CAR bags awards in Luzon press con

By Rhe-Ann Ngayaan

After bagging 31 awards in individual contests and 13 in group contest,Team Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) escalated its performance as 4^th runner-up from last year’s 5^thrunner-up in the overall ranking during the 13th Luzonwide Higher Education Press Conference held at BatisAramin Hotel and Resort, Lucban, Quezon on Feb. 12-14.

With over 141 universities and colleges coming from Regions I (Ilocos), II (Cagayan Valley), III (Central Luzon), IV-A (CALABARZON), IV-B (MIMARO), V (Bicol), and VII (Cebu) as the guest delegate,  CAR delegates  earned 83 points in the group contest and 180 points in the individual contest . This year, the team listed 263 total points from last year’s 84 points.

In the individual contest, out of around 739 delegates, CAR reaped three first places, four second, three third, two fourth, one fifth, three sixth, eight seventh, one eighth, one ninth, and five tenth with a total of 31 places accumulating 180 points compared to last year’s 75 points.

In the result of the group competition, on the other hand, CAR seized the following places: one first, three third, two fourth, two fifth, one sixth, three seventh and one tenth gaining 83 points from the previous nine points.
Meanwhile, the Calabarzon Region emerged the champion this year. The top ten placers received certificates of recognition, plus trophies for the first five in the group contest.

Team CAR was composed of University of the Cordillera’s The Alternative, Saint Louis University’s White and Blue, King’s College of the Philippines’ The Loquitor, Benguet State University’s The Mountain Collegian, KalingaApayao State University’s Earthline, Baguio College of Technology’s The Atom, including the respective school publications of Abra State Institute of Science and Techology –Main, Bangued and Lagangilang campuses, Divine Word College of Bangued, Ifugao State University, Keystone College, and Mountain Province State Polytechnic College.

Themed “Campus Press: Webbing Accountability and Influence to Nationalistic Fervor”, the said conference was keynoted by Prof. Eros S. Atalla, faculty of Arts and Letters, University of Santo Tomas. Attalla is a recipient of Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards first prize for Literature in 2006.

According to Atalla, “Ang isang tunay na dyurnalist ay natatanto niya ang kaibhan ng pulitika sa pakikitungo sa admin, ang tsismis sa balita; naihihiwalay niya ang usapin sa usapan, at na awari niya kung kelan siya bubulong at sisigaw.”

“Ang lahat ng pagsasanay na  ito ay paghahanda sa mas malaking mundo, totoong mundo, hindi nag bibirong mundo,” Atalla said.