FOR almost a century, Augustinians have published write-ups that inform and inspire. For 90 years, the USA Publications stood strong, remained resilient, and conquered the test of time.
To celebrate this truly one of a kind moment, the USA Publications held a 90th Anniversary Exhibit and Awards Night at Iloilo Grand Hotel on March 2, 2019.
The USA Publications (USA Pub) is the official student press corps of the University of San Agustin in Iloilo, Philippines. The press corps publishes The Augustinian Mirror (magazine), The Augustinian (newspaper), Irong-irong (literary journal), Dingding ni Gusting (community wall newspaper), and other special issues.
Founded on 1928 by Jose Mijares and Jose Garcia-Sanchez, the USA Publications has truly developed and evolved into what it is today: a multi-awarded journalism outlet for Augustinians.
90 YEARS OF NARRATIVE
The initiative of the founding fathers, who were high school students of the Colegio de San Agustin de Iloilo at the time, gave birth to one of the supreme student publications in the region. Nine decades has passed, and the accolades earned by the Augustinian journalists solidified the vision of the Publications to deliver responsive, developmental, and research-based campus journalism.
The publications’ very first issue was The Augustinian Mirror, debuting with only eight pages and three columns, with the English and Spanish sections. Its release was widely acclaimed by its audiences that it called for more issues to be published. Some of its changes included an increase in the number of columns – from three to five then six – and the creation of the short-story and poetry contest wherein the winning entries were published. In the year 1936, the Mirror was exhibited in the Exposition of Catholic Press at the Vatican. A magazine version was published in 1953, to commemorate the Colegio gaining the university status on March 1, 1953.
Aside from the magazine, the tabloid was also conceived in the Academic Year (AY) 1954-1955, with articles that speak of social issues and highlighting student involvement and active participation. With the decision for the tabloid’s literary section to be its own entity, the official literary folio, Irong-irong (derived from Iloilo’s maiden name), was launched in 2005-2006. The Dingding ni Gusting, the official wall newspaper, was established in 2010-2011, shedding light to the university’s various projects as well as the publications’ civic responsibilities that benefit its partner communities.
The USA Pub does not only limit itself to publishing outputs for its readers. It is also dedicated to keeping the flame of campus journalism alive. The Gusting Journalism Seminar and SanAg Campus Press Awards allow experts in the field of journalism to share their knowledge in campus journalism to fellow writers in the region, and recognize the outstanding publications both in high school and in college throughout the region as well as the departmental publications of the university. As a response to the change in the Philippine education system, the USA Publications came up with the Campus Journalism Internship Program. The program accepts Senior High School student-interns to give them a preview of the life in the publications.
CONTINUING THE LEGACY
The National Collegiate Press Contest on 1956 awarded the USA Publications with the Best College Magazine and Second Best Newspaper, which led the USA Pub to start gaining the spotlight in the different campus journalism competitions.
Perhaps, one of the greatest contributions of the USA Publications to the field of campus journalism in the region is by facilitating the first Regional College Press Conference and Awards. This was done in collaboration with Central Echo, the official student publication of Central Philippine University. Commonly known as COPRE and now organized by the Philippine Information Agency Region 6, the annual competition is participated by school publications all over the region.
The USA Pub earned its first Gawad Graciano Lopez Jaena in the Western Visayas College Press Conference in the AY 1981-1982. The much-coveted award is given to campus publications that won as Best College Magazine for three consecutive years, and the USA Pub emerged as victors for five straight years: 1976-1977, 1977-1978, 1978-1979, 1979-1980, and 1980-1981.
In AY 1990-1991, The Augustinian Mirror won the Antonio Tagamolila Awards for its intelligent discussion and analyses on socio-political issues, and The Augustinian was declared by the Department of Tourism as the Most Outstanding Tourism-Oriented Tourism Paper in Region IV. The Augustinian was the Best Newspaper in the region during COPRE 1995.
It was in 2012 when the USA Pub went digital, with the USA Publications News as the first ever web-newscast in the region. The digital era continued with the creation of the USA Pub’s website, usapub.net, and its social media platforms reaching bigger audiences.
During the 2014 National Campus Press Awards, The Augustinian Mirror won as Best Magazine and Irong-irong was Best Literary Journal. 2015’s COPRE saw The Augustinian as the Best College Newspaper. Dingding ni Gusting emerged victorious as the Best Wall Newspaper for three years in the same competition from 2016 to 2018. The USA Pub once again entered the national scene with its win in The Manila Times and The Manila Times College Campus Press Awards with The Augustinian winning the Best Opinion Article and Best News Story in 2017 and the Mirror winning the Best Layout Design and Best Feature Story in 2018. It is worthy to note that in 2018, the USA Pub is the only campus publication outside Luzon to be recognized by the Manila Times in the said competition with 504 entries all over the country.
EXHIBIT AND AWARDS NIGHT
Guests can truly see the publications’ rich history as the event showcased the previous covers of The Augustinian Mirror. In the exhibit, one can be taken back in time as all the magazine covers are put together in one page.
Also, the prestigious accolades were displayed. The trophies symbolized the victories earned throughout the years.
The highlight of the event was the awarding of the alumni. Each award marked a milestone for the publication. The awards are as follows:
Youngest Editor – Ma. Leah Rosanna M. Ravena
First Moderator and Adviser – Fr. Mariano Sapiña, O.S.A.
First Woman Editor – Josefa Contreras
Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for Literature Recipient – Dr. Isidoro M. Cruz and
John Iremil E. Teodoro
Editor-in-Chief with the Longest Term – Engr. Ray Adrian C. Macalalag
Moderator with Longest Term – Anita Bellosillo
First Spanish Editor – Salvador Campos
USA Publications Founder – Jose Mijares and Jose Garcia-Sanchez
Pioneer Batch of Irong-Irong (Literary Folio) – Batch 2005 – 2006
Pioneer Batch of Dingding ni Gusting (Wall Newspaper) – Batch 2010 – 2011
Pioneer Batch of The Augustinian (Tabloid) – Batch 1954 – 1955
Pioneer Batch of The Augustinian Mirror – Batch 1928 – 1929
Pioneer Batch of USA Publications in Digital Era – Batch 2010 – 2011
Pioneer Batch of USA Publications Post-War – Batch 1945 – 1946
Pioneer Batch of USA Publications Post-Martial Law – Batch 1973 – 1974
Pioneer Batch of USA Publications Campus Journalism Internship Program – Batch 2016 – 2017
Pioneer Batch of Regional High School Journalism Quiz Bee – Batch 2014 – 2015
Pioneer Batch of Gusting Journalism Seminar and SanAg Campus Press Awards – Batch 2004 – 2005
Pioneer Batch of Regional College Press Conference and Awards (Facilitation) – Batch 1976 – 1977
The only living daugther ofJose Garcia-Sanchez, Mrs. Josefa Reyes, together with her husband Mr. Albert Reyes represented the founders of USA Pub while Ms. Lory Norque, former Pub Alumni, while represented the late Prof. Bellosillo during the awarding.
Aside from the alumni, several campus journalists outside USA were also given recognition during the San Ag Campus Press Awards.
BEST NEWS PAGE
1st – Ang Tubong, Tubungan National High School
2nd – Ang Biyaya, Pavia National High School
3rd – Ang Tin-an, Tubungan National High School
BEST EDITORIAL PAGE
1st – The Pavia Gazette, Pavia National High School
2nd – Ang Aplaya, Oton National High School
3rd – Ang Biyaya, Pavia National High School
BEST FEATURE PAGE
1st – Ang Biyaya, Pavia National High School
2nd – Ang Tubong, Tubungan National High School
3rd – The Tin-an, Tubungan National High School
BEST SPORTS PAGE
1st – Ang Biyaya, Pavia National High School
2nd – The Pavia Gazette, Pavia National High School
3rd – Ang Tubong – Tubungan National High School
BEST FILIPINO PAGE
1st – Ang Biyaya, Pavia National High School
2nd – Ang Tubong, Tubungan National High School
3rd – Ang Aplaya, Oton National High School
BEST NEWSPAPER LAYOUT
1st – Ang Biyaya, Pavia National High School
2nd – The Tin-an, Tubungan National High School
3rd – The Pavia Gazette, Pavia National High School
BEST NEWS REPORT WRITER – JENNIFER BUENAVIDES – Ang Tubong, Tubungan National High School
BEST COLUMNIST – MICHELLE THERESE MONGCAL – Ang Biyaya, Pavia National High School
BEST HUMAN-INTEREST WRITER – AIREEN MACASIO – Ang Biyaya, Pavia National High School
BEST PHOTOJOURNALIST – RAMIL LOURENCE NENIAL – Ang Tubong, Tubungan National High School
BEST EDITORIAL CARTOONIST – EARL LEGADA – The Pavia Gazette, Pavia National High School
BEST NEWS PAPER – Ang Biyaya, Pavia National High School
BEST PUBLICATION – Ang Biyaya, Pavia National High School/PN
