102 HS delegates from Albay lead National Schools Press Conference

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb 17 (PIA) -- For winning the championship in the recently concluded two-day Regional Secondary Schools Press Conference (RESPC) held at Polangui General Comprehensive High School in Albay, secondary students from the province of Albay will lead the delegation to the 2012 National Secondary Schools Press Conference (NSPC) set in April 9–13 at Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

Albay garnered a total of 87 points followed by last year’s champion Camarines Sur with 74 points, third placer was Tabaco City with 44 points followed by Legazpi City, 42 points and and Iriga City 31 points during the February 10-11 RESPC.

Albay Division was also named champion in Filipino while Camarines Sur topped in English contests.

Six provinces and seven cities competed in the RESPC, the biggest academic competition that gathered 1,197 delegates 875 of whom are campus writers.

A total of 122 student writers and their school paper advisers will represent the Bicol region in the national writing tilt. The top three winners in the individual contest, the winning group in scriptwriting contests in English and Filipino, outstanding school paper adviser, outstanding campus journalist, coaches, and advisers of the top 10 school paper in English and Filipino will compose the delegation.

The events won by top three winners were for the 14 writing competition for News Writing, Feature Writing, Editorial Writing, Sports Writing, Copy Reading, Editorial Cartooning, Photojournalism; its Filipino counterpart of Pagsulat ng Balita, Pagsulat ng Lathalain, Pagsulat ng Editoryal, Pagsulat ng Isports, Pagwawasto at Pag-uulo ng Balita, Kartung Pang Editoryal at Larawang Pampahayagan.

Adjudged Outstanding School Paper Adviser was Beverly U. Cabaltera of Polangui General Comprehensive High School (PGCHS) and the current president of the Bicol Association of School Paper Advisers while Kendra Ivana S. Sy of Philippine Science High School (PSHS) Goa Campus in Camarines Sur was named Outstanding Campus Journalist.

This year’s top 10 best school papers in English were The Bicol Scholar, PSHS; The Vanguard, Tabaco National High School (TNHS); The Apprentice, Ligao National High School (LNHS); The Pencil, Nabua High School; The Agnesian, St. Agnes Academy; The Youth Moulder, Sipocot National High School; The Quill, Marcial O. Rañalo Memorial School (MORMS); The PSU Clarion, Partido State University Laboratory School; The Courier, PGCHS and the Glow, Zeferino Arroyo National High School (ZANHS).

The best Filipino school papers were Ang Tanod (TNHS); Arab Adab, PSHS; Ang Ilaya (LNHS); Ang Baybayin, Sto. Domingo National High School; Ang Sinag, MORMS; Ang Isarog, Camarines Sur National High School; Ang Taga Ulat, PGCHS; The Maiden Chronicle, Daraga National High School; Ang Sibol, ZANHS; and Ang Umalahukan, Rinconada National Technical Vocational School.

Judges in the writing tilt and selection of best newspapers were journalism professors from Bicol University, a journalist, a photo journalist, and a staffer from the Philippine Information Agency.

The 2012 NSPC carries the theme “Promoting Digital Literacy Through Campus Journalism,” for which a new category, the Collaborative Publishing will highlight the annual competition.

Two groups of seven selected from among the individual winners in both in English and Filipino will compete in both medium. They are to produce a four-page tabloid using Microsoft Publisher software.

This is the Department of Education’s way of providing opportunity for campus journalists to demonstrate digital literacy.

Meantime, the group contest on scriptwriting and radio broadcasting both in English and Filipino will also have teams of seven who will write and produce a five-minute radio newscast.

Fatima Buen, regional English supervisor and coordinator for the RESPC said that the conduct of the press conference is pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No. 7079 or “An Act Providing for the Development and Promotion of Campus Journalism and for Other Purposes.”

Buen explained that the RESPC is a demonstration of the importance of journalism through different journalistic endeavors and approaches; to provide activities that which will encourage students to pursue careers and studies in journalism; and enhance journalistic competence through healthy and friendly competitions.

DepEd officials in Bicol hope to repeat its garnering of championship trophy during the 2003 NSPC held in Cebu City.

The NSPC annual tradition started in November 1931 when the Public Secondary Schools Press Association (PSSPA) had its first convention in Pasig, Rizal.

However, NSPC, the highest competition for journalism in both public and private high schools in the Philippines was established in 1991 in pursuant of Rule IX of Republic Act 7079 also known as Campus Journalism Act of 1991.(MAL/AAN-PIA V)

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