Stolen Glory: Human Minds Cannot Be Honored with Artificial Hands

Having been involved in campus journalism and various extracurricular activities since I was 10 years old, I’ve grown to build my very own hall of achievements—a corner in my room filled with the medals, certificates, and awards I’ve earned throughout the years.


But beyond the golds and silvers, beyond the recognitions and acknowledgments, one thing that never fails to make my heart proud is the portfolio I’ve built through years of writing—each paper a testament to my hard work, and my laptop a witness to my growth.


Every student journalist takes pride in their work—with every word, every stroke, every scoop, and every verse carrying the weight of countless drops of sweat, sleepless nights, blots of ink, and revisions poured into crafting the “right” article. As such, it is a great honor to be among the chosen few to bear the responsibility of representing one’s school in press conferences.

The Division Schools Press Conference (DSPC) serves as a venue for training and competition, where students develop and challenge their journalism skills while selected representatives are given the opportunity to advance to higher-level competitions. It also promotes responsible journalism by putting an emphasis on ethics, critical thinking, and the responsible use of information. Overall, press conferences provide a platform to hone, appreciate, and champion campus journalism and its role in fostering a creative, analytical, and engaged society.


However, when the very springboard meant to showcase and amplify the spirit of campus journalism departs from the principles it claims to uphold, what does this tell us about human creativity and hypocrisy? About originality and convenience? About the values adults instill in young writers from the moment they first discover the power of words—values they proudly and passionately preach, yet so readily compromise in practice?

If journalism is meant to give voice to truth and breathe life into stories, what happens when the very institutions entrusted with bringing these voices and stories to the forefront are the first to forsake the tenets that campus journalism is supposed to live by?


Trophies and merchandise generated by artificial intelligence (AI) are making their way into press conferences—a striking contradiction to the 2026 DSPC’s recurring theme across multiple DepEd divisions of strengthening campus journalism in the age of AI. This has sparked controversy, as it is a matter of common knowledge that press conferences, and journalism as a whole, strictly abhor plagiarism and work that violates the principles of ethical journalism—principles grounded in truth, originality, creativity, and critical thinking.


According to Republic Act No. 7079, or the Campus Journalism Act of 1991, the State has a responsibility to uphold and protect press freedom while fostering the development and growth of campus journalism as a means of cultivating ethical values, nurturing critical and creative thinking, and strengthening the moral character and personal discipline of Filipino youth. But where is this responsibility when AI-generated illustrations are used as designs for the medals and awards at the recently held 2026 DSPC in Iligan City? Doesn’t the use of AI-generated images undermine the creativity and authenticity of the human mind? Isn’t this incredibly ironic in a space that is supposed to champion ethical journalism? Is maintaining high standards of personal and professional integrity exclusive to campus journalists? What about the adults they look up to? What about the State they speak up for?


Press conferences go beyond competition, serving as platforms for students to hone their journalistic skills while upholding integrity amid evolving technology. This call for integrity becomes even more significant in light of the challenges AI presents to journalism. Siar et al. (2025), in their study titled “AI Use in Philippine News Media: Adoption, impacts, and challenges,” found that AI can make journalism more efficient and productive, but it can also create challenges involving accuracy, misinformation, copyright, accountability, revenue, and media sustainability.


This goes to show that AI is meant to assist, not replace, journalists. AI’s overwhelming presence in press conferences is a profound disrespect to every campus journalist who uses their platform to combat its irresponsible and unethical use. It is an absolute disgrace to use the very technology that campus journalists are fighting against to supposedly honor the time, effort, and passion they have poured into their craft.


The integrity of being a campus journalist is hammered into one from the moment they first learn to open their eyes. But where is the glory in journalism when creativity is reduced to mere clicks and algorithms? Where is the glory in journalism when the pursuit of truth wages war against convenience?


Bring this glory back to us. This glory should never have been stolen in the first place. The eyes you taught to see are now the very eyes watching you, and the mouths you taught to speak will neither be tamed nor silenced.


Written by Sunfish with a Pen

Proofread by Fame Orong

Layout by Samuel Adrian Guerra