ISIP, LESTER DL.

| NSTP 0916

BAGASBAS, DAET, CAMARINES NORTE: REGION V TERTIARY SCHOOLS PRESS CONFERENCE

It was a Friday, February 7, it was our last day in the event of the Region V Tertiary

Schools Press Conference or RTSPC where contestants from different parts of Bicol competed

for the best school paper and release, and The DEMOCRAT registered and joined the event. Sub

events such as news writing, opinion writing, literary writing, feature writing, sports writing,

and other writing events were done by my co-journalists. Moreover, there are also events that

focused on visual arts and radio broadcasting. Those are page layouting, literary graphics and

illustration, comics strip drawing, photojournalism, and editorial cartooning. I myself registered

for the literary graphics and page layouting. During the literary graphics event we were tasked

to draw or portray the message from a poem of Edgar Alan Poe entitled Alone for an hour. I

chose watercolor as a medium. Sadly, I did not finish my work and realized that watercolor is

not the best medium for quick working events. Right after the literary graphics event, it was the

layouting event. We were given a 1-hour lecture about traditional layouting, choosing the right

style that would attract readers and later started the event. We were tasked to layout a

newsletter’s cover page featuring Duterte and some other current news. I finished the layout

on time however I did something unacceptable. They asked us to create a new logo and invent

a new publication for our layout. I chose Breakthrough as my publication’s name, it just so

happens that Breakthrough is an existing school publication, coincidentally, the host school

publication of Daet, which lead me to be disqualified for the event. It brought me dismay, not

finishing the literary graphics and being disqualified right after the layout event. Considering

the thought that it was my first RTSPC competition, I could’ve brought back something home, a

reward or a medal but I didn’t get any. Later on the event we got to practice still because I was
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chosen as one of the candidates for Mr. and Ms. RTSPC together with my partner Berlineth

Montes. I was quite excited and nervous at the same time regardless that I already had a

background with pageants but still it was different and it was a competition by provinces and

journalists, probably intellectual competitors were selected for that event. Later on we

prepared for the production number, which comes first, in which we all wore white shirts and

jeans. We started with the introductory part where we have to state our name and our school

publication. Right after that comes the uniform attire, where we have to showcase and catwalk

our school uniform. And here comes the nerve-racking part, the preliminary Q & A where there

are three main topics and under those are the hashtags where we have to give our insights and

opinions about it. I got #SELFHARM, It was a good thing that I got to practice with my partner a

night before where she had these index cards of all the possible answers for the Q & A

segment, I thought immediately about mental health and how it affects every individual, I also

included how we should empathize with these people because what they’re in is not some type

of joke and we should be there to listen, comfort, and understand, I also opened the thought of

losing great opportunities, losing great potential, and probably be an icon for everyone. And

with that answer, I got in the top 5. It was a great experience, although I did not get to the top

3, it was still fine because I got to bring home an award.

It’s okay to lose the events or not making it to the top, it was an experience for me and a

way to learn new creative innovative ways. Not all the things we desire are easily achieved,

rather we have to strive hard, practice, and give the best we have for the next challenges we

will go through.
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TREE PLANTING ACTIVITY: PANICUASON

The trip was quite exciting actually. Full of games, laughter, and learnings. It started off

when I got to school around 7:30, the call time was at 7:00 but the jeepneys came around 7:20,

still, I got in time. We got in the jeepney, the second one in line, and left around 8. We were

heading to Panicuason to plant seedlings, not actual seeds but small plantable treelettes. Right

through our track, the jeep got into a bit of a problem, the engine overheated and we have to

wait for it to cool down. Manong driver tried to run the engine slowly so we could still reach the

destination but with a very slow run.

We got to the place and was greeted by people who I guess lives there and two cute

puppies. They started to orient us and guide us where to plant. We were asked to go hike

through the forest and hills so we could reach our destination where the air is fresh, located

high above with a view of the city below, and far away from residing locals. The place was really

just for the seedlings to thrive and grow. It was an achievement for me to see what we’re trying

to protect. To see what lies outside the city walls and appreciate what Mother Nature has given

us. It gave me a standpoint to build my connection with our natural surroundings and what can

we do as individuals, the youth, to help preserve what we can share the following generations

that might possibly disappear. So we have to act now, same as these programs like the tree

planting activity, it might be a small headstart but it can improve and change the system.

Right after the activity, it was our time to go home. I bid goodbye to those settlers and

also to those dogs who were there during the orientation. Small chats and snacks were passed

on, then we headed to our designated vehicles. On our way home we shared a lot of our
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experiences, epic fails during the hike, and realizations right after the activity. We also got the

chance to celebrate our classmate’s birthday during the trip when we got into a stopover due

to the sudden stop because of a flat tire. We took pictures on the road, we did take precautions

and had small chitchats in a small sari-sari store. It was all good memories and probably will

never forget what happened. For keeps.

What I learned during the trip and the activity is that we only have one earth and our

goal is to protect it. Through the activity where we planted trees enlightened me how much

nature needs more of these kinds of activity, why not start a planting program in the city, not

outside the vicinity of Naga. I think the city needs more thriving plantation especially the urban

areas create more pollution than the rural areas. It also hit me that all those experiences, those

peals of laughter, and the friendship I have with my classmates would never happen if we didn’t

have this planet around us. It is our duty and responsibility to let people be aware of our

current situation. Climate change is our greatest feud and the only way to stop it is by working

hand in hand. Let ourselves be enlightened and be grateful for what this world has to offer.