The Philippine Association of Practitioners of Student Affairs and Services (PAPSAS) Region VIII Chapter conducted a two-day Student Publication Media Conference 2024 with the theme “Voices of Integrity: Nurturing Responsible Campus Journalism and Championing Press Freedom,” held at the Summit Hotel, Tacloban City, March 15–16.
Different school publications and school leaders from different state universities,local colleges, and private institutions showed up at the said event. The event had the strong purpose of improving and emphasizing campus press freedom.
The first speaker is a man of humor and a man of laws, Atty. Nick Esmale, a radio and TV broadcaster and commentator, shared his knowledge and insights about the legal laws regarding libel and other related cases pertaining to journalism, sharing his expertise in his topic, “Media Rights, Cyber Libel, and Challenges in Philippine Journalism”.
The next speaker was a beauty and brain filled with confidence, skills, and experience. Miss Gianna Llanes, an international news broadcaster, beauty queen, and journalist,shared and stunningly introduced her topic regarding “Philippine Media in the Age of Fake News,” highlighting the difference in identifying the real and the fake news in today’s media.
Dr. Derek Alviola, an educator and journalist, spearheaded and shared his amazing thoughts and insights about the topic “Campus Paper Management and Reimagining the Role of Campus Journalism in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI).” He showcased the advantages and disadvantages of using AI in the journalism field.
Last but not least, Ronald Reyes, a well-known journalist in Region VIII, shared his knowledge on the topic “Words and Impact: Crafting Compelling Narratives through Press Release Mastery.” Emphasizing the importance of letting the public know and conducting press releases to further take the publication into another step.
Armed with knowledge and new insights, the conference served as another achievement and ladder towards a better understanding and importance of press freedom, standing against injustice, unfairness, and hurdles in writing the truth, and bringing the news straight from the heart and pen that possesses a journalist’s pride and joy.
