Inspired and driven by the Division of Naga City’s spirit of transformation, DepEd Naga school papers put a halt on the city’s 30-year drought in campus journalism and were hailed champions in the 2018 Regional Schools Press Conference.
Said schools bested 12 other Divisions in the Bicol Region and become qualifiers in the National Schools Press Conference to be held in Lingayen, Pangasinan on December 28-December 1. Naga City claimed championship in the elementary category with The Light bearers of Blessed Lights International Christian Academy (BLICA), pocketing the first place awards in Best in News and Science and Technology Pages during the Mayor’s Night at the Avenue Plaza Hotel on November 16.
Concepcion Grande Elementary School’s The Innovators and Kathang Mapagbago were also champions in the Best Lay-out Category. Ang Kutitap of Jose Rizal Elementary School got the nod of the three-man judge as having the region’s Best Feature Page and second best in Science and Technology. The Footprints of Tabuco Central School also landed second in the Editorial Page Category.
In the Secondary Division, Concepcion Pequeña National High School’s Ang Burabod captured first in Best Feature Page while Camarines Sur National High School’s (CSNHS) Ang Isarog landed second in Lay-out Design.
CSNHS’ English counterpart, The Isarog notched third in Best in News and Best Sports Pages. Its school paper adviser, Estelito B. Jacob and editor, Micah Alexandra Layosa were proclaimed 1st runner-up and 2nd runner-up winners in the Search for Outstanding Paper Adviser and Campus Journalist, respectively.
Other winner of the search was Niko Nisolada of BLICA who got the 2nd runner-up award in the elementary category.
University of Nueva Caceres’ The Trailblazer took the fifth place finish in feature and editorial pages. Saint Joseph School’s The Saint Joseph Advocate landed ninth in the Best in Editorial Page.
Individual Events
11 elementary and secondary students qualified for the NSCPC with CSNHS’ Layosa, fourth place winner in the 2017 NSPC, snatching a gold medal from her 38 competitors in the secondary category. She also enjoyed a back-to-back championship in Feature Writing. Ateneo de Naga University’s maiden attempts in RSPC after a five-year non- participation in the said press confab produced two gold medalists, Daniel Sebastianne Daiz (Editorial, English) and Lance Christopher Lelis (Sports, English). Proclaimed second place winners were Seth Cledera (News, English) and Wynne Angelo Arcilla (Science and Technology, Filipino). They are also up for the national press confab.
Former national qualifier in photojournalism from CSNHS, John Walter Ragragio won third.
Grandview Elementary School’s Aliya G. De Torres and Naga Central School II’s (NCS II) Joshua Andrew Placides also earned spots in the NSPC by winning first in Feature Writing and Science and Technology, respectively.
They are joined by Tabuco Central School’s Rhiane Sta. Isabel and BLICA’s John Markiel Antonio who got the third place awards in editorial writing and copy reading, respectively.
Stephanie Valerie Vista of NCS-II is also up for Pangasinan’s NSPC by also winning third in photojournalism.
Transformational Motivation
Minutes before the contest proper, Schools Division Superintendent William E. Gando, CESO VI, looked into the condition of the Naga City delegation at CSNHS, provided tips on how the campus journalists would rightly behave and conduct themselves during the interview phase of the Search for Outstanding Campus Journalists, and gave inspiring words that served as motivations and fuelled the student-journalists to win in the different individual and group events in the conference.
Teachers who attended their contestants said that they were at awe and happy of the extra gesture manifested by the superintendent.
Rightful Strategy
Education Program Supervisor in Filipino, Anna Liza Abuloc was optimistic that Naga City would win in the School Paper and individual contests in the RSPC because implementation of the strategies for winning were realized and completed a week before the regional competition.
She said that the elusive victory was possible because of the concerted efforts of the different coaches, campus journalists, parents and the DepEd family.
She also hoped that the Naga Team sustains the transformation manifested in the regional press confab by winning in the NSPC.
The Best RSPC Ever
Joan Lagata, Regional Program Supervisor in English and this year’s RSPC chair said that the Naga’s staging is the best ever, thus, no Division has dared to accept the hosting of next year’s event.
In a regional memorandum, Regional Director Gilbert T. Sadsad, Director III, expressed his gratitude and congratulations to School’s Division Superintendent William E. Gando, CESO VI, CSNHS’ Sulpicio C. Alferez III, Principal IV and Naga City’s Mayor, Hon. John G. Bongat for the success of the 2018 Regional Schools Press Conference.