Gawad Galing: Pushing frontiers
of scientific inquiry

THE Gawad Galing for Biotech Journalism was conceptualized by the late Jose Burgos Jr., a farmer and a renowned journalist who sought a way
to give recognition to members of the media who had given particular focus to biotechnology.

The Award was established to celebrate the spirit in which he conceived of the award itself — to encourage journalists to push the frontiers of scientific inquiry.

As a journalist, Jose or Joe Burgos, who died of cancer at age 62 in November 2003, was known for his pioneering spirit. He was among the first police beat reporters to practice investigative reporting. In the late ‘70s he blazed the trail in independent publishing under martial law, pioneering in what would be called later "The Mosquito Press" or the "Alternative Press," for which he received two prestigious international awards: Journalist of the Year, named by the UN-based InterPress Service in 1986; and one of the 50 Press Freedom Heroes of the 20th Century, a worldwide search conducted by the International Press Institute when it marked its 50th anniversary at the new millennium.

Burgos Jr. would later apply that same pioneering spirit in other areas — including agriculture.

As a farmer, he steered clear of chemicals because of their adverse effects on the environment, as well as on the crops he grew. Thus, he tried plant crossbreeding and was fascinated by biotechnology—its potential benefits to farmers, end-consumers and the environment.

Agriculture and science journalism with particular focus on biotechnology is still considered uncharted territories and very few media practitioners have had the courage to tackle it, perhaps because it remains controversial and subject of continuing debate, and because it is complicated
and requires more study, research and deeper understanding, not
to mention the lack of technical skills to explain it in laymen’s terms.

Dr. Edita T. Burgos, wife, educator and fellow farmer who shared Joe’s passion both for journalism and agriculture explains:

"Gawad Galing is designed to recognize the efforts of journalists in writing stories specifically on biotechnology in national newspapers. Specifically, the awards aim to recognize outstanding efforts of national media practitioners in disseminating information on biotechnology to help motivate and sustain the interest of national media and to help develop public awareness and understanding on biotech."

In our effort to encourage and sustain interest in science, we are confronted with bigger problems: feeding the hungry and taking care of the sick.

The Biotechnology Media and Advocacy Resource Center hopes to make the Gawad Galing an annual event — to eventually make the media its partner in promoting biotechnology by further expanding the search to include in future Gawad Galing awards the broadcast media, who have a particular interest in biotechnology journalism.