Calamba Vice Mayor allocates P50k fund for trainer incentives at RRSPC

The Vice Mayor’s Office (VMO) of Calamba, Laguna has set aside a total of ₱50,000 as an incentive fund for trainers who will be invited to conduct training sessions for campus journalists at the Reconfigured Regional Schools Press Conference (RRSPC), scheduled from Feb. 22 to 27, signaling renewed institutional support after years of decline.

In a move aimed at revitalizing campus journalism in the city, the fund will serve as initial support for campus journalism as part of Vice Mayor Totie Lazaro’s functions as chair of the Committee on Education and member of the Local School Board (LSB).

“I’ll allocate and push na mapondohan yung mga pangangailangan ninyo. Nandito kami para tulungan kayo, para you can pursue your advocacies, your skills, and your talents,” Lazaro said.

The vice mayor has also requested the Annual Budgetary Requirements and has already begun discussions with the School Paper Advisers Guild–Calamba City (SPAG-C) regarding the proposed institutionalization of funding for the city’s annual journalism programs.

A resolution for this purpose is currently being prepared for a hearing and is included in next week’s calendar of businesses. 

This move aims to bypass the quarterly LSB meetings, thereby expediting the institutionalization process.

Once approved, the funds will be sourced from the Special Education Fund and will be allocated for equipment and training programs for Calamba’s student writers.

The vice mayor acknowledged the lack of support for journalism in recent years, noting that it is no longer treated as a priority compared to the past.

“Mayroong kakulangan sa suporta, pagdating sa pangangailangan ng mga nag-pu-pursue ng journalism,” he added.

He clarified, however, that his office and the entire city council are ready to assist in addressing the needs of campus journalists.