Irish Mae Sevilla / Junior Journo
MORE than 700 student journalists and aspiring broadcasters from schools across Cebu gathered at the SM Seaside City Cebu Cube Wing on Sunday, Sept. 26, for the SunStar Junior Journo Campus Summit 2026, culminating a five-month journalism training program focused on developing the next generation of campus journalists.
Held under the theme “Young Voices, Powerful Stories” and in line with the 34th Press Freedom Week, the summit brought together participants from six Junior Journo categories: News Writing, Feature Writing, Sports Writing, Photojournalism, Radio Broadcasting and Audio-Video Broadcasting.
Throughout the five-month program, participants took part in practical activities designed to strengthen their journalism and broadcasting skills. These included simulated press conferences, sports coverage, photo assignments and broadcast exercises.
The summit opened with remarks from SunStar Cebu editor-in-chief Mildred Galarpe, who underscored the role of journalists in protecting democracy.
“There’s no democracy if there’s no journalist or watchdog,” Galarpe said.
The summit also featured a fireside chat with media and communications professionals, including Nestor Ramirez, SunStar Cebu director of Corporate Affairs and Editorial Oversight; Gilda Patricia Maquilan, GCash vice president for Corporate Communications and Public Affairs; and Patrick Gloria, Globe vice president for External Affairs, representing Chito Maniago, senior director and head for Public Affairs and Social Impact of Globe Telecom.
They were joined by Junior Journo participants Maxine Dy, who placed in the Top 5 in News Writing at the Division Schools Press Conference (DSPC), and Johncris Genova, DSPC champion in Photojournalism.
The discussion focused on the experiences of young journalists and the challenges they face in practicing journalism in schools. One student journalist raised concerns about administrative censorship, particularly when school officials order the removal of articles or posts perceived as harmful to a school’s reputation.
Ramirez encouraged student journalists whose work is suppressed to continue telling their stories.
“Go to SunStar,” he said, adding that the publication is willing to publish works suppressed by school authorities.
The forum was moderated by Galarpe and provided participants with an opportunity to engage with media professionals and fellow student journalists on journalism, press freedom and ethical reporting.
Following the discussions, participating school publications showcased their broadcasting skills in the TV Production Competition, highlighting the creativity and technical abilities they developed during the program.
The summit also recognized outstanding participants and workshop outputs, marking the completion of the 2026 Junior Journo program and celebrating the students’ work, experiences and growth as campus journalists.