A PR VETERAN, a distinguished ad man, an educator, and the editor-in-chief of this paper were among the eight distinguished alumni of the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication (UPCMC) who were honored during the 1st Glory Awards ceremony on Nov. 11 at the UP Bahay ng Alumni, DIliman Quezon City.
The Glory Awards, which honor the legacy of UP Masscom’s first dean, Dr. Gloria D. Feliciano, are a project of the UPCMC Alumni Association (UPCMCAA) which said that the awardees were chosen for their outstanding work and influence in their chosen disciplines and advocacies.
“These personalities brought not only honor and prestige to the college but also inspiration to colleagues in various fields of communication,” said UPCMCAA president Malou Fagar.
The eight awardees are:
• Lan Mercado under the category “social advocacy,” who has led global advocacy campaigns that address inequality, climate change, and protecting the rights of people in conflict situations as the Asian regional director of Oxfam, one of the largest and most influential humanitarian organizations worldwide.
• Lauren Dyogi, the head of ABS-CBN’s entertainment production division, for “television arts.” A veteran of 30 years in the industry, he has directed magazine programs showcasing Philippine culture, discovered and developed new talents, directed blockbuster films, and led teams that introduced various reality program formats.
• Raul Castro, now chairman and CEO of advertising agency McCann Worldgroup Philippines, is the “marketing communications” awardee for elevating the role of agency creative chief to one who also leads a passionate and driven organization, steers the business, and turns around client fortunes.
• Sari Dalena, UP Film Institute director, is cited for her work in “filmmaking.” She is a versatile indie filmmaker who has won awards including the Gawad Urian for two short films (Church Dogs, Little Crosses) and best picture and best director honors from Cinema One Originals in 2011 for the full-length feature Ka Oryang.
• Joel David, a film scholar, critic and educator, is a Glory awardee for “film research and criticism.” Mr. David was instrumental in developing and enhancing the curriculum of the UP Film Institute during its formative years. He was the country’s first bachelor’s degree holder in film and became the youngest member of the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino.
• Joy Buensalido, an independent PR practitioner, is the awardee for the field of “public relations.” Her firm, Buensalido & Associates, has won several Anvil awards of excellence from the Public Relations Society of the Philippines on behalf of her local and multinational clients. She has authored books which include Pinoy Manners: A Modern Guide to Delicadeza for All Occasions (2016) and a coffee table book of achievers, 100 Women of the Philippines (1999).
• Marissa Flores for “broadcast journalism.” A top GMA Network news executive, Ms. Flores has overseen the growth of the news organization currently airing at least eight news and 28 public affairs programs. During her tenure, GMA bagged four George Foster Peabody awards with the latest award coming for its coverage of supertyphoon Yolanda.
• Roby Alampay was chosen for “print and online journalism.” He is editor-in-chief of BusinessWorld and Interaksyon.com while concurrently a vice-president/news anchor at TV5 and sister network Bloomberg Philippines. His bylined op-ed pieces on topics such as democracy, human rights, and press freedom have appeared in the New York Times, The Washington Post, and United Kingdom-based The Guardian.
The panel of jurors for the Glory Awards was composed of UP College of Mass Communication dean Dr. Elena Pernia; former news director of CNN Philippines and ABS-CBN News Channel Jing Magsaysay; multi-awarded writer Ricky Lee; former chair and president of the International Association of Business Communicators-Philippine Chapter Ritzi Ronquillo; and Prof. Betsy Enriquez. Among the criteria applied in the selection were the nominees’ professional track record, leadership and advocacies, impact of their work in the community, and the merits of work samples submitted for jury evaluation.
