LAGAWE, IFUGAO – – It’s two down and one to go!
After hurdling the tough Division Schools Press Conference in the the capital town of Lagawe and even the much tougher Regional Schools Press Conference in Tabuk City, Ifugao’s young and promising campus journalists are now all set to test their mettle in the toughest test of their lives.
Thousands of youthful campus scribes from public and private elementary and high schools in the country are converging in Dumaguete City to compete in the prestigious National Schools Press Conference.
The Ifugao delegation, numbering about 25- to include school publication advisers and the province’s Department of Education (DepEd) officials called the event to be held on February 19 to 23, 2018 as “an ideal gauge of developing excellence in campus journalism.”
The Cordillera region contingent is up against 16 other regions. Heavy favorite to reign supreme in this competition are entries from Metro Manila and regions in the Visayas. The host Negros Oriental province is also expected to figure prominently in the overall tally of top honors.
The campus writers of this upland Cordillera province will compete in various categories. This early, the prospects indeed are bright. “We are optimistic because our contestants are talented and well-coached,” said Nora Lim, a DepEd official.
“They have a positive frame of mind,” she added.
Mrs. Lim’s passion to produce positive results in high-level competitions is well-pronounced.
Her words seemed to send a collective relief through a group of energetic and well-motivated hopefuls from an impoverished province. It is an “open secret” that the schools division office is hampered by scarce resources and limited personnel. To complicate matters, it is not even tapping the expertise of renowned figures in the journalism profession who are connected with media outlets in the private sector.
Out to carry both the Ifugao and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) banner in this popular Central Visayas city are Vira Florraine Bunnol of Ifugao SPED Center (Balitang Agham at Teknolohiya), Cashmere Lorraine Ildefonso of Potia Elementary School (Outstanding Campus Journalist), Dove Loren Bustarde of Lagawe Central School (Sports Writing), Hailey Gwen Lopez of Lagawe Central School (Editorial Writing), Precious Dimple Ollagon of Umilag Elementary School (Photojournalism), Shiela Boligon of Kiangan Central School (Pagsulat ng Balita) and Mark David Hadwadan of Potia Elementary School (Pagkuha ng Larawan). They are all entered in the primary level side of the annual competition.
While secondary level aspirants include Jones Liwan of Asipulo National High School (Science and Technology), Jimmig Maligan of Ifugao Provincial Science High School (Kartung Pang-editoryal), Florabelle Taguiling of Ifugao Provincial Science High Science (Feature Writing) and Guinamag Mammag of Immaculate Conception School (Copyreading and Headline Writing).
Joining them are advisers Gemmalyne Bahong, Aiza Dohyog, Liza Cattiling, Erlinda Dulawan, Jennifer Dulnuan, Florence Mafuera, Nick Ngayawan, Eddie Bert Paco and Mariette Pollay.
Undoubtedly, the all-out support and assistance of OIC Ifugao Schools Division Superintendent Felipe Ballitoc has brought forth a heightened sense of pride and rekindled love of the region and country among the victorious Ifugao campus journalists.
In an exclusive interview with the ZigZag Weekly, Ballitoc strongly stressed the importance of further improving the contestants’ craft “to ensure clarity and conciseness.”
“As we all pray for your success in Dumaguete City early next year, the people of Ifugao beckons you (competitors) to exert your utmost,” he said.
“Ultimately, it shall be most helpful in attaining the vision of raising the standards of education in this part of the nation,” he quipped.
Ballitoc has also vowed to step up partnership with the private sector as a means of upgrading the knowhow of campus journalists.
With a very high esteem for education as a way of curbing poverty incidence, Ballitoc remains as the primary advocate for academic excellence in Ifugao. This only reinforces existing efforts of the education sector in search for academic and cultural development. **By Anthony A. Araos
