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Ready to Make Politics Pop? Join the Puliticlass Vlog Challenge!

Submission Deadline: July 15, 2025

Calling all dynamic student organizations! The Program on Social and Political Change invites you to Puliticlass: Politics in a Byte, a video creation contest where sharp ideas meet creative media. We’re looking for engaging, insightful videos that make complex political concepts accessible and relevant to Filipinos today.

Think your organization has what it takes to unpack intricate political themes for a wider audience? This is your chance to showcase your analytical skills and creative flair, contributing meaningfully to citizen education in the Philippines.

The Mission (Should You Choose to Accept It):

Produce compelling short videos (3-5 mins). The goal is to simplify key political topics, connect them vividly to everyday Filipino life, and spark informed civic engagement among youth, the government and the public.

Eligibility & Your Academic Guide:

  1. This challenge is open to student organizations based in a Philippine college or university, operating with the endorsement and official participation of a faculty adviser from that institution. Formal university-wide recognition is encouraged but not strictly required if faculty endorsement is secured.
  2. Team Requirement: Each participating organization must have a faculty adviser from their university. The adviser acts as the official representative.
  3. Faculty Role: Your adviser will officially submit the entry and must provide verifiable proof of their current university affiliation along with the submission. A short write-up will be required, a political insight on your chosen topic with a word count of 1,000-2,000 maximum. This political insight write-up serves to demonstrate faculty engagement with the chosen topic and provides context for the organization’s video entry. While the write-up is a mandatory submission component, it will not be scored or be factored in the judging of the videos but will be given to the judges for understanding the depth of engagement with the theme. Select insights may be featured alongside winning videos with the adviser’s permission.

Choose Your Challenge: Contest Topics

Select one theme from the list below for your video entry. Dive deep, get creative, and connect the political dots to real-world Filipino experiences!

      1. The Populism Puzzle: Why do some politicians capture the public imagination? Explore populism and political appeal (Think: Duterte’s rise, celebrity power).
      2. People Power Now: What drives Filipinos to protest? Unpack social movements and acts of resistance (Think: EDSA legacy, Lumad schools, Annual May Day (Labor Day) Rallies and Transport Strikes).
      3. When Storms Hit Politics: How do typhoons, floods, and the environment shape governance? Explain disaster politics (Think: Yolanda response, disaster and climate laws).
      4. Gov 101 & You: How does government actually work, especially locally? Show citizens how they can get involved (Think: SK impact, barangay assemblies).
      5. Defending Rights: How do Filipinos stand up for their rights at home and abroad? Discuss human rights, OFW issues, and resistance (Think: Red-tagging debates, migrant advocacy).
      6. The Trust Thermometer: What explains the varying levels of trust in government? Explore links to inequality and foreign influence (Think: China/West Philippine Sea (WPS) issues, ‘ayuda’ distribution).
      7. Global Ripples, Local Waves: How does the wider world impact Philippine elections and security? Show globalization’s effects (Think: Cyber threats, OFW voting power, foreign interference).
      8. Media & The Message: How do politicians use media, PR, and online armies to gain support? Analyze messaging tactics (Think: Viral speeches, social media troll impact).
      9. Dynasty Dynamics: Why do the same families often remain in power? Explore political dynasties and reform efforts (Think: Martial Law Nostalgia, anti-dynasty bills).
      10. COVID-19 Leadership Lessons: What did the pandemic reveal about governance during a crisis? Reflect on policy and execution (Think: Vaccine strategies, lockdown impacts).
      11. Brains & The Ballot Box: How can students, experts, and technocrats shape political outcomes? Showcase youth leadership and data-driven policy (Think: Climate activists, Voter Education and Political Participation groups).
      12. War, Peace & Resilience: How does the Philippines navigate conflict and build peace? Feature peace processes and community recovery (Think: BARMM journey, Marawi rebuilding).
      13. Digital Justice Warriors: How is the internet used as a tool for activism and change? Highlight online movements (Think: Online petitions and calls like ‘Stop Kaliwa Dam, Save our Future!’).
      14. Growth vs. Grassroots: Why does poverty persist for some, even when the economy grows? Critique economic policies and inequality (Think: ‘Endo’ debate, minimum wage struggles).
      15. Why the West Philippine Sea Matters: Make the complex maritime disputes and sovereignty issues clear and relatable (Think: Fisherfolk stories, China relations).
      16. Echoes of Conflict: How do historical events like the Cold War still influence regional politics? Discuss legacies (Think: US base history, foreign aid politics).
      17. Uniforms in Office?: Why do some leaders favor military presence in politics? Examine militarization and nationalism (Think: ROTC debates, former military personnel in government).
      18. The Corruption Conundrum: Why is corruption so difficult to eradicate? Investigate accountability mechanisms (Think: Pork barrel, COA audit reports).
      19. Decoding Disinformation: How does fake news spread and harm rights? Tackle the challenge of misinformation (Think: Historical revisionism, Troll Farm).
      20. Tech in Governance & Security: How are citizens and the state using technology today? Explore e-governance, data privacy, and surveillance (Think: Digital ID systems, security tech).

Creative & Technical Guidelines:

    • Runtime: Keep it snappy: 3–5 minutes.
    • Technical Requirements:
      • File Format: Please submit videos in MP4 or MOV format.
      • Resolution: Minimum resolution of 720p (1280×720) is required; 1080p (1920×1080) is preferred.
      • File Size: Maximum file size should not exceed 500MB.
      • Use of editing software is allowed as long as there are no visible watermarks.
    • Language: Filipino, English, or combination. Language must be engaging and fun but should not be colloquial. Subtitles are also encouraged for broader reach. Language must be engaging and fun but should generally avoid excessive slang or overly informal language (‘colloquialisms’) to ensure broad accessibility. For example, aim for clear and widely understood Filipino or English appropriate for educational content, rather than deep slang specific to a very small group. While conversational Taglish is acceptable if used clearly, ensure the core message remains accessible. Subtitles are encouraged.
    • Style: Get creative! Storytelling, explainers, docu-style, animation, skits – your choice.
    • Target Viewer: General public.

How Your Entry Will Be Judged:

Criteria What We’re Looking For Weight
Clarity of Message Is the core political concept explained clearly and accurately? 30%
Relevance & Accuracy Does it connect meaningfully to Filipino life and current events? 25%
Creativity & Engagement Is it compelling, original, and memorable? Does it hook the viewer? 25%
Educational Value Will viewers actually learn something valuable from it? 20%

Ready to Submit?

    • Your faculty adviser must submit the entry electronically by July 15, 2025.
    • Send submissions to: https://bit.ly/PSPCVlog2025. Upload your submission files in the form. The portal will guide you through uploading the video file, write-up, proof of affiliation, and social media links.
    • Or you may email your entry as well to us at [email protected]. Just put in the Subject Line: [Puliticlass Video Entry] – Org Name – Video Title.
    • Attachments: 
      • Video
      • Short write-up/political insight on your chosen topic
      • Attach proof of your faculty adviser’s current university affiliation. Official appointment letter or any similar document(s).
      • Link to your organization’s Facebook, Tiktok and/or Instagram

What to expect?

    • Shortlisted videos will be subjected to a review and judging process. And the announcement of shortlisted videos will be made through the UPCIDS social media accounts.
    • Student organizations will participate in the symposium organized by CIDS later this year. They are able to present their experience on how they understood and conceptualized their winning video.
    • A small honorarium will be given to the participants/organization through the adviser.
    • Shortlisted videos will be selected by mid-August 2025. Final winners will be notified by September 2025. The judging panel will consist of faculty members from relevant universities, colleges, CIDS researchers, and invited media/communication practitioners.

Usage Rights & Ownership:

By submitting an entry, the participating organization confirms they hold all necessary rights for the content created. The chosen organizations grants the PSPC, CIDS and UP Diliman a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to reproduce, distribute, display, and create derivative works (such as adding CIDS branding or inclusion in compilations) of the submitted video for non-commercial, educational, and promotional purposes related to the Puliticlass initiative and CIDS activities, including posting on CIDS websites and social media accounts. The participating organization retains copyright ownership of their original work and is free to use it elsewhere as long as it references UP CIDS and PSPC as well.

Politics doesn’t have to be boring! Let’s make it understandable and empowering. Join the Puliticlass challenge, share your organization’s unique voice, and help educate the nation, one byte at a time!

For any questions regarding the Puliticlass Vlog Challenge, please contact the Program on Social and Political Change at [email protected]. 

For more about the Program on Social and Political Change, check out the UP CIDS website.