The 2025 National Schools Press Conference (NSPC), held in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, just wrapped up last week, once again reminding us of the power of student journalism. We need extracurricular activities like these because they shape young minds to question, create and commit to facts in a world drowning in fake news.
We tip our hats to the Department of Education (DepEd) and all stakeholders for successfully organizing this year’s conference. But if we are to take the NSPC from a good contest to a seedbed for tomorrow’s storytellers and truth-tellers, we need to address the elephant in the room. The loudest concerns echo through corridors where participants, coaches and observers call out the continued lack of full disclosure on the identities of judges and the publication of winning entries.
In a competition where objectivity and credibility are paramount, anonymity of judges creates doubt and opens the door to allegations of bias or favoritism. Revealing the names and qualifications of judges after the contest, a standard practice in many national and international competitions, would enhance trust and reinforce accountability.
Equally important is the publication of winning entries across all categories. Keeping them hidden is a disservice to the student journalists who poured their effort into their pieces and delivered fine works under pressure. It’s like keeping a Rembrandt in the attic, depriving future artists of inspiration.
But more than showcasing talent, enabling access to top-performing articles, scripts, photos and layouts, fosters a culture of excellence and self-improvement. This treasure trove of winning pieces could itself be a shared and living educational resource, guiding future contestants on how to hook readers with a lead, angle stories sharply and balance creativity with journalistic rigor— a map of journalism’s heart and soul. This kind of transparency not only levels the playing field but also contributes to the long-term development of campus journalism in the Philippines, inspiring new generations of journalists to reach higher, write better and report more truthfully.
Another NSPC has ended. The deafening applause has died down. And now, as it always does, what comes after is a scramble among campus journalists yearning to understand what truly earns top marks on the national stage. In the podium where talent ruled just days ago, suspicion takes its place. And where suspicion is, cancer lives.
In the 2026 NSPC, organizers should have the muscle to pull back the curtain on the judging process. Reveal the judges after the dust settles. Let them stand tall like banners of honor—or face public criticism when the winning pieces are found lacking. End the guessing games and rumors. More than the applauses, let’s give our young blood what they are hungry for: honesty, transparency and integrity, the very values we want them to stand by as the country’s future watchdogs.