Lance Dionisio, News, PUP Campus Journalists
Campus journalists of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) participated in the recently concluded “YouScoop+ Bootcamp” organized by GMA Integrated News, as part of the network’s digital preparations for its coverage of the 2025 Midterm Elections on May 12.
The bootcamp brought together over 100 student-volunteers from various universities and colleges across the country, participating both on-site and via video conference, to acquire key skills for the upcoming coverage.
Leading the discussions were key figures from GMA Integrated News and Synergy, including Senior Vice President for Integrated News, Regional TV, and Synergy, Oliver Victor Amoroso; GMA Integrated News Social Media Producer Jaia Yap; Social Media Assistant Manager Ted Ortiz; and Assistant Vice President and Deputy Head of the GMA Integrated News Social Media Aileen Perez. Also joining them was Synergy sports commentator and analyst Martin “Coach Hammer” Antonio, who served as the event host.
Amid the growing threat of misinformation and disinformation online, the event emphasized the crucial role of student-volunteers in gathering and verifying user-generated content and potential news stories through YouScoop+, an aspect highlighted by Perez, as well as in fact-checking and monitoring digital news for accuracy, which Yap and Ortiz discussed in depth, all to help ensure the public remains well-informed as the election draws near.
Amoroso then highlighted that, in addition to these roles, student-volunteers will be integral to the network’s responsibility in safeguarding the integrity of Eleksyon 2025, underscoring that the work will not be without its challenges.
“It will be hours and hours of hard work, non-stop work, as we have always done, to provide our fellow Filipinos the most trusted and most comprehensive coverage of the elections. After all, lagi nating naririnig din, ang kinabukasan ng ating bayan, ang kinabukasan ni’yo, ang nakataya [rito],” said Amoroso.
(It will be hours and hours of hard work, non-stop work, as we have always done, to provide our fellow Filipinos the most trusted and most comprehensive coverage of the elections. After all, we always hear that the future of our nation, your future, is what at stake here.)
GMA Integrated News reporters Raffy Tima, Aubrey Carampel, Darlene Cay, and Mark Salazar also shared their insights during the event to help better equip student-volunteers for their roles.
On May 12 and 13, the student-volunteers will be deployed to the Digital Action Center, where they will work alongside the network in scouting, pitching, and monitoring relevant stories as part of the election coverage, contributing to the effort at a time when truth and transparency are more important than ever.
The University’s participation in this occasion is part of its commitment to the signed partnership with the network for the “Panata Kontra Fake News” campaign, which aims to help combat disinformation and misinformation in the May 2025 Midterm Elections and paving the way for a free and honest election.
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