Campus journos gather for NSPC 2019 kickoff

By: Darwin Pesco

With the theme, “Fostering 21st century skills and character-based education through campus journalism,” campus journalists all over the Philippines gathered in the Pangasinan Capitol Grandstand for the opening of the National Schools Press Conference in Lingayen, Pangasinan from January 28 to February 1.

Filled with various colors based on their regions, 4, 960 people converged in the momentous event for the student journalists according to Director Jocelyn Andaya of Department of Education Central Office.

Dubbed the “Olympics of campus journalism,” Contests in the event are news writing, feature writing, editorial writing, sports writing, editorial cartooning, copy-reading, column writing, collaborative and desktop publishing, and radio and TV broadcasting.

“We are hopeful na muli kaming (NCR) makabalik sa top 3 ng 2019 NSPC at kung papalarin pa nga ay sana muli rin naming mabawi ang korona sa CALABARZON. Bilang paghahanda rito ay puspusan ang aming pagdadasal na sinabayan din namin ng rigid training habang sinisigurong hindi napapabayaan ng mga batang mamamahayag ang kanilang pag-aaral” Emily Santos Coach, Sun Valley Elementary School NCR, which was posted on the Facebook page of JourKnows.

In the opening, Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Briones emphasized the importance of “sharp” elementary grammar, spelling and punctuation marks to the students who are pursuing to be the truth-tellers.

“A journalist, first and foremost, should have correct grammar, correct usage, correct spelling, correct punctuation marks,” the Sec. Briones said.

“Napapansin ko na ang ating conference is both in English and in Filipino. Siguro napapansin din ninyo, napapansin ng inyong mga teachers na kailangan pa natin ng dagdag na pagsharpen ng ating elementary grammar, ng ating spelling, ng ating punctuation marks,” she said which was in the article of Inquirer.net.

Brion also stressed that campus journalists should know how to differentiate journalism from mere propaganda: “How can you discern propaganda vis-à-vis professional, competent journalism? Ngayon napakahirap na to tell the difference between truth and falsehood, between manufactured news and real news. So you always have to seek the truth.”

Before the event, participants flaunted their color motifs in a parade on the streets of Lingayen, known as “the heart, the soul, and the face” of the province of Pangasinan.