LA STAMPA, the official student publication of UST Senior High School (SHS), announced that it has been allowed to nominate its own adviser after some groups decried the alleged censorship it faced under its two advisers.
The La Stampa executive board said the UST SHS permitted the publication to choose its adviser during a meeting on Monday, Sept. 8.
“It is difficult for La Stampa to maintain journalistic alignment without an SPA (school paper adviser), especially in competitions,” the board said in a statement.
The adviser to be chosen by the staffers will join the two advisers who were accused of controlling the publication’s content and delaying its release of updates. The adviser will also help the publication prepare for press conferences and journalistic competitions.
According to La Stampa editor-in-chief Laurice Escuin, the executive board is still in search of possible candidates for the post.
“We seek someone dedicated to their craft—someone who upholds their principles and values in service of journalism’s integrity.” Escuin told The Flame.
Escuin previously said the present La Stampa advisers “do not have any idea about journalism.” She claimed that the advisers were appointed because they are language teachers.
The publication became the subject of online conversations after its two advisers allegedly prevented the publication of its press freedom-themed cartoon.
According to La Stampa, the advisers wanted the cartoon, which depicted a writer on a puppet string, to be replaced with an art about artificial intelligence and fake news.
The publication also alleged that the release of some of its stories and updates were delayed due to the late responses of the advisers, who approve all materials that are posted online.
During the meeting, La Stampa proposed to reduce the approval process for time sensitive content. The publication said perishable content should only require the go-signal of the editor-in-chief.
Different sections of La Stampa, such as literary, sports, feature, science and technology and opinion sections, will also be assigned posting days on a daily basis.
Staffers have yet to discuss the recent developments involving their advisers, according to Escuin.
Other concerns such as broadsheet printing, budget allocations for publication operations and the establishment of new committees proposed during the previous publication year were also raised during the meeting. Organizational changes were approved by student organization coordinator Arleen Alferos and are set to be finalized during the publication’s general assembly on Oct. 14.
With these changes, the executive board said it remains steadfast in its commitment to serve the student body.
“La Stampa will use this opportunity to persist in providing responsible, resilient, and principled Thomasian journalism standing alongside every publication still thriving to be heard,” the publication said. F – with reports from Sheridan Joy Delfino
