A teacher from Tarlac province has ignited a controversy by publicly alleging plagiarism in a contest category at the recently concluded Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC) in Central Luzon. The RSPC is an annual competition that brings together campus journalists from across Region 3 to showcase their skills in various categories. This year's event was hosted in Baler, Aurora during March.
Social Media Outcry Over Alleged Copying
Ivan Licuanan Balmores, a teacher at the College of the Holy Spirit in Tarlac, took to social media on Monday to voice his concerns. His post quickly gained traction, amassing over 1,900 reactions by the time of reporting. Balmores asserted that the winning entry in the Collaborative Desktop Publishing – Secondary (Filipino) category bore striking resemblances to a submission from RSPC 2025, which had secured second place in the English category.
Evidence Presented Online
To substantiate his claims, Balmores shared copies of both the current winning entry and the alleged source material. He highlighted significant similarities in layout structure, design treatment, and conceptual presentation, particularly evident on the Editorial-Opinion and Features pages. According to Balmores, these parallels extend beyond mere inspiration, suggesting direct copying.
Lack of Official Response
Balmores further revealed that he had previously raised this issue with regional school authorities but received no response or clear action. He expressed confusion over how the competing team might have accessed the earlier output, noting that such materials were officially submitted and should have been securely stored by the regional office.
Core Issue: Integrity Over Competition
In his social media statement, Balmores emphasized that his primary concern is not the competition results themselves but rather accountability and the integrity of campus journalism. He described plagiarism as a serious violation of journalistic ethics and urged for appropriate measures to address the situation.
DepEd's Pending Reply
SunStar attempted to contact the Department of Education (DepEd) Region 3 for comment, reaching out to Michelle Lacson of the Public Affairs Unit via Messenger. Lacson indicated that a reply regarding the allegations would be provided "as soon as possible," leaving the matter unresolved for now.
