Malacañang has encouraged college students around the country to participate in various creative competitions such as song writing, filmmaking, and essay writing.

Over the weekend, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) announced the conduct of various contests in celebration of the Communications Month this October.

All of the competitions, according to PCO, seek to "highlight the youth’s hope for the “New Philippines", in the pursuit of Filipino excellence."

For the song writing contest, entries may touch on the Filipino youth’s aspirations for a "Bagong Pilipinas."

For filmmaking, interested student-filmmakers must follow the theme’s competition, “Ano ang Bagong Pilipinas?"—a short video that will feature their understanding of the new Philippines President Marcos is pushing.

The PCO said there will be no limit on the number of participants who wish to join a group while short films should not exceed two minutes, including credits. All entries must be submitted on Nov. 20, no later than 5 p.m.

“Participants are free to use any equipment for filming, ranging from smartphones to professional cameras. The emphasis should be on storytelling and creativity rather than on the sophistication of equipment,” the PCO said.

For this contest, regional winners will receive P50,000 for 3rd placer; P75,000 for 2nd; P100,000 for 1st placer while national winners will receive Crane M3s Gimbal, Sony ZV E10 + Kit Lens for 3rd placer; Macbook Air M2, Sony ZV E10 + Kit Lens for 2nd; and Macbook Air M2, Sony ZV E10 + Sigma 18-50 F2.8 lens, Rode Wireless Pro for 1st placer.

For essay writing, the piece may touch on the Filipino youth’s aspirations for a Bagong Pilipinas, or the inspirational spirit that will enable this call-to-action realization, among many other narratives the writer wants to communicate, the PCO said.

Three regional winners will receive P10,000 for 3rd placer; P30,000 for 2nd placer; and P50,000 for 1st placer; while five winners for the national level will receive P10,000 for the 5th placer; P30,000 for 4th; P50,000 for 3rd; P75,000 for 2nd; and P100,000 for first placer.

Aside from the creative contests, the agency will spearhead a Campus Caravan that will feature activities such as putting up exhibition booths, media information literacy workshops, panel discussions, Konsyerto sa Palasyo campus auditions, and internship information booth, among others.

President Marcos, through Proclamation No. 308 issued last August, declared October as Communications Month.

Proclamation No. 308 enjoined all departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the national government, local government units, government-owned and controlled corporations, and both the public and private sectors to support PCO’s activities and programs.

This year’s celebration will revolve around the theme, “CommUNITY: Nagkakaisang Tinig Tungo sa Bagong Pilipinas,” aimed at magnifying and showcasing unity among government institutions by illustrating a whole-of-government approach in combating misinformation and disinformation while fostering a sense of unity among students and the youth.

Criteria for the contests are found at PCO's Facebook Page.