THE FLAME, the official student publication of the UST Faculty of Arts and Letters, bagged third place in the investigative report category in this year’s Philippine Journalism Research Conference (PJRC) on Friday, Nov. 6.
The publication earned the recognition for the piece titled “Paying to Pull It Off: Students Turn to ‘Academic Ghost Writers’ Despite Policies Against Dishonesty” by editor-in-chief Veancy Palad, Issues editor John Martin Revilla and Journalism senior Kayla Pauline Gonzales.
The investigative report tackled how students turn to online “ghost writers” to complete academic requirements theough interviews with academic service providers, their clients, educators and officials from the Commission on Higher Education, Department of Trade and Industry and Bureau of Internal Revenue.
The article also bagged a Mark of Excellence award at the 12th Philippine Student Quill Awards.
Meanwhile, “Pamanang Panata,” a Traslación 2026 documentary produced by managing editor Jessica Luna and directed by staffer Elena Christine Cancio, secured a finalist spot in the documentary category.
The Artlets publication also emerged as a finalist in the short-form explainer category for “FIMI (Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference) Explained: When Foreign Influence Enters Your Feed.” The explainer was produced by News editor Rovy Jilyn Fraginal, chief photographer Ryan Franco Verano and news writer Alliya Jade Perez.
The PJRC is a national platform recognizing outstanding outputs in undergraduate media research, investigative reporting and multimedia campus journalism. It is organized annually by the University of the Philippines Diliman Department of Journalism. F
