Toledo City Launches Division Schools Press Conference 2025 Emphasizing Truth in AI Era

During the opening ceremony of the Division Schools Press Conference (DSCP) 2025 held at the Toledo City Sports Center on November 21, Dr. Joseph Irwin Lagura, Schools Division Superintendent, addressed campus journalists on the critical role of truth in journalism amidst the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI).\n\nDr. Lagura urged student journalists to remain committed to factual reporting, cautioning against the spread of misinformation. "As we navigate the era of AI, journalism must remain a voice for truth. Campus journalists should prioritize facts over falsehoods," he emphasized.\n\nThis year’s DSCP, organized by the Department of Education’s Toledo City Division, saw the participation of 1,451 young journalists from both public and private elementary and secondary schools. The competition itself is scheduled for November 22 to 23.\n\nCarrying the theme, "Empowering Filipino Youth: Unleashing Potentials in Journalism and Creative Industries in Era of Artificial Intelligence," the event underscored the media’s responsibility in uncovering and presenting reality. Dr. Lagura remarked, "Various journalism platforms—newspapers, television, radio—must reveal truth and reality. Despite technological advances like AI, we must uphold the old adage, 'The truth will set you free.'"\n\nHe further appealed to the young journalists to carefully assess the impact of the facts they report, stating, "Consider whether the information benefits the entire community. You are bearers of truth; continue to be honest and present accurate facts to those you serve."\n\nDr. Lagura also challenged participants to grow into responsible journalists, highlighting notable figures such as Carlos P. Romulo and the late Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, both of whom were distinguished alumni of prior national press conferences.\n\nThe DSCP is an annual event that brings together student journalists from across the division to compete in various categories including news writing, feature writing, editorial writing, editorial cartooning, column writing, sports writing, radio broadcasting, and newspaper production.\n\nWinners from this competition will earn the opportunity to represent Toledo City at the Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC) slated for March 2026 in Danao City.