Lapu-Lapu City Youth Journalists Crowned Overall Champions at Regional Press Conference
In a remarkable display of journalistic talent, young campus journalists from Lapu-Lapu City have been declared the overall champions in both elementary and secondary categories at the 2026 Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC), which was held in Danao City. This significant achievement highlights the exceptional skills of these budding journalists across various competitions, including news writing, feature writing, editorial writing, broadcasting, and other media-related categories.
Mayor and Education Officials Celebrate Historic Victory
Mayor Ma. Cynthia "Cindi" King-Chan praised the young participants for bringing honor and pride to Lapu-Lapu City through their dedication to responsible and creative journalism. "Your achievements prove that the youth of Lapu-Lapu are not only talented communicators but also future leaders who will help shape informed and empowered communities," stated Chan. The success is also attributed to the guidance of teachers, school paper advisers, and the Department of Education (DepEd) Lapu-Lapu City Division, led by Schools Division Superintendent Marilyn Andales and Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Ronald Ferrer.
Outstanding Performance Across Multiple Disciplines
During the event from March 2 to 7, students and schools from Lapu-Lapu City were recognized for their outstanding performances in key areas such as:
- News writing
- Editorial writing
- Sports writing
- Photo journalism
- Science and technology writing
Special awards were also given to leading campus journalists, school paper advisers, and winners in group competitions like radio broadcasting, TV broadcasting, and online publishing.
Record-Breaking Participation and Medal Haul
In a message to SunStar Cebu on Sunday, March 8, 2026, DepEd Lapu-Lapu City Schools Division Superintendent Marilyn Andales reported that 285 campus journalists and coaches from Lapu-Lapu participated in the RSPC 2026. Andales detailed that the city secured a total of 105 medals, comprising:
- 20 gold medals
- 29 silver medals
- 18 bronze medals
- 21 medals for fourth place
- 17 medals for fifth place
She emphasized that this accomplishment is a significant honor, adding to the titles and championships the division has won over the past decades. "This year is truly historic because it is the first time that Lapu-Lapu City won both the Elementary and Secondary levels and was proclaimed as the overall champion," said Andales. "This achievement reflects the strong teamwork, dedication, and commitment of our campus journalists, coaches, school paper advisers, and the entire division," she added.
