Empowering the community, country

The author is Teacher III at Santiago Elementary School Angelita T. Mangilit , West District

Campus journalism, according to the Department of Education, is an instrument of empowerment for the communities and the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic. During the first-ever virtual National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) recently, DepEd officials said campus journalism empowers the community and the country to rise above the pandemic, to share correct and truthful information, to be patient, to be understanding, and to be aware, of vicious attacks, of cruel criticism at this time of finger-pointing. The NSPC was also aimed at enriching the learning experience and sustain the social consciousness of learners amid the pandemic. Students in the country should learn how to think critically through programs that strengthen campus journalism, they added. In alignment with the Special Program in Journalism, new NSPC events such as Documentary Film, Research on Campus Journalism, Mobile Journalism, and Campus Journalism Vlog were also introduced at the virtual conference. Dubbed as the National Conference on Campus Journalism in the 21st Century, the 2021 NSPC aims to capacitate learners, school paper advisers, and relevant personnel on the importance of responsible journalism and fair and ethical use of social media. With the theme “Pahayagang Pangkampus: Kaagapay sa Paghilom at Pagbangon ng Sambayanan”, the 2021 NSPC featured online training workshops in various journalistic genres such as Editorial and Column Writing, News and Feature Writing, Sports Writing, Photojournalism, Editorial Cartooning, Radio Scriptwriting and Broadcasting, TV Scriptwriting and Broadcasting, Infomercial, and Online Publication. Around 330 learners and school paper advisers per region were invited to interact with reputable veteran journalists and practitioners who served as resource speakers in the various seminars. Howie Severino, a multi-awarded veteran journalist, and the NSPC Guest Speaker, noted that journalism is the pursuit of the presentation of truth, and the role of journalists is to enlighten and provide truth in the age of disinformation. Officials also shared that the passion for truth-seeking will equip learners in the future. The youth will be equipped with 21st century skills of critical thinking, creative thinking, communications skills, and other life skills developed through this journalistic undertaking.