The Regional Tertiary Schools Press Conference (RTSPC) 2024 rebranded after a five-year hiatus,
introducing modified guidelines with the creation of 3 categories for campus press competitions to
underscore inclusivity, April 3-6, at Visayas State University, Baybay City.

Through the new contest guidelines, competing student publications were divided into a showdown for
State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) Main Campuses, for component and/or satellite campuses, and
for private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Consequently, three Campus Press of the Year awards
for each respective category will be conferred in the said competition.

According to the Interim President of the Regional Tertiary Schools Press Advisers Association (RTSPAA)
and the organizer of the RTSPC, Dr. Ulderico Alviola, said modification aims to foster inclusivity where
small group of publications will have an equal opportunity to bag major awards.

“I think that we really did something radical as a change right now. We wanted to be inclusive by
dividing the categories according to the flagship campus of a state university, to allow small publication
groups to have the opportunity to get major awards. So that, it doesn’t get to be cornered by the big
universities with bigger funding,” said Dr. Alviola.

Moreover, Jerry Yubal, the Executive Director of Amaranth, the student media organization of the
Visayas State University Baybay Campus also expressed his cent to the rebranding of the competition
guidelines saying “it gives them the platform and the spotlight” as each category will be a battle
amongst themselves.

Said changes in the usual conduct of RTSPC earned reactions from the participants and incited them to
feel advantaged in the competition.

Jasmyn Mendoza of Paulinian Scribe expressed that the radical change in this year’s RTSPC advantages
them to winning.

“It’s very leveling to the point that everyone is given the opportunity to be a candidate for the campus
journalist award, that is why I am also thankful to the organizing team for making it because it boosts
our morale to do well, to be recognized. It is also an advantage because of the lesser competitors,” Ms.
Mendoza stated.

Along with the rebranding of the RTSPC is the attending of the renowned journalists in the country who
positively inculcated the profession of journalism and have served inspiration to young journalists.

Present in the opening program were the Head of Data in Rappler, Mr. Don Kevin Hapal, and the
Community Lead of Rappler Community App, Ms. Pia Ranada who have respectively shared knowledge
and information on threats and opportunities of Artificial Intelligence, and AI and community building.

The CEO of Rappler and first Filipino Nobel Prize Laureate, Maria Ressa also extended her inspirational
message to the attending student journalists through a video recording.

Dubbed as the biggest convergence of campus journalists across the region, 26 student publications
with 303 participants officially registered to vie for a showdown of journalistic skills and expertise set to
begin on April 4, day 2 of the RTSPC.

Article by Meraflor Pecore