ASPC, DSPC, RSPC and NSPC Competitions: Guindaruhan National High School Principal and Minglanilla National Science High School Editor-in-Chief Compete in Editorial Writing, Online Journalism and Festival of Talents during the National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) in Butuan City, Caraga Region

MINGLANILLA NATIONAL SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL Editor-in-Chief and GUINDARUHAN NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL Principal are scheduled to attend  the  National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) to compete in editorial writing, online journalism and Festival of Talents... 

Carlo Galicia from Minglanilla National Science High School will fly to Butuan City for NSPC competitions in Editorial Writing Category (English) and Online Journalism, representing Cebu Province Division.

As part of the culminating activities, under the SPFL, Galicia is one of the participants in NSPC with regard to the showcase of talents in the use of a 2nd foreign language like French.

The objectives of the special program in foreign language (SPFL) in the NSPC are to promote the special program in foreign language, and to encourage students to participate in the program and see the value of learning another foreign language.

The theme for the said event: "Freedom of Expression: Rights and Responsibility."

The organizers are expecting more than 4,000 delegates from 17 regions who will be joining the National Schools Press Conference in Butuan City that would converge in friendly competition and exercise the freedom of expression.

The National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) this school year focuses on the "Freedom of Expression: Rights and Responsibility." As such, the Department of Education (DepEd) mobilizes schools support by advocating and integrating rights and responsibility in related school-community initiatives.

The annual NSPC draws a thousand campus journalists from public and private elementary and high school students nationwide. It will be held this year in Butuan City, Caraga Region. It is the place for the national competition of qualified regional winners coming from diverse elementary and secondary levels in the Philippines, most especially for the presscon competition in various categories (English).

Carlo Galicia from Minglanilla National Science High School will compete with other qualified winners during the RSPC for NSPC competition in Editorial Writing Category (English). He is one of the winners in editorial writing from Cebu Province Division. He is to be accompanied by his coach Dr. Ermetes F. Adolfo, Jr., the Access school paper adviser.

According to Eugenia R. Gorgon (Officer-in-Charge, Director IV) of Department of Education, in the Festival of Talents: Special Program in Foreign Language (SPFL) in NSPC, in connection with the annual holding of the National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) in Butuan City, Caraga Region and with reference to DepEd Memorandum No. 15 and DepEd Advisory No. 50 that part of its culminating activities, under the Special Program in Foreign Language (SPFL) is a showcase of talents in the use of a 2nd foreign language like French. In this regard, Minglanilla National Science High School is one of the participants from Region VII to join in the said event.

Individual and group writing contests in English and Filipino will carry the conference theme: "Freedom of Expression: Rights and Responsibility."

The group contests comprise five categories: editorial page, feature/literary page, news page and sports page.

High school and elementary students will participate in the individual contests such as editorial writing, news writing, feature writing, sports writing. There will also be competitions in copy reading and headline writing, photojournalism, editorial cartooning, and scriptwriting and radio broadcasting.

RSPC formally opens with delegates from different schools in Region VII

Regional Press Conference has the biggest delegation of private and public schools compared to RSPC last year

Cebu Province led by Mrs. Evelyn Balang (English Supervisor) and Mrs. Novie Mangubat (Filipino Supervisor) actively participated in a 4-day conference with contestants in English and Filipino categories

Minglanilla National Science High School sent representatives to RSPC: Gio L. Abastillas, first placer in news writing; and Damsel Mondido, second placer in sports writing

Advisers present for Regional Press Conference: Dr. Ermetes F. Adolfo, Jr. (English) and Mrs. Abegonia Tecson (Filipino)

The Regional Schools Press Conference of DepEd Region VII was formally declared open at the Cebu City Sports Center. The opening was followed immediately by a series of lectures and contests the next day after, which made up the first half of the press conference.

The opening event started earlier that day by the registration of participants. Then, there was a parade of the different RSPC delegates and officials from the DOH to the CSCC, where the formal ceremonies were held. Present during the opening ceremony were Dr. Lorna E. Rances, Mrs. Carmencita Dinampo, Dr. Carolino Mordeno, and Vice Mayor Mike Rama of Cebu City, to name a few. Each of them gave speeches and inspirational messages for the delegates. The Journalist's Creed, meanwhile, was delivered by Roberto Jose M. Avila of the CCNSHS.

The contest proper was held immediately the next day at the Cebu City National Science High School. There was one-hour lecture each for Photo Journalism by Mr. Bien Fernandez, News Writing by Dr. Teody Dumam-ag, Copy Reading and Headline Writing by Mrs. Remedios Flores, Editorial Writing by Dr. Ramir Uytico, and Sports Writing by Mr. Nimrod Qui±ones. After the lectures, the participants went to their respective venues for the contest.

MNSHS bags 30 awards both in ASPC and DSPC competitions

School paper advisers and writers adhere to the theme "Campus Journalism as a Catalyst for Change: Achieving the MDGs by 2015"

Student journalists will push their pens to heed the government's call to fight extreme poverty

Both advisers in English and Filipino Dr. Ermetes F. Adolfo, Jr. and Mrs. Begonia P. Tecson, together with campus journalists won all the categories (most of them got 1^st place) during ASPC and DSPC competitions

4 school years in a row, Mingscian writers have grabbed steadily 1^st place, especially in Feature and News writings (English Category) during Division Schools Press Conference (DSPC)

"In the fight against poverty and extreme hunger, the advocacy should start from the young," as this year's Area Level Schools Press Conference (ASPC) focuses on the 2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) particularly the MDG 1 (Alleviate Poverty and Hunger), the Department of Education (DepEd) mobilizes schools support by advocating and integrating them in related school-community initiatives.

Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said, "There is power in the pen and we highlight this in our school journalists and their publications. We enlist their active participation in this advocacy because our young journalists know how to optimize the power of communication."

"We can also expect that the government will find more community stakeholders who will be our partner in overcoming poverty and hunger," he added.

The annual Area Schools Press Conference (ASPC) and Division Schools Press Conference (DSPC) are preparatory to Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC), and National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) that draw a thousand campus journalists from public and private elementary and high school students.

During the Area Level Schools Press Conference (Southeast), the resounding call where the theme "Campus Journalism as a Catalyst for Change: Achieving the MDGs by 2015" was heard by a number of delegates from different towns within division of Cebu Province in Region VII who gathered in Sibonga National High School, Sibonga, Cebu for this year's competition.

The 2-day-activity was held at Sibonga Centrum and Sibonga National High School. English Secondary Supervisor Mrs. Evelyn F. Balang welcomed the delegates and lauded them for participating actively in the contest, as well as choosing Sibonga National High School in the southeast to host the ASPC.

"With the support of all schools within division of Cebu Province, this gathering has the potential of igniting the flame in bright young minds about writing and opportunities in journalism," English Supervisor Evelyn Balang said in her message.

The ASPC is an activity of the Division Campus Journalism Program of Region VII, designed to upgrade the journalistic competencies of student writers for quality campus journalism. This year's competition centers on the issues of "Campus Journalism as a Catalyst for Change: Achieving the MDGs by 2015."

Balang praised the school head, and teachers who provided the facilities and the time for a responsible journalism program within their school.

She also cited the growing number of student journalists who seriously take their tasks of writing events, issues, activities and concerns through attractive, interesting and responsible reporting.

During the ASPC awarding ceremony, only the top 15 participants as campus journalists were qualified to compete in Division Schools Press Conference.

Minglanilla National Science High School student-writers grabbed numerous awards from diverse categories in English and Filipino to represent DSPC: Dave Martjee Paug, Copy reading & Headline Writing (1^st place); Joy Tiffany Degamo, Sports Writing (1^st place); Zyshan Castellano, Feature Writing (1^st place); Vince Alex Villahermosa, Editorial Cartooning (1^st place); Damsel Mondido, Sports Writing (1^st place); Christbhel Garem Garcia, Photojournalism (3^rd place); Mary Grace Gulay & Zyshan Nain Castellano, Copyreading & Headline Writing (8^th place & 9^th place, respectively); Debbie Ellis Daniel, Sports Writing (8^th place); Kevin Ubas, Editorial Cartooning (3^rd place); Justine Faith Basilla, Feature Writing (4^th place); Katrina Lucero, Editorial Writing (6^th place); Agnes Marie Auman, News Writing (8^th place); Carlo Galicia, News Writing (`12^th place); Ron Bugay, Editorial Writing (10^th place); Wennie Langbid, Feature Writing (3^rd place); Franzis Mari Lawas, Sports Writing (7^th place); Mary Claire Christner Catado, Photojournalism (5^th place); Don Francis Acapulco, Photojournalism (10^th place); Aldrin Navarro, Editorial Cartooning (6^th place); and Fedelf Ni±a Delfin, Editorial Cartooning (5^th place).

The Division Schools Press Conference held at Daanbantayan, Cebu. Qualified MNSHS contestants as DSPC winners to RSPC will proceed to Dumanjug, Cebu Province Division for another competition both in English and Filipino categories, namely, Franzis Mari Lawas (1^st place in Sports Writing-English Category), Aldrin Navarro (3^rd place in Editorial Cartooning-English Category), and Ron Bugay (6^th place in Editorial Writing-English Category), Radio Broadcasting (7 winners, 1^st place in English Category and Best in Anchor), Damsel Mondido (Filipino writer-winner, 4^th place), Vince Alex Villahermosa (Filipino writer-winner, 4^th place), Korinna Lucero (Filipino writer-winner, 2^nd place), and Justine Faith Basilla (Filipino writer-winner, 1^st place) in the forthcoming division schools press conference will compete in editorial cartooning, feature writing, editorial writing, sports writing, news writing, photojournalism layout, radio scriptwriting, copy reading and headline writing.

For radio broadcasting and scriptwriting, the registered winning contestants to compete in the forthcoming RSPC are: Peliza Faith Caba±ero, Erica Latoza, Ni±a Bianca Deipraine, Carlo Marie Gonzalez, Klyss Gia Caba±ero, Ivan Gabriel Briones, and Genevic Patindol.

Five Mingscians emerge champs in Division of Cebu Schools Press Conference

Five students from Minglanilla National Science High School emerged champions during the Division of Cebu Schools Press Conference (DSPC) at Liloan Elementary School, Liloan, Cebu.

Different public and private elementary and secondary schools competed with one another in different categories: News Writing, Editorial Writing, Feature Writing, Copy Reading and Headline Writing, Photo Journalism, Sports Writing, and Radio Broadcasting (both in English and Filipino).

Gio Abastillas of II-Silver got first place in News Writing category, while Jeff Diamond Paug IV-Uranium and Phoebe Sharmae Florida I-Gold received the sixth and seventh positions in Feature Writing and Photo Journalism categories, respectively. The Filipino Writers, Damsel Mondido I-Gold got second place in Sports Writing while Judith Leyson ranked seventh place in both Editorial Writing and Copy Reading and Headline Writing categories.

The champions who ranked first to fifth positions in different categories competed in Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC) which was held in Cebu City, and the Cebu City Schools Division was the host school for the said 4-day conference.

The Access staffers join seminar-workshop in journalism writing

The Southwestern University held a seminar-workshop in writing for young amateurs and teachers at Don Matias Building, Southwestern University, Aznar Road, Urgello St., Cebu City.

The activities were divided into two parts. The first part was writing seminar-workshop on news, feature, editorial and sports while the second part entailed in writing seminar-workshop on lay-outing, photojournalism and copy reading, including separate session for the campus adviser.

The Access, the official publication of Minglanilla National Science High School, sent the Access staffers and writers, namely, Mizpah Joy Bacus, Zea Ara Mai Galado, Diamond Jeff Paug, Joshua Ray Lancita and Theresa Abapo, together with The Access Adviser Dr. Ermetes F. Adolfo, Jr. and Assistant Adviser Mrs. Jacqueline F. Bucao who also joined the seminar-workshop writing.

The said seminar was spearheaded by Southwestern University Editors Guild, Staff and Faculty who were the adept speakers during the workshop. Other renowned guest speakers were Ms. Irish Marie P. Sagmon, Mr. Ulysses Sison, Ms. Laiza Grace Cavales, Mr. Ericson Salindo, Mr. Jethro Malvin Bacolod, Dr. Rouel Longinos and Dr. Catalino C. Abos.

"The seminar is aimed at enhancing the writing ability of the students and teachers to be good writers and public opinion-makers someday," said Dr. Ermetes F. Adolfo Jr.

The Pros and Cons of Campus Journalism

CAMPUS JOURNALISM ACT in the Philippines gives a full blast to press freedom among student-journalists. As a matter of fact, there are pros and cons of this journalism act, but there are prevailing factors that can help contribute to the press freedom. This act will protect the campus advisers and writers from harassment and abuse of power to those persons in full authority.

In the Philippines, the campus journalism act is very lenient in the sense that it doesn't cater a lot to the needs of the people in media industry. It does not give fully the options either to give constructive or destructive comments against the persons in the government or the persons in the private learning institutions. Each writer has to be very careful and not to be abusive of his/her power and privileges.

If there are limitations about the press freedom, the persons in authority ought to be very careful and not to be very abusive in order to thwart from being attacked by the media.

In every school (both public and private) there is a campus paper to let the people, especially the parents know about the projects and activities to be undertaken by the school administrators, teachers, and students.

This kind of act is a laudable endeavor to be recognized by the DepEd officials. Because of this act, promising campus writers are trained and given exposure to hone their talents. Press conferences are held every year. Starting with the division level, it goes to the regional level and finally to the national level. 

Campus writers, who qualify to the regional level, have the chance to visit different places in the region and those who qualify to the national level have the chance to visit different places all over the Philippines.

However, because of scarcity of funds, there are times when winning campus writers cannot compete with the winners in regional level, much more to the national level. The reason for this is that the schools depend on PTCA (Parent-Teacher-Association) funds' participation in and out of town press conferences. 

Sometimes, these are curtailed because either funds are diverted to other purpose or there are no collections at all. It's disheartening to know that a provision in the DepEd memorandum 203 dated June 5, 2006, stated that the regional trainings of advisers and campus journalists shall be subsidized by the Campus Journalism Funds (CJF).

Based on our experience, our participations in the area, division and even regional press conferences were never subsidized by the CJF. There was an instance when we almost gave up and did not participate in the division schools press conference which was held in Daanbantayan National High School, Daanbantayan, Cebu because we did not have funds for fare, registration and allowance for the contingent. It was really frustrating as we had more than 20 winners in the area level.

Even if the former DepEd Director Mordeno in Region VII emphasized that school paper funds should be deposited in a bank with the principal, adviser and editor-in-chief as signatories, this was not so strictly followed during our times where the majority of advisers, principals and editor-in-chiefs were clamoring for the lack of funds. On the contrary, the PTA has collected and kept custody of all funds. It can't be denied that they are all responsible for the money collection and students' contributions, not the faculty and principal.