A Grade 8 student from Leganes town, Province of Iloilo won first place in Feature Writing in the 2025 National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) held in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur. 

Hirah Marielle Ebalan, Grade 8 student from Barangay Cagamutan Norte, Leganes copped the top spot in Feature Writing in English-Secondary Level competition.

The NSPC competition was carried out from May 19, 2025 to 23, 2025 at Vigan Convention Center.

Ebalan was escorted by Jew Sudario, her school paper adviser, and Ariel Yocogco, her writing coach.

NSPC is a prestigious competition among campus journalists from 17 regions of the country. 

In an interview with GMA Super Radyo Iloilo, Ebalan said it took her about two months to prepare for the national competition. 

She said that she wrote about Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), on a person who has been living with HIV, and turning the situation into a means of inspiring others to be more humane. 

It was learned that Ebalan developed an interest in writing in Grade 6 at the Leganes Central Elementary School with the guidance of a teacher who introduced her to the world of campus journalism.

“First ko nga paalala is to never give up, through hardwork makuha gid na siya. Indi lang ni siya padalian, it needs years of mending and perfecting your craft to be able to reach the NSPC level or the highest level,” Ebalan said.

Aside from feature writing, Ebalan said she is also interested in editorial writing and column writing, and might try competing in these categories in the future.  

(via R. Tenorio/GMA Super Radyo Iloilo)