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Inkblots 2009 was a very memorable experience for us. Inkblots is the annual nationwide journalism seminar of The Varsitarian, the official student publication of the University of Santo Tomas. The lectures were held at the Thomas Aquinas Research Complex of the university. We never expected that there will be so many participants from all over the country. We were amazed when the organizers conducted roll call of the delegates from the different universities and colleges nationwide. Participants came from places as far as Tuguegarao, Cebu, General Santos City, and Mindanao. Some of the prestigious schools in Metro Manila like the University of the Philippines, De La Salle College of Saint Benilde, Mapua Institute of Technology, and others also attended the nationwide campus journalism event.
The seminar was well organized… probably because it was their 11th year. We never saw pressure on the organizers’ faces. At first we thought that the seminar fee was cheap. How far can P1,000 go? Well, very far from what we expected. Sumptuous meals and snacks were served. We had dinner parties on the first and the last night. We also received handouts from all the lecturers plus freebies like bags, pens, and T-shirts. We were expecting one or two of the invited speakers ditch the conference, but we were wrong. All of them came. And that’s the best part of it.
It was a nationwide seminar. All the invited lecturers are among the most admired and respected in the main stream media. All of them planted seeds of wisdom that we swore to utilize in our very own campus paper – The College Mirror. The lecturers for the Inkblots 2009 were:
Francisco Sionil Jose, National Artist for Literature Keynote Speaker
Christian Esguerra – Malacañang beat reporter for News Writing
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Nestor Cuartero, Associate Editor of Philippine Panorama Feature Writing
Ernie Sarmiento, Chief Photographer, PDI Photojournalism
Joaquin Henson, Sports Journalist, Philippine Star Sports Writing
Wynne Arboleda, PBA Player (Special Guest for Sports Press Conference)
Sandra Aguinaldo, GMA – 7 Investigative Reporter Investigative Journalism
Cesar Apolinario, GMA – 7 Investigative Reporter and Broadcast Journalism
CNN Correspondent
Jess Abrera, Cartoonist, Philippine Daily Inquirer Editorial Cartooning
Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo, UP Vice Chancellor for Literary Journalism
Public Affairs
Ruel de Vera, Associate Editor of PDI Sunday Magazine Lifestyle Review
Lynette Villariba, Art and Design Director of the PDI Layouting
John Nery, Senior Editor of the Philippine Daily Inquirer Catholic Journalism
Conrado de Quiros, PDI Column Writer Editorial and Column Writing
Roberto Anonuevo, Filipino Poet Filipino Writing
Felipe Salvosa II, Associate Editor of the Business World Campus Paper Management
On the third day of our seminar, we met Ms. Charrie Villa of ABS-CBN News for their “Boto Mo I-Patrol Mo, Ako ang Simula” campaign. She discussed the importance of the youth vote and encouraged us to be BOTO Patrollers.
We are thankful for the support President Ricardo V. Puno Jr. is showering to the students. We are grateful he allowed us to attend Inkblots 2009. We were able to meet new friends from other universities and introduced GNC to them.
(JMP)
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