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National Schools Press Conference

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The National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) is the highest competition for journalism in both private schools and public elementary and high schools in the Philippines.
Established in the year 1991 in pursuant to the Secretary. 1 Rule IX of Republic Act 7079 also known as Campus Journalism Act of 1991. The press conference includes both
students from the elementary and secondary level and is usually held in February.
The journalism contest starts with the District Schools Press Conference (DSPC) where the top five in the Division Schools Press Conference (DSPC) in each category qualifies to
the Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC), from which the top three will be chosen to represent their respective regions in the National Schools Press Conference (NSPC).
However, this structure would still depend on the organizing committees to ensure a higher standard for the campus journalists.

Contents

1 History
2 Venues

3 Training and development

4 See also

5 References

History
In November 1931, the Public Secondary Schools Press Association (PSSPA) had its first convention in what was then Pasig, Rizal. The PSSPA was founded by a high school
principal, Ricardo Castro, and had 17 original member schools. During this first convention, writing competitions for the different sections of a school paper were held. The
tradition continued year after year, as the number of member-schools increased, with different parts of Luzon as venues. After World War II, the PSSPA was reorganized and 49
member-schools participated in the National Convention held in Manila,Philippines.
By 1955, the PSSPA Convention had become the National Secondary Schools Press Conference. On January 10 and 11 of that year, 70 member-schools attended the conference at
Bacolod City. The individual competitions were open to all members, while the group competitions were held according to category. Group A for the group competitions was

composed of those member-schools with populations of 1,500 and above, while Group B was composed of those member-schools with populations below 1,500. At that same
conference, the National Secondary Schools Press Advisers Association was organized and it then passed a resolution calling for the authorization of staff members to handle
school paper funds, subject to accounting. The resolution was subsequently approved by the Bureau of Public Schools.
In 1957, a third group classification was added. Group A members were schools with over 3,000 population; Group B members had populations ranging from 1,500 to below
3,000; while Group C members had below 1,500 population. During this year, the conference was held for a longer time, enabling the delegates to take part in longer educational
tours of the host locality. A year later, the group classifications were again reorganized, placing schools with over 2,000 population in Group A, those with 1,000 to 2,000
population in Group B, and those with less than 1,000 in Group C. During this year, a Public School Circular was passed authorizing the solicitations of advertisements for school
papers, under certain conditions.
In 1991, Republic Act No. 7079, or the Campus Journalism Act, aiming to promote campus journalism, was passed by Congress. The 50th National Secondary Schools Press
Conference was held in early 1993 at Rizal High School in Pasig, the same locality that hosted the first PSSPA Convention. The next school year, 1993-1994, elementary schools
were included in the convention, causing the word "secondary" to be dropped and the convention to be called the "National Schools Press Conference".

Young campus journalists during the awarding ceremony


In December 1993, the National Schools Press Conference was to be held in Koronadal, South Cotabato for the first time. However, a week before the convention, when all
preparations had been made and the host schools and municipalities were awaiting the arrival of the delegates, there was a bombing incident at Isulan, Sultan Kudarat. The
Secretary of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports at that time, Armand Fabella, declared this sufficient grounds to move the convention to Baguio City, prompting a
storm of protest from then South Cotabato Governor Hilario de Pedro III, who had been one of the sponsors of the Campus Journalism Act when he was Representative of the 2nd
District of South Cotabato, and then Representative Daisy Avance-Fuentes. This controversy caused the Southern Mindanao delegation to boycott the Baguio conference. Shortly
afterwards, Ricardo Gloria replaced Fabella as Education Secretary, and in December 1994 the 52nd National Schools Press Conference was held at Koronadal National
Comprehensive High School. In its 65th year, the annual NSPC was held at Koronadal City in South Cotabato.

Venues

The NSPC has been held in different locations[where?] across the country. The NSPC is scheduled annually in the middle of the month of February recently under DepEd Order 26 s.
2010 it was moved to the second week of April synchronizing all the culminating activities in all competitions as "Festival of Talents". Following is a list of past venues of the
NSPC:
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removed. (April 2013)
Year Region
Host City
Date
Theme
2015 NCR
Taguig City
April 6-10, 2015
""Empowering Resilient Communities through Campus Journalism""
Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Olongapo
2014 Region III
April 7-10, 2014
""Campus Journalism and Transformational Leadership""
City
2013 Region VIII Ormoc City
April 7-12, 2013
"Campus Journalists: Championing Ethics In Social Media"
[1]
2012 Region IV-B Puerto Princesa City
April 9-13, 2012
"Promoting Digital Literacy Through Campus Journalism"
2011 Region XIII Butuan City
April 11-15, 2011
" Freedom of Expression: A Right and Responsibility"
February 22-26,
"Campus Journalism as a Catalyst for Change: Achieving the Millennium Development Goals by
2010 Region XI Tagum City, Davao del Norte
2010
2015"
February 14-21,
2009 Region V Naga City, Camarines Sur
Climate Change: A Call for Responsible Campus Journalism
2009
February 18-22,
2008 Region XII Koronadal City, South Cotabato[2]
Promoting Consumer's Rights Through Campus Journalism
2008
February 19-23,
2007 CAR
Baguio City
Promoting A Culture of Peace Through Responsible Journalism
2007
February 20-24,
Responsible and Quality Campus Journalism: Gearing Up to the Challenges of Schools First
2006 Region VI Kalibo, Aklan
2006
Initiative
February 21-25,
2005 Region XIII Surigao City, Surigao del Norte
Redirection of Values for Nation Building Through Campus Journalism
2005
February 24-27,
2004 Region IV Laguna
Responsible Campus Journalism for A Strong Republic
2004
February 24-27,
Expanding the Reach of Campus Journalism Through Information and Communication
2003 Region VII Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu
2003
Technology
2002 Region XII General Santos City
2001 Region I
Dagupan City

2000
1999
1997
1994
1993
1993
1992
1991

Region VIII
Region II
Region II
Region XII
CAR
NCR
Region 5
Region 7

Tacloban City
Ilagan, Isabela
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
Koronadal City, South Cotabato
Baguio City
Pasig City
Naga City
Leyte City

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