Policy and purpose
- Republic Act No. 7079 declares State policy to uphold and protect the freedom of the press even at the campus level.
- Republic Act No. 7079 requires the State to promote the development and growth of campus journalism.
- Republic Act No. 7079 directs campus journalism to strengthen ethical values, encourage critical and creative thinking, and develop moral character and personal discipline of Filipino youth.
- Republic Act No. 7079 mandates State programs and projects to improve the journalistic skills of concerned students and to promote responsible and free journalism.
Core definitions and governance
- “School” means an institution for learning in the elementary, secondary, or tertiary level comprised of the studentry, administration, faculty and non-faculty personnel.
- “Student Publication” means the issue of any printed material that is independently published by students and that meets the needs and interests of the studentry.
- “Student Journalist” means any bona fide student enrolled for the current semester or term who has passed or met the qualification and standards of the editorial board and who maintains satisfactory academic standing.
- “Editorial Board” governs editorial policy and composition, with distinctions by level:
- In the tertiary level, it is composed of student journalists qualified in placement examinations, and may include a publication adviser at the option of its members.
- In the elementary and high school levels, it is composed of a duly appointed faculty adviser, the editor who qualified, and a representative of the Parents-Teachers’ Association.
- At elementary and high school levels, the editorial board determines editorial policies to be implemented by the editor and staff members of the student publication concerned.
- “Editorial Policies” are the guidelines by which a student publication is operated and managed, taking into account pertinent laws as well as school administration policies, and they determine frequency of publication, the manner of selecting articles and features, and other similar matters.
Student publications and editorial control
- A student publication is published by the student body through an editorial board and publication staff composed of students selected by fair and competitive examinations.
- Once established, the editorial board freely determines editorial policies and manages the publication’s funds.
Funding sources and release obligations
- Funding for the student publication may include the savings of the respective school’s appropriations, student subscriptions, donations, and other sources of funds.
- The Department of Education, Culture and Sports or the school administration concerned must not withhold the release of funds sourced from the savings of the respective schools’ appropriations and other sources intended for the student publication.
- Subscription fees collected by the school administration must be released automatically to the student publication concerned.
Publication adviser role
- The publication adviser is selected by the school administration from a list of recommendees submitted by the publication staff.
- The publication adviser’s function is limited to technical guidance.
Security of tenure and protection from discipline
- A member of the publication staff must maintain student status to retain membership.
- A student must not be expelled or suspended solely on the basis of articles written or solely on the basis of performance of duties in the student publication.
Competitions, press conferences, and training
- The Department of Education, Culture and Sports sponsors periodic competitions, press conferences, and training seminars.
- Student-editors/writers and teacher-advisers of student publications must participate in these sponsored activities at the elementary, secondary, and tertiary levels.
- These activities are held at institutional, divisional, and regional levels.
- The process culminates in the annual national elementary, secondary, or tertiary School Press Conference held in places of historical and/or cultural interest in the country.
Rules and regulations for implementation
- The Department of Education, Culture and Sports, in coordination with:
- officers of the national elementary, secondary, or tertiary organizations or official advisers of student publications,
- student journalists at the tertiary level, and
- existing organizations of student journalists,
must promulgate the rules and regulations necessary for effective implementation of Republic Act No. 7079.
Tax exemption for campus journalism support
- All grants, endowments, donations, or contributions used actually, directly, and exclusively for the promotion of campus journalism under Republic Act No. 7079 are exempt from donor’s or gift tax.
Appropriations and funding authorization
- For the initial year of implementation, PHP 5,000,000.00 is authorized to be charged against the savings from the current appropriations of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports.
- Thereafter, the amount necessary must be included in the General Appropriations Act.