Outstanding Campus Journo: Deliver truth to fight spread of fake news

CEBU, Philippines — “If the youth is easy to be influenced by fake news, then campus journalism has the responsibility to not let this happen,” said 17-year-old Jim Ralphealo Mijares, hailed as Outstanding Campus Journalist in this year’s Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC).

Beating six other contenders from high schools all over the region, Mijares said his primary goal was simply to deliver the truth especially in this modern era hounded by fake news, or what he describes as "deceptive content."

Mijares, a Grade 12 student from Mandaue City Science High School, said that “it is not winning that counts”, adding that he was up for the challenge of continuing to uphold the obligation of every journalist which is to seek the truth.

Mijares was named as the 2017 Outstanding Campus Journalist for the secondary level during the awarding of the 2017 RSPC held yesterday at SM Seaside Cebu.

While other RSPC winners jumped for joy when they learned they were advancing to the national school press competitions, Mijares calmly walked to the stage to receive his certificate and medal.

Campus-based journalism, Mijares said, is not even spared the pressing issue confronting the media industry. He lamented that young individuals, too, are susceptible to fake news as they can easily be influenced by social media.

“The state of Philippine journalism can be exemplified by the state of campus journalism. If fake news is affecting the industry, how much more at the grassroots level,” said Mijares.

Mijares was born and raised in Mandaue City to a mother who is a lawyer and a father who is a judge.

While an elementary student at the Mandaue City School for the Arts, he engaged both in editorial writing and creative writing and eventually became the editor-in-chief of the school paper when he was in Grade 6.

He graduated as class valedictorian and transferred to Mandaue City Science High School where he also joined the school publication, starting from the lower ranks and working his way up until he became editor-in-chief.

He admitted that one of the difficulties he faces is in managing his time for studies and performing his duties as the head of the school publication.

Mijares, the eldest of three siblings, said he acquired a reading habit when he was still two years old. After that, writing became one of the multiple things he wanted to pursue.

He said he began to express his thoughts through writing when he was exposed to the latest news and commentaries through his parents.

Since then, he has become outspoken on societal issues. (FREEMAN)