MNSHS strikes at Presscon

Participating schools join call vs poverty and extreme hunger

MINGLANILLA -- 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 ASPC is preparatory to Division Schools Press Conference (DSPC), 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 on October 2-3 held at the Sibonga Centrum on Friday and Sibonga National High School on Saturday, English Secondary Supervisor Mrs. Evelyn F. Balang welcomed the delegates to Presscon 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," Dr. Ramir Uytico said in his 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.

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

He 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.

Qualified participants in the forthcoming division schools press conference will compete in editorial cartooning, feature writing, editorial writing, sports writing, news writing, photojournalism layout, radio scriptwriting, copyreading and headline writing.

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

Minglanilla National Science High School student-writers have grabbed numerous awards from diverse categories in English and Filipino to represent DSPC: Dave Martjee Paug, Copy reading and 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 and 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); Mary Claire Christner Catalado (5^th place); Don Francis Acapulco (10^th place); Fedelf Nina Acapulco, (5^th place); Aldrin Navarro (6^th place); and Fedelf Niña Delfin (5^th place).