About a thousand campus journalists from all over Western Visayas participated in the 2026 Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC) in Iloilo City, which carries the theme: “Journalism 4.0: Safeguarding Truth and Human Integrity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.”

Writing contests in various categories are set from February 9 to 11, 2026 for the elementary division, while secondary level individual competitions are set from February 13 to 15. 

Group contests for the elementary and secondary levels are set from February 19 to 21 in Arevalo District, Iloilo City.

Department of Education (DepEd) Regional Director Cristito Eco (officer in charge) urged campus journalists to stick to the truth, to write with purpose and courage amid mounting issues on misinformation and disinformation. 

The campus journalists will compete in the following categories: news writing, editorial writing, feature writing, sports writing, science and technology writing, copyreading and headline writing, photojournalism, editorial cartooning, and column writing, while group contestants will compete in radio and TV broadcasting, desktop publishing, online publishing, and mobile journalism.

Kyd Torato, a filmmaker from the Province of Capiz, shared how her experiences as a former campus journalist shaped her in pursuing a career in filmmaking.

DepEd said that the RSPC will continue to be an essential program of the agency to help expand knowledge, skills, and ethics of campus journalists.

(Courtesy: DepEd Tayo Western Visayas Region via Riezy Tenorio/GMA Super Radyo Iloilo)