The trip to my hometown late last month gave me an opportunity to shoot two birds with one stone.
I was mainly there to help orient newly-designated barangay information officers of their role and functions. Thanks to the efforts of Vice Mayor Anna Liza Soriano and Marie June Castro, an executive assistant in the Governor’s Office, the dream to build a network of grassroot information messengers and retrievers was finally realized.
The initiative was held in support of the Barangay Information and Outreach Network program of the Philippine Information Agency with no less than PIA Regional Director Cheryl Amor and Negro’s Occidental coordinator Paulo Pajarillo attending.
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As I was free after the morning session, Marie June, my former Journalism student at UNO-Recoletos helped coordinate with Vice Mayor Soriano’s office for an afternoon orientation on campus publications for advisers and teachers handling the school-based journalism program on the town.
Almost 100 high school and elementary teachers from the four school districts of the town attended.
The orientation gave me an opportunity to present an overview of campus publication management and editorial operations.
At the same time, I reiterated the congratulations to Cauayan school papers led by ABÀ KA of Guiljungan NHS – Abaca Extension for their creditable performance in the Division Schools Press Conference 2026.
ABÀ KA placed third in the Best Newspaper Category and was given a special recognition as Best in Development Journalism.
Caningay Elementary School, along with GNHS-Abaca Extension, was among the top finishers in the digital news category.
Assisting Marie June and I in the open forum after was Ma’am Ira Tabino, District 1-B journalism program coordinator and adviser of The HEARTWOOD, the Isio Elementary School publication.
The surge in the interest in campus journalism is apparently in keeping with the just-introduced school-based journalism program of DepEd-NIR through the leadership of the four district supervisors — Jazeel Delilan, Salvador Gico, Loribel Montaño and Christopher Lofeanco.
The potentials of the school papers and learner-writers in serving the information needs of schools and their surrounding communities are being now being unraveled in the town.
I can just imagine how these publications can help countryside folk in meeting their information-related needs while also providing ample opportunities to student writers to develop their communication skills, critical thinking and creativity.
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As an outcome of the advisers’ orientation, I have received invitations from District Supervisors Delilan and Montaño to help strengthen their respective programs through training activities in the future.
I just learned that through the efforts of Ma’am Delilan, the District 1-A advisers were organized recently in a meeting held in preparation for their District Schools Press Conference.
Leading the officers are President Roxan Lunaba of Talacdan Elementary School and Noel Talaman of Talacsan Farm School, President and vice president, respectively.
Other officers are Rima Gusarem (Tiling ES), secretary; Jarell Arce (Mainit ES), assistant secretary; Jeriah Castillo (Talacdan ES), treasurer; Evan Rose Acaya (Cauayan Central ES), auditor; Jerly Rebadomia, (Sura ES), business manager and PIOs Nelvie Tabujara (Mambugsay ES) and Euvy Rose Salvallon, (Paalaalang Paaralan ng Alejandro Ombion).
We trust that other districts will follow suit.
Congratulations, advisers. In your able hands, the seeds of campus journalism are ready to be sown in our town.
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But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. (Luke 8:15) | NWI
