3-peat victory for Bayugan City during the reg’l schools press conference
By Niña Jonalyn G. Diamante
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) – For the third time, the schools division of Bayugan City once again reigned supreme during the Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC) held in Barobo, Surigao del Sur on April 7-11, bagging 45 medals in total for both elementary and secondary levels.
The RSPC was participated by the 12 schools divisions from all over Caraga region, namely: Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Bayugan City, Butuan City, Cabadbaran City, Dinagat Islands, Siargao, Surigao City, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, and Tandag City.
The contests showcased the skills and proficiency of students in the different fields of journalism including photojournalism, cartooning, and broadcasting. The RSPC consists of individual and group categories instilling in the participants the spirit of sportsmanship and camaraderie.
Bayugan City division brought home 31 medals for individual category with 13 gold, 10 silver, and 8 bronze. While for the group category, they won 14 medals consisting of 4 gold, 6 silver, and 4 bronze.
One of the coaches, Lyndie L. Tandugon, shared the immense pride that they felt upon learning that they have still maintained their top rank in this year’s competition. “Being the overall champion of the RSPC for three years in a row is both an honor and a humbling experience. It shows not just consistency, but also the ability to adapt under pressure. Each year comes with its own challenges, like facing new competitors and student-journalists, especially when the winning contestants have already graduated,” said Tandugon.
She also showed her gratitude to the support that they, as coaches, and the competitors were able to receive from the Schools Division Office of Bayugan from the time of their preparations up until the contest proper.
“The Schools Division Office of Bayugan City has been very supportive of our journalism journey. Even though it is one of the smaller divisions in the region, it consistently ensures that the needs of student-journalists are met — from conducting training to organizing coaching sessions. Their commitment plays a big role in helping us grow and excel in the field of campus journalism,“ she shared.
Bayugan City division, along with the cities of Cabadbaran and Tandag, is considered to be one of the smaller divisions in DepEd Caraga region with an estimated population of only about one-third of that of Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur divisions.
On behalf of the administration, Geraldine Vergas, education program supervisor and journalism focal also expressed how tedious the process was before they became champions and that their victory was not just a walk in the park.
“Our main responsibility is to inspire and motivate our coaches and students, reminding them never to settle for less and to continually strive for excellence. We regularly collected their outputs through portfolios, ensuring that each piece was carefully reviewed and critiqued by their coaches. We were also very strict with training attendance—any absence required a make-up session to guarantee that no one fell behind,” said Vergas. “We are deeply grateful also for the support of our top management, Schools Division Superintendent Ma. Teresa M. Real, Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Corazon P. Roa, Curriculum Implementation Division (CID) Chief Imee R. Vicariato and our local government led by City Mayor Kirk Asis. Their strong presence and financial assistance played a crucial role in our continued success,” she added.
The RSPC gold medalists shall be the region’s delegates for the upcoming National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) 2025 which will be held in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur. The schedule of the NSPC 2025 is yet to be announced. (NJGD, PIA Caraga)