The Philippine Online Chronicles

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Continued from The biggest explosion in Naga (Part 1 of 2)

To inform, to empower, to entertain

As students took to computer labs, classrooms, sports fields and eco-villages over the next two days to toil in the competition proper, they also found ways to let loose.

Bryan Racuya from Aparri East National High School came to Naga to help produce a winning show at the Radio Broadcasting contest. But he starred in a different program altogether, as he outshone his peers who either belted their hearts out or grooved solo in the NSPC's talent showcase.

Racuya amazed the audience at the Camarines Sur National High School (CSNHS) Pavilion by impersonating Mike Enriquez, Ted Failon and Gus Abelgas in a one-man news skit that included weather and Chika Minute segments, an interview with Gary Valenciano and an advertisement featuring Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, both of whom he also played. By the time his impersonations were over, the audience was rooting for the 16-year-old to win the grand prize.

Racuya did, and his friends mobbed him, high-fiving and chest-bumping the young man who had put a twist to his broadcasting skills as if he had already bagged a Radio Broadcasting trophy. Racuya would eventually do so; he was later hailed the second-best news anchor in the Radio Broadcasting Filipino category.

"Yun po talaga ang nature ko (It's just my nature)," he said of his unique performance. "Humorous po kasi ako na person kaya ginagawa ko po ito para makapagpaligaya ng ibang tao (I'm really a humorous person so I do this to entertain other people)."

The NSPC also gave way for more pageantry as delegates donned the regalia of their provinces for the awarding ceremonies of 2009's outstanding school paper advisers and campus journalists. The awardees came out fully-decked in costumes and seemed as thrilled about snapping photographs of each other as they were about winning their medals.

Vendors who also seemed to come from all over the archipelago did their fair share of adding to the NSPC's festive mood. They filled the alley connecting the main elementary and high school competition venues with stalls selling everything from Naga souvenir tokens and Bicol foodstuffs to marble products, silver jewelry and a stunning assortment of blades (itak and balisong). They also eagerly hawked the most popular items in their mini-market: NSPC-themed statement t-shirts, airbrushed on the spot.

"Certified Journalist: 100% Talented," "NSPC a day keeps the bad trip away," "Caution: Person inside this shirt has just survived the biggest explosion in Naga," blared some of the tees.

Proclaimed another about the NSPC: "Many had tried, only few survived!"

We are the champions

Only few can say that they survived the NSPC, but even fewer can say they passed it with flying colors. Come the four-day affair's final day, the atmosphere was electric with anticipation and celebration as the topnotchers were crowned at the CSNHS and Naga Central School (NCS) pavilions.

Whoever asked that the hometown delegation be more exuberant would have been very pleased.

At the NCS, the Bicolanos were the most boisterous. Elementary students from all over Bicol bagged award after award, and the song "We are the Champions" blared from the loudspeakers each time a homegrown journalist took the stage. The anthem played well into the afternoon.

"Kahit ako na-e-excite (Even I am excited)," the announcer said teasingly before declaring the overall champion. "Anong region (Which region)?" she asked the crowd.

"Five!" boomed the hearty yell.

"Sigurado kayo (Are you sure)?"

For an answer, she received another jubilant roar.

The teams from Western Visayas and Central Luzon were just as rowdy as the Bicolanos. They had every reason to be, as they proved the runner-ups to the happy hometown delegation. All in all, however, the contingent from Region III had the most reasons to celebrate--Central Luzon topped the rest of the nation in the high school categories, making it the most successful squad at the NSPC.



Homeward bound

On the NSPC's last day, luggage piled in parking lots and corridors was as common a sight as trophies cradled in delegates' arms. After the closing ceremonies, students and their teachers scurried back to their hotels or scrambled onto the vans and jeepneys to get to the buses that would take them back home. Some had already slipped from the awarding venues as soon as they found out if they had won or not. Others roamed the alleyway of stalls for last-minute souvenir shopping. Others simply loitered in the campuses, drinking in their last afternoon in Naga.

Despite the week-long grumblings about problems with billeting and accommodations, it seemed there wasn't a delegate who couldn't speak warmly about the days that had passed.

Jeffrey Kawali, an adviser from Maasin City, Southern Leyte, said he will never forget the sheer number of other writers he met. He raved, too, about the hospitality--and beauty--of the Nagueños.

"New experience for us kasi malayo yung pinanggalingan namin, maganda naman dito (We came from so far and it's beautiful here)," chimed in Annabella Soria, a teacher from Northern Mindanao. "Maraming pagkain (There's lots of food)!" she added, chuckling.

Kaye Antonio, an Editorial Writing contestant from General Santos City, quipped that her first foray to the NSPC as a grade schooler was far better than her second stint in 2009 as a high school contestant. "Of course--nanalo ako noon (I won then)!" she laughed. Still, she found every moment she spent in Naga worth it.

"Na-boost pa yung aking character as a journalist. Hindi lang pala ako kung baga pang campus journalism, pang-NSPC din pala yung kakayahan ko, (My character as a journalist was boosted. I'm not only good for campus journalism; with my abilities, I can match up at the NSPC too)," she said. "Kahit hindi ako nanalo I gave my best and of course lahat naman kami best na dito kasi nationals na ito (Even if I did not win, I gave my best. All of us here are already the best-we all made the nationals)."

Her sentiments could have been echoed by any other student who left Naga that day, or any of the other NSPCs held before. Yet Antonio was not the only one who voiced out a common sentiment--Niña Vicencio, a sixth-grade sports writer from Mandaluyong City, did so too.

Asked if she wanted to experience Naga all over again, the award-winning writer had one ready, resolute reply: "Sana po (I hope so)."

All photos by the Philippine Online Chronicles staff. Video by thepoctv. Licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 Philippines.