The University of Northern Philippines – University Research and Development Office (UNP-URDO) concluded its two-day Training the Trainers in Campus Journalism: Research-Based Upskilling Program on March 29, 2025 at UNP Tadena Hall.
This two-site program aimed to enhance the journalistic writing skills of elementary school paper advisers in the Division of Vigan City, specifically in news writing, editorial writing, feature writing, sports writing, copyreading and headline writing, and page layout and design.
Day 1, held on March 22, began with a session covering Journalism Ethics, The Role of Grammar in Journalism, and News Writing, delivered by Dr. Irene Abigail S. Guerrero, Director of the University Information Office. This was followed by discussions on Editorial Writing and Feature Writing, led by Mr. Noji A. Bajet, Board Director for Fiction of the Thomasian Writers Guild at the University of Santo Tomas.
Day 2, held on March 29, focused on Copyreading and Headline Writing, lectured by Mr. Fahd B. Agbulos, a school paper adviser from Sinait National High School. This was followed by Sports Writing and Page Layout and Design sessions by Prof. Mark Ian C. Tagami, former school paper adviser of MMSU’s ABC. Each session was followed by hands-on workshops for participants to refine their skills.
“It was an enriching two-day training, and I can honestly say it was the best training experience I’ve ever had. Throughout the program, there were so many prizes and surprises! From engaging activities to thoughtful rewards—WOW! And the speakers were truly outstanding! As a school paper adviser, I found this to be an incredibly valuable upskilling experience,” shared Giggily Ahnn Rafanan, one of the participants. Rafanan expressed her thanks to UNP-URDO for the opportunity to attend the campus journalism training.
Marjorie Janel R. Paguirigan, in her closing remarks expressed that “The training program has been more than just a learning experience; it has been a gathering of passionate individuals dedicated in uplifting the quality of research and campus journalism.” She hoped that as the participants return to their schools, they may bring back not just new knowledge and skills, but also a renewed passion for their role as school paper advisers.
The training not only strengthened the participants’ journalistic skills but also reignited their passion for campus journalism—bringing back fresh tools and ideas to their respective schools.
Article and Photo by Marjorie Janel R. Paguirigan and Edmar M. Paguirigan
