The lives and careers of twelve distinguished alumni of the UP College of Mass Communication (UP CMC) were honored with the 2018 Glory Awards on October 6, 2018 at the Ang Bahay ng Alumni. The recipients of the awards are chosen from alumni of the College who have made significant contributions in its four core disciplines: broadcasting, communication research, film, and journalism; or in allied communication fields.
The Glory Awards are named after the College’s first dean, Gloria D. Feliciano, who shepherded the program from 1965 to her retirement in 1985. Awardees are chosen by a panel of jurors composed of leading figures in the communication industry and are judged for their contributions to and impact on the domains of knowledge, leadership and social responsibility within their specializations.
The 2018 Awardees are, in no order: Pedro “Boo” Chanco, III of the Philippine Star; Dolores F. Cheng, founder of the Center for Possibilities Foundation; Cecilia Victoria “Ces” Drilon of the ABS-CBN Lifestyle Ecosystem Group; ABS-CBN Chief of Staff Florida “Linggit” Tan-Marasigan; Jose Ramon D. Olives, former Strategy and Business Development head of ABS-CBN; GMA Network Entertainment Group Senior Vice President Lilybeth G. Rasonable; GMA First Vice President for News Mary Grace Dela Peña-Reyes; Luz Rimban of the Asian Center for Journalism and VERA Files; Film Director and Producer Chito S. Roño; ABS-CBN Middle East Correspondent Michelle Fe “Maxxy” Santiago; ABS-CBN News Deputy Editor for Multimedia Fernando G. Sepe, Jr.; and, digital media and measurement expert, Beth Uyenco.
Many of the awardees credited their alma mater for empowering them to become capable professionals. Lilybeth Rasonable, for instance, who is behind TV hits like My Husband’s Lover, said the University taught her to excel and “rise above the noise”. She said that it has been fulfilling to subsequently open the minds and hearts of GMA’s viewers, while also educating them through the LGBT-centered themes of the aforementioned show, and through historical or women-empowering soaps like Encantadia and Amaya.
This sentiment was echoed by Luz Rimban of VERA Files, who noted how her education, family and friends had helped her through tough times as a journalist. “Every day you live with bad news,” she said. “From crimes to catastrophes and corrupt politicians who, even when straight-faced, lie. And you know that they’re lying”.
“So why are we here, why do we do this? “, Rimban asked. “In this day and age, in these dark moments, we are the eyes and the ears of the people. We are the voice of the powerless and the silenced. Let us be a light in these dark times”.
The Glory Awards also served as a tribute to the life of the late Maryo J. delos Reyes, a two-time CMC Alumni Association president. Some of the film and TV director’s favorite songs were performed by singer-actress Isabelle de Leon, actor Ruru Madrid, balladeer Steven Paysu and recording artist Raymond Lauchengco. (Andre Encarnacion, UP MPRO)
