the significant, the relevant, the constructive.

On behalf of Modern Agriculture & Industry, Business Day and Daily Express, we wish to thank most profoundly the Members of the Board of Trustees of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation, and all those who have inspired us to pursue agricultural journalism.