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As part of the National Arts Month (NAM) celebration on February 2009, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) is sponsoring a culture page competition for student journalists.

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Open�to high school and tertiary publications, the competition is envisioned by the Commission not only to involve the youth in the NAM celebration but more so, to raise the students� appreciation of the arts and to encourage them to make arts and culture a regular part of their paper.

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The competition has two categories: Secondary and Tertiary. A page must contain two or more articles on Philippine arts and culture written in English and/or Filipino

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Entries to the competition must come from a recognized school paper from any secondary or tertiary school, college, or university. The Culture Page must at least carry a backgrounder story on the National Arts Month (NAM) and may include poetry, cartoon, features, essays, photos, and/or innovative researches on the arts, traditions, heritage, habits and customs of the community, and other literary works.

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To join, school journalists representing their school papers must signify their intent to compete by submitting a duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation (downloadable from the NCCA website: www.ncca.gov.ph) by email or snail mail. Emailed forms must have the phrase Culture Page Competition on the email subject line and must be sent to any or both of these addresses ncca.paio@gmail.com and/or ncca.paio@yahoo.com. Snail mailed forms must be addressed to Culture Page Competition c/o Mr. Rene S. Nape�as, Head, Public Affairs and Information Office, or Ms. Brenda G. Corpuz, NAM Coordinator and sent to NCCA Bldg. 633 Gen Luna St. Intramuros, Manila. The NCCA must receive the forms on or before January 31, 2009.

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School papers that had signified their intent to join will be sent a kit containing information about the competition, including detailed instructions on how to send entries.

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Deadline for submission of entries is on February 12, 2009. Entries must be in hardcopy (4 copies) and in CD format.�

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There will be four winners in each category, one each from Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and NCR. Winners will receive P30,000 for the tertiary level and P20,000 for the secondary level.

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For details, contact NCCA Public Affairs and Information Office at telephone numbers 527-5529 / 527-2192.