Journ students showcase works and stories in full bloom in Media Fest ‘25

The ink that once hesitated now flows freely—and blooms.

Photo by Jordan Joaquin/PUP Journalism Guild

In celebration of a successful and bountiful academic year, the PUP Journalism Guild kicks off Journalism Media Fest 2025 themed “Ink & Bloom: Growing Through the Years of Journalism” on July 11, at the COC Audio-Visual Room. 

Organized and spearheaded by PUP Journalism Guild, the annual Journalism Fest is held to commemorate the hard work of journalism students and to showcase the fruits of their academic and journalistic efforts. 

More than recognizing the students’ efforts, the event also aims to share insights about the experience of each student and promote collaboration within the whole community.

In this year’s event, three newsletters, seven data journalism stories, eight special projects, and three ICommunicate magazines were presented totaling to 21 journalistic outputs.

The Auricle of BAJ 1-1D, The Spectrum of BAJ 1-1N, and The Attunement of BAJ 3-2N have joined the roster of produced works and the annual tradition of Journalism freshmen producing newsletters as sem-ender.

Another highlight of the program was the presentation of the seven shortlisted data journalism stories of sophomore students. Three stories stood out as winners for their accurate data and timely stories, tackling topics like heritage preservation, writers’ migration, and education crisis.

“CALABARZON sa Habang Panahon: Will Our Heritage Stand the Test of Time?” of BAJ 2-2N clinched first place, followed by “Wild West Story of Literature: The Migration of Writers for Success” of BAJ 2-1N in second place, and “Special with These Abilities: Schools in QC with SpEd Programs” of BAJ 2-1D in third place.

Meanwhile, third-year Journalism students showcased their Special Projects, ranging from podcasts and documentaries to magazines and photo essays tackling pressing societal issues and current events in the country.

Television news programs Parola Balita (BAJ 3-1D), Insider Pilipinas (BAJ 3-1N), and Alerto Pilipino (BAJ 3-2N) produced by the junior students were also screened during the event.

Wrapping up the presentations, the fourth-year journalism students presented their iCommunicate magazines, featuring volumes 28 to 30, which were launched earlier this year. 

The magazines, Malikmata of BAJ 4-1D, OBRA of BAJ 4-1N, and 4079 of BAJ 4-2N add up to the fresh stories and creative perspectives of the ever-growing legacy of iCommunicate in the department.

Before the program ended, Associate Professor Prestoline Suyat expressed how proud he is for all the outputs and efforts exerted by the student journos. 

He also challenged them to continuously fight as bearers of truth not just for themselves but also for the country. 

“Hindi lamang po kayo umiiral para sa inyong mga sarili. Lahat ng kinakaharap natin, problema po ‘yan ng bayan, kaya dapat harapin po natin ito nang sama-sama.”

PUP Journalism Guild President Kriza Marielle Sumang shared that the Journalism Media Fest is not just an academic event, but a celebration of student growth, hard work, and storytelling that mirrors their identity and values.

Article: Joanna Martinez and Rica Mae Labbao

Graphics from PUP Journalism Guild