Enclosure No. 1 to Division Memo No. _____ s.

2023

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR THE INDIVIDUAL WRITING

AND GROUP CONTESTS

A. General:
1. A student shall be allowed to participate in one (1) category only.
Participation shall be limited only to those enrolled in the six-year
elementary, four-year Junior High School and 2-year Senior High
School for the secondary in both public and private schools.
Tentative, until specific guidelines come from DepEd (Central Office).
However
2. To facilitate proper identification, the participants are required to wear
their school uniform with their valid school IDs and DSPC IDs while in
the contest venue especially during the contest proper.
3. Should there be questions and assistance needed, the participants
can only raise their concerns to the assigned proctor and/or
examiner. The proctor shall refer them to the Division TWG for
appropriate response.
4. Contestants should not put any identifying marks on the contest
entries or answer sheets.
5. Any violation of the stipulated guidelines will be ground for
disqualification of the participant.
6. The decision of the members of the Board of Judges in all aspects of
the contests shall be deemed final and irrevocable.

B. Specific:
1. Sports Writing
a. The DTWG shall orient and provide final instructions to the
contestants before the contest proper.
b. A pre-game conference shall be conducted for the
introduction of the players, coaches, and tournament
officials. Consequently, a post-game conference shall be held for
further interview and data gathering.
b. The contestants shall watch an actual game where they can
gather appropriate data and/or interview officials and athletes
before and after the game.

2. Copy reading & Headline Writing

a. The contestants shall use the standard copy reading symbols and
follow directions given in the contest piece.
b. The contestants shall provide the best headline for the article.
3. Editorial Cartooning

a. Only pencils with erasers (from the contestants) and papers (from
the organizer) shall be used.
b. The cartoon must reflect the elements of editorial cartooning.
c. The cartoon should be, at all times, compliant with the
professional and ethical standards of media.
4. Photojournalism
a. Preparation
1,) Each contestant, through the coach or a non-teaching
personnel of the school, is required to submit
official memory card and flash drive to be used in the
competition to the DTWG on December 1, 2023, 8:00am-12:00
p.m (for the Elementary level), and 1:00pm-4:00 p.m (for the
Secondary level) at Osorio National High School, Trece Martires
City.
2.) Participants should be at the venue thirty (30) minutes before
the orientation on the actual contest day.
3.) Contestants shall be provided a soft copy of a news article from
which to base the photos to be taken.
4. They shall then be given 15 minutes to study the news article
before the actual shooting.
3.) The photojournalists are allowed to use any Digital Camera
(point and shoot only) with a maximum of 20 mega pixels.
Those using DSLR, other high-end cameras and detachable
lens for point and shoot cameras will not be permitted to join
the photo shoot.
4.) The contestants are required to bring their own laptops, camera
cables for the uploading and lay-outing of photos.
5.) Cellular phones, extra digital cameras, extra storage card or
any additional materials/equipment are not allowed in the
contest area.
b. Memory Card Loading:
1.) The contestants will load the storage card in front of the
examiners/proctors/facilitators.
c. Photo Shoot and Lay-outing:
1.) Every contestant is given one (1) hour to take pictures, which
does not include the loading and unloading of the storage card
in front of the examiners/proctors/facilitators.
2.) During the actual photo shooting, the advisers, trainers and
parents of the contestants are NOT allowed in the venue.
3.) After the photoshoot, the contestants shall be given 15 minutes
for the lay-outing and caption writing.
C. Group Contests
1.) Collaborative Desktop Publishing
a. The competition is designed to encourage teamwork among
campus journalists and simulate the workplace of an
editorial department in a publishing house.
b. Each school shall organize a team of five (5) members.
There will be one team for English and another for Filipino,
both at the elementary and secondary levels. Contestants
shall wear their uniform with identification cards.
c. All contestants are required to attend the orientation before
the actual competition.
d. Once the contest has started, members of each team shall
no longer be allowed to go back to their quarters nor report
to their respective advisers.
e. A mini press conference will be held to become the basis for
the actual writing of the editorial, feature and news articles.
Either a video of a sports event will be shown or coverage of
an actual sports event shall be attended by the sports
writers. Pictures of the mini press conference shall be
taken by the photojournalists and editorial cartoons will be
produced while the rest of the team are doing write-ups, lay-
outing and editing.
f. Sports writers and photo journalists must be ready to watch
an actual game where they shall gather appropriate data
and/or conduct interview before and after the game. A
pre-game conference shall be conducted for the introduction
of the players, coaches, and tournament officials.
Consequently, a post conference shall be held for
further interview and data gathering.
g. The team will be given two (2) hours for data gathering and
writing and another two (2) hours for lay-outing and editing.
h. Each team will be required to bring scanners, a maximum
of (4) laptops installed with either PAGEMAKER or IN
DESIGN and Photoshop (for the secondary level) and
Microsoft Publisher (for the elementary level) for the layout
of the group’s final output.
i. Mobile phones and other electronic gadgets shall not be
allowed except for digital camera and laptops with disabled
internet connection. Each team will be required to convert
their output into pdf format, print and submit it to the contest
committee. The collaborative desktop publishing team shall
submit both hard and soft copies of their entries. They
should ensure that no identifying marks about their
 school, can be found on their output.The output of the
contest is an A4-size four-page publication. The output will
be uploaded to the designated computer by the DTWG for
judging.
j. Official laptops to be used by each team should be
submitted to the DTWG on December 1, 2023, 8:00am-
12:00om (for the elementary) and 1:00pm-4:00 pm (for the
secondary) at Trece Martires City National High School.
k. The decision of the Board of Judges shall be deemed final
and irrevocable.
l. Reselection from the top 5 winning category and top 5
winning team will be held to identify the composite team who
will represent the Division in the Regional Schools Press
Conference.

2.) Online Publishing

a. Each school shall organize a team of five (5) members for

English and five (5) members for Filipino at the secondary level.
b. Contestants may wear their school uniforms or plain white t-
shirts with their identification cards.
c. All contestants are required to attend the one-hour orientation
before the competition.
d. All contestants are not allowed to go back to their quarters
nor communicate in all forms (text, call, chat, etc.) with their
respective advisers from the start until the end of the contest.
e. A mini press conference and a sports event shall be held as
bases for the content of the publication (ie., news, features,
editorial, editorial cartoon, sports). The photojournalists shall
take pictures or videos of the mini press conference and sports
event.
f. For the actual sports event, a pre-game conference shall be
conducted for the introduction of the players, coaches, and
tournament officials. Consequently, a post-conference shall be
held for interviews and data gathering.
g. The team will be given three (3) hours for writing, layout, and
editing articles online after the creation of an online publication
using the official platform to be provided by the organizer
Coverage/Data gathering through a mini press conference, the
pre-game, actual game, and post-conference shall be excluded
from the three-hour time allotment.
h. Specific instructions on the number of articles to be produced
will be given during the orientation.
i. Each team will be required to bring only the following:
• one (1) flatbed scanner/3-1 printer (mobile/phone
scanner is NOT allowed);
 • maximum of two digital cameras -digital camera
(point and shoot only) with a maximum of 24.3 megapixels with
fixed lenses. Contestants who will use any DSLR and other
high-end cameras will not be permitted to join the contest
(Standard process in the Photojournalism Event shall be
observed in checking the cameras and SD cards);
• maximum of four (4) laptops installed with
Photoshop for image enhancement;
• maximum of two (2) pocket wifis (preferably with two
different networks) or one (1) wireless router; and extension
cord.
j. Laptops to be submitted to the DTWG shall be labeled with
the following format: Category Medium-Level-School

e.g., Online Publishing - English - Secondary – Francisco P. Tolentino

IHS

Labels shall be in a whole bond paper pasted on or attached to the

laptop bag.

k. Official laptops, previously cleared of stored documents, shall

be submitted to the DTWG on December 1, 2023 (up to 5 PM only) to check for
any other applications and pre-written documents or references. Failure to
submit the laptops on or before the set deadline shall mean disqualification of
the competing team.

l. Each group shall email their URL to the assigned examiner.

m. The top five (5) teams shall be recognized, and the points will be
included in the determination of the overall standing. All competing
teams shall be given points and ranked accordingly.)

n. The decision of the Board of Judges is final and irrevocable.

3. Radio Broadcasting & Script Writing Contests (Filipino and English)

a. General Guidelines
1.) Each school shall have two separate teams composed of
five (5) members for the English and Filipino categories,
elementary and secondary levels.
2.) Individual awards include best anchor and best news
presenter, while group awards include best in technical
application, best infomercial and best script.
 3.) In getting the overall results for best radio production,
accumulated points from the individual and group awards
shall be considered.
4.) The decision of the Board of Judges in all aspects of the
contest shall be deemed final and irrevocable.
5.) Reselection from the top 5 individual awards and top 5 winning
teams will be held to identify the composite team who will
represent the Division in the Regional Schools Press
Conference.
6.) Any breach or violation of the stipulated guidelines shall
be valid grounds for disqualification.
b. Scriptwriting
1.) The students will be given 1 1/2 hours to prepare a script for a
5- minute radio broadcast, that includes an infomercial,
which may depict health, environment, politics and social
issues, and four (4) news articles, which may be based on
press releases, raw data, or any other option given by the
DTWG. The infomercial shall have a maximum length of
(1) minute and shall use the language that the group is
competing in. Another 30 minutes will be allotted for the
printing of the output.
2.) Each team may use up to three laptops and an inkjet printer
in preparing and printing of the script. The team should ensure
that the laptops they will use for the contest should not contain
any document that they may use as reference or model during
the conduct of the contest. All laptops should be submitted to
the contest committee for inspection. Each team is required to
bring own extension wires and other equipment, such as CD
player for rehearsal.
3.) Once the script writing has commenced, the contestants will
no longer be allowed to leave the contest rooms. For personal
necessities, a member of the contest committee shall
accompany them to the rest rooms.
4.) The script should not bear any information that may identify
the school but it should include the names of the members
of the team with their job assignment/contribution (i.e.
anchor, news presenter, etc.)
5.) Scripts should be:
a.) encoded using Arial font size 12
b.) with directorial instructions in capital letters
c.) double-spaced with normal margin
d.) printed in a letter-sized bond paper (8.5 X 11”)
6.) Each team should submit four (4) copies of the script. Three
(3) will be submitted to the judges and one (1) for the DTWG.
The team may print extra copies for their own use.
 c. Broadcast Simulation

1.) A broadcast room for the presentation shall be identified in the

testing center or contest venue. Only the contestants, judges and

the members of the contest committee shall be allowed inside.

The student broadcasters shall be concealed from the judges

all throughout their presentation.

2.) The organizers/host school shall commission an independent

sound system provider to ensure quality audio output. The
technical operator shall only set the sound system before the
simulation. A jack/auxiliary cord will be provided for the CD
player, laptops and other sources of sound effects, except mobile
phones.
3.) Except for the volume meter, contestants/technical director
shall not be allowed to change, adjust and manipulate the
main control board during their presentation.
4.) Mobile phones and reference books shall not be allowed in the
contest area.
5.) In case of power failure, the affected team shall be allowed to
perform again.
6. Loudspeakers may be set up outside the broadcast room.
7. The order of presentation will be identified through drawing of lots
by the directors before the script writing.
8.Each team shall be given eight (8) minutes: two (2) minutes of
which for preparation, five (5) minutes for the actual broadcast
and one (1) minute for exit. Provided running time shall be
applied.
7. The host school shall provide a wall clock or a timer, which will serve
as the official time that can be seen by the contestants and the
judges. There shall be an official time keeper.
8. A yellow flaglet shall be raised to signal the team that they have
one (1) minute left for preparation. The green flaglet shall then
be raised to signal the team to start. The yellow flaglet shall be
raised again to warn the team that they only have one (1) minute
remaining and followed by the red flaglet to indicate that their
time is up.
11.The contestants shall leave the broadcast room right after their
presentation.

1. TV Script Writing and Broadcasting

A. General Guidelines
1. Each school shall organize a team of five (5) members for English and five
(5) members for Filipino at the secondary level:
a. scriptwriter/ s
b. anchor/s
c. reporter/s
d. producer/director who could also act as floor director.
e. video/ graphics editor
f. video journalist/ cameraman

Any of the team members can assume two (2) or more positions/ tasks, as long
as this would not be conflicting or awkward about the outcome of the
broadcast.
2. In getting the overall results for the best TV broadcast, accumulated points
from the individual and group awards shall be considered.
3. Any violation of the stipulated guidelines wiII be grounds for disqualification
of the team.
6. The decision of the Board of Judges is final and irrevocable.

PRE-CONTEST
l. Each team will be required to bring only the following:
• maximum of four (4) laptops /desktops with at least 1OGB free space
and a video
• editing program (with uploading capacity);
• three (3) empty USB Flash Drives (16GB minimum);
• maximum of two (2) cameras/mobile phones (without sim) compatible
with the laptop;
• maximum of three (3) wired lapel microphones;
• A4 bond paper;
• one (l) printer with ink; and
• extension cord.
2. Each team will be allowed to set-up their mock broadcast room.
3. Before the start of the contest, the teams will be oriented on the roles of the
participants and criteria for judging by the chairman of the board of judges. All
participants should attend this orientation.
7. The directors will draw lots to determine the order of the presentation.
Then, contest materials saved in flash drives sealed in envelopes shall be
distributed to the directors.

CONTEST PROPER
A. SCRIPT WRTING AND PRODUCTION
1. The team shall have the following components in their script:
a. Cover page: This shall contain the group's name (mock TV network name).
b. NEWS: The DTWG/Judge will provide five (5) sets of data (including
photos/videos/audio) in folders saved in a flash drive. The team may use all
sets of data for their news reports. Each news script should indicate the
corresponding video and/or audio component taken from the folders or
produced during the actual contest.
c. Infomercial/ Developmental Communication: The DTWG/Judge will provide
two (2) sets of data (including photos/videos/audio) in folders saved in a flash
drive. The team is required to produce one (l) infomercial or developmental
communication plug. This shall be produced during the contest and should be
related to the topic which will be given by the judges. The script should contain
video and audio components.
d. Field Report: A live field report with or without canned video support shall be
included in the production.
e. Headlines: These will contain a brief lead/ summary of the news articles.
f. OBB/CBB: The OBB and CBB will contain the group's assumed TV
network name.
2. Five (5) hours and 15 minutes will be allotted for the preparation of the
script, shooting, and editing of the videos, production of the infomercial, and
rehearsals. All groups shall stop working after the allotted time. A buzzer shall
signal the end of the scriptwriting and production time.
3. The organizers shall provide a clock or a timer that can be seen by the
contestants. There will be an official timekeeper.
4. Once the scriptwriting has commenced, the contestants will no longer be
allowed to leave the contest venue. Members shall only be allowed to go out of
the room when it is time for their team to perform and for personal necessities
accompanied by a proctor.
5. Each team shall prepare four (4) copies of the script: three (3) copies for the
judges and one (1) copy for the team.
6. The cover page of the script shall contain the group’s name (TV Network
name) and the names of the members of the team with their respective roles
(i.e., anchor, field reporter, etc.).
7. The script should not bear any information that may identify the school,
division, or region.

B. TV BROADCASTS SKILLS PERFORMANCE

1. Only one (1) laptop is allowed inside the studio.
2. All news reports shall be presented live. OnIy the OBB and CBB are pre--
recorded/pre-produced. Support videos or audio to be used for the live reports
are either taken from the folders or produced on the day of the contest.
3. Other than the actual broadcast time, seven (7) minutes shall be allotted for
entrance and preparation.
4. The TV broadcast must be delivered in six (6) minutes.
5. The timekeeper shall raise the green flaglet to signal the start of the
presentation. A yellow flaglet shall be raised by the timekeeper to warn the
 presenting team that only one (1) minute is left of the broadcast time. A red
flaglet shall be raised to signal that the six (6) minutes allotted for the group
have been consumed.
6. In case of overtime/ undertime in the prescribed duration of the broadcast,
the following points shall be deducted from the points earned in the criterion
adherence to time allotment (S%).
I second - 20 seconds - I point
21 seconds - 40 seconds - 2 points
41 seconds - 60 seconds - 3 points
61 seconds - 80 seconds - 4 points
7. The timekeeper shall give the judges a copy of the record of the broadcast
running time of each group right after the performance. The record should
indicate how many seconds/minutes each group went over/under time if they
did. The timekeeper shall also announce the time started, time finished,
incurred undertime/overtime, and the corresponding deductions of the group.
8. Three (3) minutes shall be allotted for the exit.
9. The decision of the Board of Judges is final and irrevocable.

MOBILE JOURNALISM

A. General Guidelines
1. The competition is open to secondary public and private school students
enrolled in the School Year 2023-2024.

2. Each school shall organize a team of five (5) members, each member having
one of these roles:
1 - anchor
1 - in charge of news report/segment
1 - in charge of feature story/segment
1 - in charge of explainer segment
1 - in charge of opinion segment

3. The team can choose either English, Filipino or a combination of both

languages (Taglish), since the competition will not be categorized as to
medium.
4. Local languages may also be used as long as subtitles are provided.
5. The content must be based on real events.
6. The competition will run for seven (7) hours covering pre until post production.

B. Contents
1. The team shall produce 4 (four) content executions:
*News Report - 60 seconds
*Explainer - 120 seconds
*Feature - 180 seconds
*Opinion - 120 seconds
2. The outputs must be in 16:9 format (vertical video)
C. Submission
1. The team shall submit the following:
*four (4) stand alone content execution
*One (1) AV package with an anchor (5th member of the group)
*Must be submitted in a Google Drive

D. The ff. special awards shall be given:

*Best AV package
*Best news Content
*Best feature
*Best Explainer
*Best Opinion