• THERESA MAE DULMAN
Department of Education (DepEd) Negros Island Region (NIR) Director Ramir Uytico, CESO III, stood firm on his decision to limit the upcoming Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC) to ‘Top 1’ qualifiers only, citing learner safety and manageable logistics.
According to Uytico, opening the regional level to the Top 3 winners from each division would result in a crowd exceeding 3,000, a volume he believes would compromise the quality of the event and the safety of the campus journalists.
He explained that with such a large delegation, there would be no certainty regarding the venue, security, and management side, and that the office would be placing participants at a significant risk.
The director emphasized that his mandate is anchored on Republic Act 9155, which vests the regional director with the authority and accountability for the learners within the region.
The decision has sparked a heated debate among the campus journalism community, but Uytico said that the decision is strictly to protect learners and is not an act against students or teachers.
The regional director urged the community not to narrow their minds to the idea that everything is about competition, asserting that with only the Top 1 qualifiers, the event will run smoothly.
He further noted that even at the national level, there is no strict rule requiring regions to send multiple qualifiers.
In response to the policy, the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) NIR has begun gathering petitions from students and teachers urging DepEd NIR to review and reconsider the memorandum.
However, Uytico stated that his office has yet to receive an official copy of any such petition.
As it stands, the RSPC is scheduled to take place on March 12 to 14 for the elementary level and March 15 to 16 for the secondary level in Talisay City, Negros Occidental.*
