Mayor Rolando Uy here issued Monday an order mandating the mobilization of city departments and officials to help in the national event organized by the Department of Education (DepEd).

Uy ordered city hall departments to assist the five-day National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) currently being attended by over 5,000 delegates across the country.

The event will run from July 17 to 21.

Uy also directed barangay officials and private stakeholders for their cooperation.

During the NSPC opening Monday, Dr. Jocelyn Andaya, DepEd’s Bureau of Curriculum Division chief, said Northern Mindanao’s hosting this year is “special” considering that this is the first in-person return of the event after almost three years of hiatus due to the coronavirus diseases pandemic.

Also simultaneously held here is the National Festival of Talents (NFOT).

“The NSPC and NFOT from the division, regional to national competitions’ objective is to showcase and assess the learning of students,” Andaya said.

Andaya said both events align with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s first State of the Nation Address on his plans for improving the education system with the revival of the use of English as the medium of instruction in schools, and enhancing students’ performance in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

In NSPC, students compete in the different categories of campus journalism with English and Filipino as language divisions.

Meanwhile, NFOT involves various cultural performances through music, dance and other forms of artistic expression. (PNA)