IN HIS writing career that spans three decades, he has written around a thousand science and technology (S&T) articles for various publications and has sown fresh and novel ideas in the minds of his readers, mostly farmers. Today, he is harvesting the biggest fruit of his professional labor as his name is elevated in the pantheon of the Philippines’ agricultural journalism greats.

Reynaldo E. Andres, Information Officer III, was chosen as this year’s top recipient of the Professional Media Award (PMA) bestowed by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) and the Department of Science and Technology. The award, which has two categories – print and broadcast, salutes hardworking media practitioners who fill important roles and render invaluable support in S&T promotion, commercialization, and adoption.

Andres tied with another agriculture journalist for the first prize in print category. He will receive his plaque and cash prize on Nov. 8 at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila, Pasay City as part of the annual anniversary celebrations of PCAARRD. In 2001, Andres won second place in the same award and category.

Nominees for the award must have published S&T articles in agriculture, forestry, environment, and natural resources in 2012. It was open to media practitioners who belong to regional consortia member-agencies of PCARRD. Andres was nominated by ILAARRDEC.

Andres’ winning articles on modern agricultural technologies and innovations were printed in Bannawag and The Ilocos Times where he is a regular contributor. Since May 2009, he has written over 200 S&T articles for Bannawag, a record unsurpassed in the publication’s history. He was an information officer at ILAARRDEC until early this year when he was reassigned to the MMSU Communication and Media Relations Office.

He has also served as correspondent of People’s Journal, People’s Tonight, and Manila Times; and has contributed articles to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Star, Manila Bulletin, Malaya, Agriculture Magazine, Greenfields magazine, The Filipino Entrepreneur, and some 20 regional newspapers across the country. Some of his literary works were included in the anthology books published by various GUMIL provincial chapters in the country.

A 1982 BSE major in biology graduate of MMSU, he is the author of the English-Iluko Glossary of Agricultural Terms published by ILAARRDEC in 2007 and senior editor of IRIC: Antolohia Dagiti Daniw ken Sarita (IRIC: Anthology of Poetries and Short Stories) published by MMSU in 1988. In 1990, the Ilocano Language Department of the University of Hawaii hired him as part time editor and translator of its English-Iloko Dictionary project in the Philippines.

From 1990 to 1996, he was columnist of three regional newspapers in the Ilocos region: The Ilocos Times (Laoag City), Ilocos Herald, and Norluzonian Courier (both in La Union). From 1992 to 1998, he was a stringer of Philippines News Agency, DephNews Philippines, and PAJ News Service for Northern Luzon. He served as president of GUMIL-Ilocos Norte (1987-1993), director  of GUMIL Filipinas (1990-1993), and business manager of the same organization from 1999-2001.

He has also been affiliated with the Communicators for Agricultural and Rural Development, Philippine Foundation of Rural Broadcasters, Council on Educational Media and Technology of the Philippines, Ilocos Norte-Laoag City Media Corps, and the Ilocos Norte Governor Press Corps.

Andres was born in Aparri, Cagayan to Serapio C. Andres and Lazara Evilla. He is married to Nonalynne B. Mata of Laoag City, a registered nurse and professor at the Manila Central University where she teaches undergraduate and graduate nursing subjects. Jemima Kezia, their only daughter, is a second-year English studies student at CAS.