THE FLAME, the official student publication of the UST Faculty of Arts and Letters, earned four recognitions, including a regional award, at the 2025 Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Region 2 Mark of Excellence Awards.
The Artlets student publication bagged first place in the campus reporting category for its series of stories on the months-long labor dispute between the University administration and the UST Faculty Union.
It marked the second consecutive year The Flame clinched an award in the international tilt.
The student publication made history last year after becoming the first Asian publication to win an award in the contest through its report “From streets to sheets: Motorcycle drivers ride on sex work as they traverse hard times,” which topped the regional in-depth category, large school division.
The 2024 article tackled the experiences of motorcycle riders for ride-hailing applications who offer sexual services to ease financial burdens. It was also named a national finalist in the category.
READ: The Flame makes history as first campus pub in Asia to win SPJ in-depth category award
The Flame‘s second international award stemmed from its reportage of the issues surrounding the collective bargaining agreement between the UST administration and employees and the faculty members’ tuition hike shares.
The winning articles were “CHED sets 15-day deadline for UST to explain alleged violation of tuition hike share allocation,” written by Issues editor Veancy Palad and writer John Martin Revilla; “UST says it provided benefits beyond what is required by the law as a ‘gesture of goodwill’” by Faith editor Ma. Alyanna Selda; and “UST faculty members to get P220 million tuition hike shares, 100% medical coverage” by News editor Mei Lin Weng.
“This recognition will further fuel the passion of the student journalists of The Flame to produce independent journalism for the Artlets community, the University and the nation. We are thankful to the SPJ for recognizing the efforts of our publication,” The Flame adviser and UST Journalism instructor Alexis Romero said.
“We remain committed to maintaining an environment where creativity and critical thinking thrive and the independence of campus journalists is protected,” he added.
Zoe Airabelle Aguinaldo, editor-in-chief of The Flame, said the accolades are “a testament to the publication’s efforts in upholding its editorial autonomy.”
“We vow to continue pursuing accurate, relevant, and fair stories that serve the interest of the truth,” Aguinaldo said. “We owe this recognition to our fellow students,whose hard-earned tuition keep our publication running. We will ensure that the resources entrusted to us will really serve their purpose and be used in earnest.”
Three entries of the Artlets publication claimed finalist spots this year in the feature writing, investigative reporting and photo essay categories under Region 2.
Written by features editor Yelah Israel, “Just another break: How Thomasian atheists spend Holy Week” explores the observations of non-believers studying at UST, a Catholic university, during the religious holiday and their reasons for embracing atheism.
The piece “More than a year after the TomasinoWeb ruckus, six UST media entities claim to have faced various restrictions” by Faith writer Sheridan Joy Delfino emerged as a finalist in the investigative reporting category.
Sports editor Shayne Lee Andreas Macaraeg, associate editor Joss Gabriel Oliveros, Selda, Palad and Ariza Marie Llorca contributed reports to the story, which tackled the alleged restrictions and censorship imposed on six student media entities a year after UST officials were accused of pressuring TomasinoWeb to take down its viral 7-Eleven photo that supposedly subjected some students to “public ridicule.”
The Flame’s coverage of last year’s Traslación also secured a finalist spot in the photo essay category. The photos were captured by student photojournalists Lhiera Nicole Trinidad, Elena Christine Cancio and Justin Antonette Flores. Traslación is an annual religious event attended by millions of devotees that features a day-long procession of the image of Jesus Nazareno. The event commemorates the transfer of the image of the cross-carrying Christ from its original shrine in Intramuros to Quiapo Church.
SPJ annually holds its Mark of Excellence Awards to honor “the best in student journalism” or collegiate works qualified for international recognition across 12 regions. Region 2 included Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia.
Other finalists in the categories include East Carolina University for feature writing and the University of Maryland for both investigative reporting and photo essay.
The publication’s winning report advanced to the national level of the competition, going against other regional Mark of Excellence winners from the 12 SPJ regions.
The Varsitarian, the official student publication of UST, was among the national winners for its UAAP Season 88 primer in the sports videography category. It also ranked first in the regional breaking news reporting, large division and feature videography categories.
Various entries from different publications globally were evaluated using a set of criteria, including accuracy and completeness, creative use of the medium’s unique capabilities and adherence to high journalistic standards such as the SPJ Code of Ethics.
The SPJ is a US-based organization founded in 1909 that aims to educate journalists on ethical and professional standards while advocating for press freedom and excellence in reporting. F —N. A.
