Laguna student paper gets UNESCO nod

MANILA, Philippines - A Laguna-based student publication was cited recently by a UNESCO-affiliated organization.

Two editorial board members of The Voyage, the official student publication of Lyceum of the Philippines University-Laguna (LPU-Laguna), received major awards from the National Association of UNESCO Clubs in the Philippines, Inc. (NAUCP). 

Publications adviser Felisse Marianne San Juan won the 2014 Most Outstanding UNESCO Club Youth Leader of the Philippines Award under the Young Professionals category, while associate editor Pauline Ira Matibag bagged the 2014 Most Outstanding UNESCO Club Student Leadership Award.

The NAUCP is a national, non-stock, non-profit, non-sectarian association of all accredited UNESCO Clubs in the Philippines. At present, it has 54 accredited clubs all across the county.

These awards are given to inspire the youth around the Philippines as part of UNESCO’s mission to promote cultural diversity and contribute to peace and human development.

San Juan is a psychology graduate of LPU’s Batangas campus. She currently teaches Psychology in LPU-Laguna and is deputy director of the Office of Student Services. San Juan, who has been with LPU-Laguna since 2011, said this award is proof of how Lyceans are taking the lead in campus journalism.

Through the project called “The JOURNey,” the student publication has reached out to young and promising out-of-school-youth writers from the local community by offering campus journalism workshops.

These awards acknowledge the accomplishments and undertakings of UNESCO Club members who have endeavored to pursue the principles of UNESCO and comply with the values and principles of promoting cultural diversity and contributing to peace and human development.

Peter Laurel, president of LPU-Laguna, says, “We have always believed in the capabilities of our students in leading the way for campus journalism in this part of the country and grateful to NAUCP for recognizing what Lyceans stand for.”

This year’s search was evaluated by the Philippine Normal University Center for Transformative Education. 

Virgilio Dolina Jr., secretary-general of NAUCP, believes that students who are part of UNESCO Clubs can become instruments of change. “The Filipino youth can really do more while in schools. They can get involved in many activities that support UNESCO’s programs in the country.”

Students can visit http://unescoclubphilippines.weebly.com.