The Mini Press Conference was a yearly activity from 1984 up to 1991 among hundreds of journalism students from Rizal High School (Pasig), Quezon City Science High School, UP Integrated School, Colegio del Buenconsejo, La Immaculada Concepcion School, Pasig Catholic College, Ramon Magsaysay (Cubao) High School, Marikina High School, Philippine Science High School, and other schools. It was organized and hosted by Rizal High School for six years, with Quezon City Science High School hosting the conference in 1985 and 1987.
Resource speakers in the various conferences were prominent journalists and government personalities such as Max Soliven, Art Borjal, Teodoro Locsin Jr, Paulynn Sicam, Apa Ongpin, Mon Tulfo, Melinda Quintos de Jesus, Atty. Jerry Barican, Margot Baterina, Gel Santos Relos, Ninoy Sofranes, Defense Secretary Fidel Ramos, Senator Orly Mercado, Senator Rene Saguisag, and DAR Secretary Miriam Defensor Santiago.
Special groups that provided presentations throughout the eight years of the Mini Press Conference were the National Taekwondo Demonstration Team, the UP Taekwondo Team, the Wu Shu Federation of the Philippines, Arnis Philippines, and the UP Kontragapi.
From the ranks of students who participated in the Mini Press Con have come some of today’s generation of journalists such as Phil. Daily Inquirer reporters Norman Bordadora (QC Science) and Ronnel Domingo (RHS); Ellaine Matienzo-Fuentes (RHS; Director, National News, Eagle Broadcasting); Manuel “Noel” Ferrer (QC Science; entertainment journalist and talent manager of movie stars); Cara Javier and Mylah Reyes-Roque (RHS; both former news reporters of RPN-9, with Mylah a recent UNICEF awardee for her article in Newsbreak magazine about child prisoners); and Michael Ac-Ac (RHS), former UP Collegian editor.
Other notable personalities from the ranks of Mini Press Con participants are Atty. Marnie Tonson (Phil. Science); Atty. Mary Grace Agcaoili (QC Science; UNICEF, East Asia and the Pacific Regional Office); RTC Judge Merideth delos Santos (QC Science); Daniel Saclute (RHS; graduated from Franklin and Marshall College and from Armand Hammer United World College in Montezuma, New Mexico USA); Naderev Saño (QC Science; Executive Director of Greenpeace Southeast Asia); Julius Cainglet (QC Science; Assistant Vice President of Federation of Free Workers); Joseph del Callar (Phil. Science; graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and now with UC Berkeley); Robel M. Dela Paz (RHS; recipient of Monbusho Scholarship in Japan and graduated with degrees in Electronics and Information Engineering from Ishikawa National College of Technology and in Electronics and Electrical System Engineering from Nagaoka University of Technology); and Leilani Feliciano (RHS; First Secretary and Consul, Philippine Embassy and Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the United Nations in Vienna).
If you attended any of the Mini Press Conferences from 1984 up to 1991, please drop me a line in the comments section below. I’d like to hear from you. Maybe some of the friends from other schools whom you met during the Mini Press Con would also like to hear from you.
1984
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Rizal High School and QC Science High School students
during the very first Mini Press Con (1984) |
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RHS Class 87 (IV-2) when they were 2nd year students
during the 1st Mini Press Con, 1984, hosted by RHS |
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| Manuel Ferrer of QC Science |
1985
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!985 Mini Press Con, hosted by QC Science; what marked the 8 years of the
conference were the intense rivalry and great friendships between these two schools |
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| Registration, 1985 Mini Press Con |
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| Diwa (Quezon City Science High School) during the open forum |
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| QC Science students |
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| John Miguel and Nova Sebastian (RHS students) |
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Mini Press Con hosted by QC Science (if I remember correctly, the girl
on the left is named Ideth, while girl on the right is Nanette) |
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RHS Class 87 (IV-1 and IV-2) when they were 3rd year students,
2nd Mini Press Con, 1985, hosted by QC Science HS |
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RHS Class 87 (IV-2) when they were 3rd year students,
2nd Mini Press Con, 1985, hosted by QC Science HS |
1986
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Merideth delos Santos (QC Science HS) introducing Max Soliven
(publisher of Phil. Star) during 3rd Mini Press Con, 1986, hosted by RHS |
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| Max Soliven, speaker in 1986 Mini Press Con |
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| Art Borjal, speaker in 1986 Mini Press Con |
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Members of Himig Scientia (QC Science HS) giving a special number
during 3rd Mini Press Con, 1986 |
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Phil. Science HS students during 3rd Mini Press Con (1986);
guy in front with umbrella is Marnie Tonson; to his left is Joseph Del Callar,
and to Joseph’s left is Jaffy Azarraga |
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| Philippine Science students, 1986 Mini Press Con |
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Marnie Tonson (Phil. Science HS) engages Max Soliven (publisher of Phil. Star)
in a heated discussion during open forum, 3rd Mini Press Conference, 1986 |
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RHS Class 88 students when they were 3rd year students,
3rd Mini Press Con, 1986 |
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Special number during awarding ceremonies,
3rd Mini Press Conference, 1986 |
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UP Diliman Taekwondo team demonstration,
3rd Mini Press Conference, 1986 |
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RHS Class 87 girls (when they were 4th year students)
during 1986 Mini Press Con, hosted by RHS |
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1986 Mini Press Con, with QC Science student named Raya
during awarding ceremonies |
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1986 Mini Press Con hosted by Rizal High School (QC Science girls: on the left
is Merideth delos Santos, girl in the middle, I think, is Tricia Endozo,
while girl in blue shirt is Diwa) ) |
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RHS Class 87 (IV-1) attended the first three Mini Press Conference
from 1984 to 1986 |
1987
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1987 Mini Press Con hosted by QC Science High School; UPIS joined
the conference for the first time (click the picture to view or
download a much-bigger copy of this picture) |
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(Click the picture to view or download a much-bigger copy of this picture.) |
1988
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| Sen. Rene Saguisag, one of the speakers in the 1988 Mini Press Con |
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| QC Science students nearly sweeping the Filipino news writing contest |
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Arnis Philippines presentation ; guy in black is Rodel Dagooc highest ranking
grandmaster of Modern Arnis under founder Remy Presas; in background
is bodybuilding champion and actor Roland Dantes, Arnis Philippines
president Raymond Velayo, and Porfirio Lanada (founder of Arnis Lanada) |
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| Exhibition by the Wu Su Federation of the Philippines |
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Edwin Quinsayas, RHS Class 90, serenading a girl from Quezon City Science
(I think her name is Yohana Mehretab) |
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| QC Science student, 1988 (?) Mini Press Con |
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| E. Rodriguez Jr. High School student speaking to the participants |
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| QC Science boys on the way to 1988 (?) Mini Press Con |
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| E. Rodriguez Jr. High School student singing during closing ceremonies |
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| QC Science student speaking to the participants |
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| Campus tour, 1988 (?) Mini Press Con |
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| 1988 (?) Mini Press Con |
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RHS Class 91 students (when they were 2nd year students)
practicing their special number |
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Special number; guy on the right is Ronnel Domingo, now a writer for
Philippine Daily Inquirer |
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Students from RHS, QC Science HS, Eulogio Rodriguez Jr HS
during the closing ceremonies |
1989
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| Aileen Reyes (RHS Class 90) moderating the open forum |
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RHS Class 90 students interviewing Congressman Rufino Javier,
keynote speaker during opening ceremonies |
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Glenn Sibonga (RHS Class 90) the only guy in a group presentation
with girls from RHS, QCSHS, and UPIS |
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| Fun and games while waiting for announcement of winners |
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| UPIS student, 1989 (?) Mini Press Con |
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| Students from San Juan Municipal High School, 1989 (?) Mini Press Con |
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| QC Science students, 1989 (?) Mini Press Con |
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| National Tae Kwon Do Demonstration Team, 1989 (?) Mini Press Con |
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| Melanie Mabilangan, RHS student |
1990
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| Sen. Orly Mercado (keynote speaker) with Miss Diana C. Santos (RHS principal) |
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| Students from Colegio del Buenconsejo (1990 or 1991 Mini Press Con) |
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| Pasig Catholic College boys (1990 or 1991 Mini Press Con) |
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Girls from CBC, RHS, and LICS enjoying the group presentations
(1990 or 1991 Mini Press Con) |
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| Students from La Immaculada Concepcion School (1990 or 1991 Mini Press Con) |
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| Students from UP Integrated School (1990 or 1991 Mini Press Con) |
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| RHS Class 91 preparing the stage for the 7th Mini Press Con (1990) |
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UPIS students with RHS students during campus tour
(either 1990 or 1991 Mini Press Con) |
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1990 or 1991 Mini Press Con (students from RHS, Marikina HS
and Colegio del Buenconsejo enjoying the disco before the awarding ceremonies |
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| 1990 (?) Mini Press Con |
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| 1990 (?) Mini Press Con |
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| 1990 (?) Mini Press Con |
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| 1990 (?) Mini Press Con |
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| LICS boys; QSci and RHS girls |
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| Students from Colegio Del Buenconsejo, 1990 (?) Mini Press Con |
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| Group presentation, 1990 Mini Press Con |
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| 1990 (?) Mini Press Con |
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| 1990 (?) Mini Press Con |
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| Group presentation, 1990 (?) Mini Press Con |
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| QC Science student, 1990 (?) Mini Press Con |
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| RHS students preparing for the welcome ceremonies, 1990 Mini Press Con |
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| Students from QC Science and Colegio Del Buenconsejo, 1990 (?) Mini Press Con |
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| 1990 (?) Mini Press Con; guy with the flag is Julius Cainglet of QC Science |
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| Student from Pasig Catholic College at the lectern, 1990 (?) Mini Press Con |
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| QC Science students, 1990 (?) Mini Press Con |
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| UPIS students, 1990 Mini Press Con |
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| Tri-media personality Apa Ongpin during 1990 Mini Press Conference |
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| Secretary Fidel Ramos (DND) |
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| Gladys and Kevin, RHS students |
1991
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| Gel Santos-Relos, TV news personality (speaker) |
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1991 Mini Press Con presentation by Kontragapi from UP Diliman,
with RHS alumnae Ryan Abrecea (Class 90) and Rowena Serut (Class 88) |
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Resource speakers: Jose Wendell Capili (UP Diliman); Teodoro Locsin Jr;
Prof. Ceciliano Jose-Cruz (PNC); Solicitor-General Mel Chavez |
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| Teodoro Locsin Jr, and Melinda Quintos de Jesus with participants |
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| Group presentations |
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| Dong Puno, speaker |
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Nini Gaviola was invited as a resource speaker, but she declined; however,
she wrote a column addressed to the press con participants
(click to view a bigger copy) |
The Mini Press Conference was a yearly activity from 1984 up to 1991 among hundreds of journalism students from Rizal High School (Pasig), Quezon City Science High School, UP Integrated School, Colegio del Buenconsejo, La Immaculada Concepcion School, Pasig Catholic College, Ramon Magsaysay (Cubao) High School, Marikina High School, Philippine Science High School, and other schools. It was organized and hosted by Rizal High School for six years, with Quezon City Science High School hosting the conference in 1985 and 1987.
From the ranks of students who participated in the Mini Press Con have come some of today’s generation of journalists such as Phil. Daily Inquirer reporters Norman Bordadora (QC Science) and Ronnel Domingo (RHS); Ellaine Matienzo-Fuentes (RHS; Director, National News, Eagle Broadcasting); Manuel “Noel” Ferrer (QC Science; entertainment journalist and talent manager of movie stars); Cara Javier and Mylah Reyes-Roque (RHS; both former news reporters of RPN-9, with Mylah a recent UNICEF awardee for her article in Newsbreak magazine about child prisoners); and Michael Ac-Ac (RHS), former UP Collegian editor. 
