Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region V
SCHOOLS DIVISION OFFICE OF CAMARINES SUR

March 13, 2023

CONGRESSIONAL MEMORANDUM
No. ___, s. 2024

2024 THIRD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY

SCHOOLS PRESS CONFERENCE

To All: Public Schools District Supervisors in Elementary and Secondary

Heads, Public and Private Elementary and Secondary Schools
District Journalism Coordinators
School Paper Advisers
Persons Concerned

1. The Department of Education Camarines Sur Division, with the Association of School Paper
Advisers in Camarines Sur (ASPACS) and the Association of School Paper Advisers of Third
Congressional District (ASPATCD) will hold the 2024 Third Congressional District
Elementary and Secondary Schools Press Conference on March 23, 2024, at Camaligan
Central School and Camaligan National High School, Camaligan, Camarines Sur. This is
pursuant to the DepEd Order (DO) No. 94 s. 1992, which stipulates the holding of the Annual
National Elementary, Secondary, or Tertiary Schools Press Conference.

2. The activity aims to select the best campus journalists of the 3 rd Congressional District to
compete for the Division Schools Press Conference on April 11-12, 2024 at Nabua National
High School, Nabua, Camarines Sur, with the theme, “Strengthened Campus Journalism:
Gateway to the Development of Empowered Youths.”

3. The CDESSPC shall include the following:

a. Individual Contests (English & Filipino)
 Editorial Writing
 News Writing
 Feature Writing
 Sports Writing
 Editorial Cartooning
 Photo Journalism
 Copy Reading and Headline Writing
 Science and Technology Writing
 Column Writing
 b. Group Contests (English & Filipino)
 Scriptwriting & Radio Broadcasting
 Collaborative Desktop Publishing
 Online Publishing
c. School Paper Contest (in PDF)
 News Section
 Feature Section
 Editorial Section
 Science and Technology Section
 Sports Section
 Layout and Page Design
4. The expected participants to the Congressional District Press Conference are campus
writers and school paper advisers from public and private schools with an existing school
publication. Campus Journalist in the elementary shall include Grades 4 to 6 who are
qualified to participate in the competition. Every learner is allowed to participate in only
one event, either individual or group contest, in English or Filipino category.

5. All Public Schools District Supervisors, District Journalism Coordinators and School
Head are enjoined to check the existence of School Papers among participating schools
and as per national policy, “No School Paper, No Student/Pupil Contestant”. The
implementing guidelines for the individual and group contests stipulated in DepEd Memo
No. 109, s. 2024 shall be strictly adhered to.

6. Schools that have collected journalism or subscription fees should submit school paper
entries. Schools that did not collect journalism or subscription fee can submit campus
publication in e-document (pdf) format. Schools that will submit entries in this format
should include a certification from the parents’ association, note by the school head, that
no publication fee was collected from the students.

7. School Paper Advisers (SPA) in English & Filipino of the school publication will be the
authorized people to accompany the contestants in both single and group events or for
both categories (English & Filipino). Pre-registration form for Elementary and
Secondary are attached in this memorandum to be accomplished and submitted
during the press conference.

8. The teacher participants will be given service credits for March 23, Saturday in
accordance with DO No. 53 s. 2003 and Compensatory Overtime Credit for other DepEd
Personnel who will be involved in the journalism activity.

9. During the closing program, the Top ten (10) winners will be announced but only the
Top five (5) are qualified to join the 2024 Division Schools’ Press Conference. In
group contests, the Top five (5) winners will be announced but only the First and
Second placers/Best Team will represent the 3rd Congressional District at the
Division level. Special awards will be determined by the speaker/judge.
10. A memory card for photojournalism must be submitted to the Facilitators before the
contest proper for validation.

11. Participants in Photojournalism are advised to use point-and-shoot and compact cameras
(with fixed and non-adjustable lenses). Contestants who will use any DSLR and other
high-end cameras such as those with adjustable and/or interchangeable lenses, extensive
manual controls and settings, and larger sensors will not be permitted to join the contest.
The contestant shall bring his/her camera cable/card reader for uploading and saving
pictures. Cellular phones, extra digital cameras, extra storage cards, or any additional
material/equipment are not allowed in the contest area. Contestants shall bring black ink
pens while the facilitators will provide scratch paper where contestants can write down
notes during the shooting.

12. Cartoonist shall bring Mongol pencil #2 for Editorial Cartooning.

13. Participants in group contests are also advised to bring their own gadgets/materials
necessary for the contest as stipulated in the Regional Memo No. 248, s. 2024. In
collaborative publishing, participants should know Microsoft Publisher for elementary,
adobe in-design, and Photoshop for secondary. Contestants in copy reading should have
reviewed 2016 Associated Press (AP) copy reading symbols.

14. Results of the Congressional Elementary Schools Press Conference shall be announced
during the closing program with the simultaneous release of the certificates of
participation and appearance of the participants.

15. A registration fee of P100.00 will be charged per participant to cover all the operational
expenses like speakers/facilitators honoraria, food/meals, supplies/contest materials, and
other incidental expenses. The meals of the participants are excluded from the
registration fee. An additional Php 30.00 membership fee per School Paper Adviser
(SPA) and Php. 20.00 membership fee per contestant shall likewise be collected.

16. Registration expenses shall be charged against the school publication fund, SEF/PTA
fund; while travel and miscellaneous expenses of participants shall be charged against
school MOOE subject to usual accounting and auditing rules and regulations. Participants
from private schools shall make their own arrangements to source out funds relative to
their participation in the division journalism activities.

17. Attached are the Advisory Committee, Steering Committee, Working Committees,
Contest Matrix, Speaker/Judge for CESPC, Registration form, and Parent consent.

18. Immediate dissemination of this memorandum to all concerned is desired.

DELFIN BONDAD
Public Schools District Supervisor