THE MEDIATOR | VOL.I ISSUE 2 | GRADUATION ISSUE

BA Comm produces 43 graduates; 15 attain Latin honors SHANNEL JAY AGUINALDO

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nd their degrees have been conferred!

A total of 43 graduates from the Bachelor of Arts in Communication have completed their degrees and marched during the 45th Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) Commencement Exercises on July 14 at the proverbial Sunken Garden.

Among the 43, 15 were recognized for their exceptional academic performance as these outstanding students received Latin honors, with four magna cum laude and 11 as cum laude.

Leianne Zyra Calderon, from the program, led this year’s commencement exercises as she garnered the highest General Weighted Average (GWA) of 1.2168 among 3,139 graduates.

These students were the second batch of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) K to 12 program and experienced online and in-person learning throughout their four-year stay at MMSU due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

First-time in MMSU History

BA COMM GRAD LEADS MMSU ‘23

RYAND UGALDE

CITY OF BATAC, Philippines — A Bachelor of Arts in Communication student made history as the first-ever class valedictorian from the program for the annual commencement exercises of Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) since its establishment in 1978.

Leianne Zyra Calderon, 22, hailing from the City of Batac, finished her degree with a 1.2168 General Weighted Average (GWA)— attaining the magna cum laude Latin honor and the highest grade holder among the 3,139 graduates this academic year. She led the Batch 2023 at the iconic MMSU Sunken Garden during the 45th Commencement Exercises on July 14. | to p.2 First on First

Senior comm stude hailed grand History in the making: Y2C stages winner in nat’l photo contest

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RYAND UGALDE

he first to win in the first-ever Bravo Filipino Publishing’s online photo competition, Zanel John Dumayag, a 2023 graduate of the Bachelor of Arts in Communication program, bagged the grand prize and was named Photographer of the Year in the amateur category.

Besting 72 other entries from amateur and professional categories, Dumayag’s image titled ‘Window into Childhood’ featured two male children inside a traditional jeepney, where the student photographer aimed to pay homage to the “no to jeepney phaseout” movement of drivers.

“I chose to take a picture of kids having fun riding a jeepney. My goal is for future generations to still be able to experience the thrill of riding one, even after traditional jeepneys

are phased out. I hope that my photo can evoke that same feeling of joy and nostalgia,” Dumayag told Y2C in an interview.

It can be recalled the student photographer won several contests involving photography.

When asked, Dumayag wants to continue incorporating his passion into his everyday life.

“I enjoy capturing moments and scenes that interest me, and I find photography to be a great way to explore and appreciate the world around me. So I think I’ll just stick to street photography [my favorite genre], do my thin, and make sure to bring my camera with me wherever I go,” the 4th year student said.

Dumayag received his trophy during the awarding ceremony on June 13 at the Manila Hotel in Metro Manila.

Comm student’s undergrad thesis grabs awards in int’l research confab

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ith his passion and interest in climate stories, Edmar Delos Santos, a graduate of the Bachelor of Arts in Communication program, placed as the 2nd best paper presenter and was awarded for having the 3rd best abstract under the Arts, Communication, and Social Sciences category in the 2023 International Undergraduate Research Congress held last May 31, 2023, via Zoom.

The International Undergraduate Research Congress was joined by universities in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, such as Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, UOW Malaysia KDUPG University

DANA MERYLL C. GAPAS AND JANNA BUTAY

College, Universitas PGRI Madiun, Universitas Muhammadiyah Metro, Chiang Mai University, Mariano Marcos State University, and Quirino State University.

In his award-winning thesis titled “Factors Affecting Journalists in Reporting In-depth Climate Change Stories,” he expressed that his inspiration in pursuing this research is because he saw the lack of spotlight for climate stories.

“My family is fond of listening to the radio, and as a kid, I observed and realized that the stories that are being reported are on controversial issues, such as politics. Upon listening, I realized that most of their stories on the

status quo [climate change] are reported in a straight news format, and in-depth stories are almost not pursued. That’s when I decided to explore why,” Delos Santos shared in an interview.

His paper also won second place at the Philippine Journalism Research Conference of the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman and College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Research Summit under the categories of Community Studies and Arts, Education, and Social Sciences, respectively.

Prof. Myra Eugenia Castillo, BA Communication program chair, served as his thesis adviser.

1st local media award-giving body

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RYAND UGALDE

ecognizing the excellence of professional Ilocos-norte-based journalists in their crafts, the Young Communicators’ Circle (Y2C) organized ‘Aweng Awards’— making history as the first-ever award ceremony in the locale on March 24 at the Teatro Ilocandia.

Awardees were selected based on the total votes from Bachelor of Arts in Communication students.

Five categories vary from the best radio personalities, stations, and social media news pages given during the ceremony. | to p.7

BA COMM GRAD LEADS...

Why BA Comm?

Wanting to follow in her mother’s footsteps, Calderon enrolled as a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) strand student during her senior high school to pursue Physical Therapy for her tertiary education. Eventually, passion became her priority.

Communication majors are no strangers to the “non-challenging” perception of people toward the degree. But this did not stop her from taking the risk.

“Most of the people I know were shocked; some were disappointed, but one thing is for sure: I never regretted enrolling and pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Communication,” Calderon told Y2C.

How did she manage her mental health and online learning?

Her interest in learning did not exempt Calderon from academic stress. Dealing with five semesters of online classes forced everyone to adjust to pre-pandemic routines. “[The hardest part of my college journey] would be during the online classes. That was hard because we were learning through the screen, and I am a face-to-face kind of student because I love the full experience of mingling with others, having conversations, and just meeting people from different walks of life. After all, that makes the experience profound and authentic,” Calderon expressed.

Being a consistent achiever from her childhood, Calderon also did not escape the pressure she established for herself. The graduating student also went through constant disappointments—

“My parents are supportive; they don’t pressure me, especially during my college journey.

If there Is pressure, I think It would be from myself because I constantly want to get better every day,” she said.

“There are times when college hits you hard, and sometimes you get disappointed.

Sometimes you just want to give up because it’s never easy. But when you get through all that and when you learn to rise above all those things that keep pulling you down, you will realize it is worth every second and minute. That all the sleepless nights are worth it and that hard work indeed pays off,” added Calderon

Law school next Pursuing her childhood dream of becoming a lawyer, she will take a Juris Doctor degree right after graduation. According to her, she will enroll in the MMSU College of Law. When asked about her message to those who will come after her, Calderon reminds others to be patient and not lose passion for their craft and studies.

“Enjoy college; don’t compare yourself to others’ achievements because once you start comparing, you become unhappy. Focus on yourself and celebrate even the small wins,” she said.

During the commencement exercises, 495 marched with Latin honors; 15 were communication students. Of the 15, four are magna cum laude, and 11 are cum laude.

Aside from Calderon, Paul Angelo Juan, Maria Anna Jessica Rosqueta, and Edmar Delos Santos all magna cum laude and communication students, ranked third, sixth, and 13th, respectively, in the overall list of candidates for academic honors.

Comm students’ documentary film finalist in SinePiyu, Gawad Alternatibo

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JANNA BUTAY

documentary film titled ‘Arapaap’ (Dreams), helmed by second-year communication student Ryand Ugalde is a finalist in two national film festivals.

Ugalde’s film was among the top five finalists in the prestigious national student film competition, Sinepiyu, held at the Far Eastern University-Manila from May 2 to 6. It was also named as one of the official selections under the documentary category of the 35th Gawad Alternatibo of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

The short documentary film will be shown during the Cinemalaya season from August 4-13 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).

The documentary follows the story of a college student making his way through education by working at the carnival every day after school.

Ugalde partnered with Ilocos Norte Youth Development Office to stream and produce the said documentary film. It premiered on Sirib Express’ official Facebook

page on Feb. 28 during the celebration of National Arts Month.

“I was always a big fan of documentaries because of their ability to magnify narratives that we often take for granted. I decided to pursue ‘Arapaap’ because I wanted to give people, especially the youth, a glimpse of how important hard work is in achieving their dreams,” Ugalde said when asked about his inspiration behind the documentary.

When asked about the film’s message, Ugalde said that the message is nothing but to inspire.

He emphasized that he wants the people who will watch the film to be motivated and to live another day, fighting for their dreams no matter how hard their aspirations may be.

Alongside Ugalde, other communication students are also part of the production team: Edmar Delos Santos, a BA Communication 2023 graduate, served as the assistant director, and John Bryan Dela Cruz, a secondyear student, as the video editor.

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discouraging her from continuing her craft.

Comm studes recognized in Students’ Day 2023 JERICHO REY ORTEGA

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achelor of Arts in Communication (BA Comm) students who won in national competitions received recognition during the annual Students’ Day held at the Teatro Ilocandia on January 30, 2023.

The awardees from the program are: Ryand Angelo Ugalde, 2nd Place, Out of the Box Initiative’s Nationwide Media and Information Literacy Video Contest; Chris Jeremiah Antonio and Jirah Dean Failano, 3rd Place,

Senior comm student champs Ilokano food photo tilt MARIA ANNA JESSICA ROSQUETA

Out of the Box Initiative’s Nationwide Media and Information Literacy Video Contest; Zanel John Dumayag 2nd Place, Development Academy of the Philippines’ Apo Vision 2025 Photo Contest; Ryand Angelo Ugalde, Aaron Zandler Guillermo, Nympha Borromeo, Jamico Cirs Jingco, and Angel Ped, People’s Choice Award, PUP Radio Press Conference 2022; Aaron Zandler Guillermo, Best Male News Presenter, PUP Radio Press

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AOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte– Jericho John V. Angeles, a BA Communication 2023 graduate, clinched first place in the eatsLAOAG! Photo Contest, besting other 82 entries from the province.

Angeles’ entry, ‘ Wrapped with Love,’ showcased Ilokano delicacies patupat and linapet, made from glutinous rice boiled in coconut milk and wrapped in banana leaves. All participants were asked to capture two Ilokano food, dishes, delicacies, or

Conference 2022; Zanel John Dumayag and Meryll Wayne Mendoza, Top 10 Finalist, Ortigas Vertical Cinema Contest.

Ryand Angelo Ugalde, one of the awardees, thanked the university for recognizing his achievements but said it is not merely personal. “It anchored on the thought of wanting to represent the [BA Communication] program with pride. I hope to stamp the name of the program in more national engagements and

hopefully the international arena.”

Students’ Day is celebrated annually to give recognition to extraordinary students who excelled in the different extracurricular fields at the national and international levels, including the best student councils and academic organizations last academic year.

It is done during the founding anniversary celebration of Mariano Marcos State University.

snacks.

is a part of the ‘Hapag ng Pamana’ Filipino Food Festival celebration, organized by the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) in partnership with the City Government of Laoag from April 18-19. The festival showcased cooking competitions, cooking demonstrations, cultural shows, fora of Ilokano foods, and a photography contest.

In December 2022, Angeles also bagged first place in the Shine Laoag Photo Contest in the same city.

“The idea or concept of my photo is a core memory of my childhood, since I can still remember my mama buying it [patupat and linapet] whenever she goes to the market, and even though it was difficult to open since it’s sticky, I can still remember how much I enjoyed eating it,” Angeles said.

“I had been eyeing another entry to win, which is why it felt surreal and unexpected when I found out that I won first place,” he shared.

The said photo contest

Junior comm studes complete STEM MOOC

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ANGELYN LIGSAY

hirty-two (32) junior Bachelor of Arts in Communication students were recognized as Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) completers during the Thanksgiving Cum Celebration of Learning at the Center for Flexible Learning (CFL) on June 5.

Provided by the University of Pennsylvania and the Embassy of the United States in the Philippines, third-year students took English for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics through Canvas during the first semester of this academic year.

Some faculty members of the Department of Languages and Literature (DLL) were also awarded as MOOC Completers, as well as students from the Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEEd),

Bachelor of Arts in English Language (ABEL), and Batac National High School.

The said Thanksgiving event was mainly for Dr. Kirsten Dyck, an English Language Fellow, for her last day of service at Mariano Marcos State University, where she shared her experiences teaching and living in Ilocos Norte.

Dr. Marivic M. Alimbuyugen, the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), expressed her gratitude for the push all-out out support for internationalization.

“This Thanksgiving celebration is not enough to say our thanks, Dr. Dyck. Materially, we cannot thank you enough for the knowledge that you have sealed in the heart of our students and the experiences that you have shared,” Dr. Alimbuyuguen said in her message to Dr. Dyck.

SCREENSHOT | Young Communicators’ Circle Page

Comm study on distance learning published in int’l journal SHANELL JAY AGUINALDO

PHOTOS | Maria Anna Jessica Rosqueta

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n undergraduate thesis of a communication graduate on distance learning was published in the May issue of E-DAWA, an international multidisciplinary research journal of the Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College (ISPSC).

Authored by Maria Anna Jessica Rosqueta and guided by her thesis adviser Dr. Maria Deleilah F. Adriatico, their study was titled “Perceptions and Strategies on Distance Learning Communication Modalities.” It explored students’ perspectives on their used learning communication modalities during the pandemic, as well as their struggles and how they catch up with their classes.

In an interview, Rosqueta explained that her motivation in conducting the study was her firsthand experience of witnessing students struggle to attend classes and complete tasks while prioritizing their mental health and well-being during the pandemic.

“I feel a sense of fulfillment now that it has been published in an international journal because it allows everyone the freedom to access and read it for their benefit. Contributing to the academic community and society [through our study], as a whole, is a personal achievement,” shared Rosqueta.

Further, Rosqueta hopes their study brings fresh perspectives on how students perceive and strategize their communication modalities within online settings.

Their journal article is now available through the ISPSC’s website.

Comm thesis on Pinoy BL published in int’l Journal for Humanities

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CRISDENIELE CLEMENTE

on del Prado and Jamie Guzman, both graduating communication students, got their study on the Filipino Boys Love (BL) series published in the Journal of Humanities, Music, and Dance (JHMD), an international peer-reviewed open-access journal, on June 1.

In the June-July 2023 issue of JHMD, Del Prado and Guzman’s study titled “Portrayal of Love and Social Issues of LGBTQIA+ in Pinoy Boys’ Love Series” analyzed the romantic patterns and love languages depicted in select BL series in the country through content analysis.

Their study also highlighted the struggles of LGBTQIA+ members portrayed in the BL series, reflecting the social issues faced in reality. “The

potential of the BL series to show the hardships that LGBT people had historically and continue to face in society was also noted, including personal-social and political-social concerns that affect them,” an excerpt of their abstract read.

“What a fortuitous coincidence that we received this good news in the course of Pride Month,” Del Prado shared after learning that it was published during Pride Month. “[It aims to] insist on remembering how your uniqueness makes you stronger,” he shared when asked what the study means to the LGBTQ+ community.

Prof. Bryan R. Realgo served as their thesis adviser and also co-authored the said journal article.

PHOTO | Von Del Prado

UNP faculty member discusses visual comm in Y2Con

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STEPHANIE CAMILLE ILAR

communication faculty member from the University of Northern Philippines discussed visual communication in the fifth episode of Y2Con on February 18, 2023.

PHOTO \ Jirah Dean Failano

Comm studes victor in SUC Fair documentary making contest

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SHANELL JAY AGUINALDO

LOILO CITY– In an impressive display of talent and creativity at State Universities and Colleges (SUC) Fair 2023, Region I representatives Ryand Ugalde, Jirah Failano, and John Bryan Dela Cruz, all communication students from Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU), emerged as champions in the Same Event Edit Documentary competition held in Iloilo City from July 10-13.

Besting ten other Regions across the country, the trio showcased their exceptional skills in storytelling.

The Same Event Edit Documentary tilt challenged the participants to create a video that

narrates and highlights the four-day SUC fair.

Directed, written, and narrated by Ugalde, with cinematography and editing

by Failano and Dela Cruz, and sound design by Failano, the winning piece demonstrated their collaborative efforts. They were guided and coached by their Sirmata adviser Prof. Bryan Eli Bagasin Sadorra.

The SUC Fair 2023 was orchestrated by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and hosted by West Visayas State University. It aimed to provide a platform for talented individuals from different regions to exhibit their abilities across various disciplines in culture and the arts.

With the topic “Beyond the Visual Spectrum: Discovering the True Power of Communication,” Dr. Irene Abigail S. Guerrero tackled the importance and power of visual communication in the lives of people.

Moreover, the webinar introduced what visual communication is, its purpose, its parts, and some considerations to

be aware of when making designs.

The said webinar was participated by Bachelor of Arts in Communication students from the university and UNP. Y2Con is a monthly webinar series spearheaded by the Young Communicators’ Circle (Y2C) that aims to educate students in all fields of communication media.

Comm PDI reporter to comm studes: freshie wins Obligate the truth amid new journalistic Pysche landscape Week Philippine Daily “With the pandemic, emphasized.

Inquirer (PDI) reporter nagbago how we cover things, (But fact-checking digiposter urged communication how we cover events…[but] our is already important in news students to still pursue obligation to the truth, our loyalty writing. We should not primarily contest truth and prioritize loyalty to the citizens [did not change],” rely on what information is being to the audience in the age Corrales said. said to us.)

TRISHA CABUAL

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JENN KHYLEI LACUESTA

of misinformation and disinformation and the COVID-19 pandemic in a news writing webinar on March 18.

Speaking at the sixth episode of Y2Con held via Facebook Live and Zoom Conference, Mr. Nestor Corrales trained communication students about effective news and reportage, highlighting how the pandemic has changed how journalists gather and report information.

Primarily revolved around news values, effective lead writing, and news structures, Corrales encouraged students to master and apply these skills, as well as to “know your stories by heart” to write an article effectively. “[Ngunit] napakaimportante rin na part ng story ngayon ang fact-checking, hindi lang tayo tanggap nang tanggap ng kung anong narrative ang binibigay sa atin,” he further

The said webinar was attended by communication students from the university and other participants from Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College, University Northern Philippines, and Pangasinan State University.

Corrales is a communication graduate from the university and currently taking his Master of Arts in Journalism at the University of the PhilippinesDiliman.

Comm students, DLL faculty members shine in university-wide NWM celeb

B PHOTO | Merryl Bonifacio

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hris Jeremiah Antonio, a first-year Bachelor of Arts in Communication student, was hailed second place in the Digital Poster Contest organized by the Psyche Society on April 1, 2023.

With the theme “Breaking out of the Brine: Students Gearing towards Academic Resilience and Personal Development,” Antonio bested five other entries from different student organizations in the College of Arts and Sciences.

According to Antonio, his digital poster focused on how students who develop academic resilience and personal development are more likely to succeed academically and personally.

“By participating in the competition, I was able to showcase my creativity and passion for the topic. It also inspired me to continue exploring and promoting the idea of academic resilience and personal development [through graphic designing],” Antonio told Y2C. The said contest is a part of the Psyche Week celebration of the student organization of the Bachelor of Science in Psychology program. Aside from the digital poster competition, a webinar, online fundraising, online liveselling, and mental wellness events were also held.

JIRAH DEAN FAILANO and JESSA MAY INAY BARTOLOME

achelor of Arts in Communication students and faculty members of the Department of Languages and Literature (DLL) dominated different contested activities during the culmination program of the National Women’s Month celebration in the university on March 30 at Teatro Ilocandia.

The documentary led her to change the lives of as well as promoted awareness film ‘Grasya’ helmed by Ryand other people. and preservation of the Ilokano Angelo Ugalde and his team Meanwhile, Mr. cultures and emphasized the Ruth Ann Bagaoisan, Dana Adrianne Lorenzo C. Corpuz importance of creating a more Meryl Gapas, and John Bryan and Ms. Melody H. Allado, inclusive and equitable society.

Dela Curz, all communication two faculty members from The culmination students, bagged first place in DLL, graced their exquisite program featured various the University Student Council’s Inabel attire during the runway activities, including cultural (USC) ‘Babae Ka Hindi Babae presentation and competition and song and dance presentations, a Lang’ documentary competition. garnered second and third place, fashion show, cultural showcases, ‘Grasya’ follows respectively, during the Rubuat awarding certificates of a student who was once the ken Aruat 2.0. recognition to gender advocates character of her own pictureRubuat ken Aruat and retirees, and the awarding of perfect life story. But when highlighted the achievements contested activities for National a sensitive video was leaked of women and recognized Women’s Month and the Ilokano involving her, the narrative their essential contributions in food Innovation and cookfest changed. Knowing what it feels various fields such as politics, competition. like to be hopeless, her struggles education, health, and culture,

SCREENSHOT | Young Communicators’ Circle Page

Comm freshie wins Bb. Marcos 2023 JOHN RUSSELL ORDONIA

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ith her ethereal beauty and unparalleled wit, Jennifer Yalung, a first-year Bachelor of Arts in Communication student, was crowned Binibining Marcos 2023 at the Marcos Municipal Hall, Marcos, Ilocos Norte, on March 11.

With 12 lovely candidates, Yalung stood out among other girls, taking home six other minor awards aside from the title: Most Charming, Best in Performer in Production Number, Best in Casual Wear, Best in Swimsuit, Most Photogenic 1st Runner-Up, Best in Talent 2nd Runner-Up, and two corporate awards.

In the battle for the crown, Yalung made her supporters proud during the question-andanswer portion as she answered with eloquence and calmness, enough to secure the title.

“Having this beauty pageant makes us women boost our self-confidence. Not only will it boost our self-confidence, but

it will also help us become better individuals; thus, this beauty pageant is important not only to us candidates but also to all people because, through our voice as candidates, we can be an influence on our fellow youth,” an excerpt of Yalung’s answer when asked about the relevance of beauty pageants during the recovery from the pandemic.

“It was a very great opportunity and challenge for me to join in this competition, but at the same time, I feel blessed that I saw my supporters, especially my family, who’s been there through this journey. This was a great experience that I would use to become a better individual,” the 19-year-old beauty queen told Y2C in an interview.

Bb. Marcos is an annual event in the said town in celebration of their 6th Mannalon Festival. The said local pageant serves as an avenue for beauty queens to promote their advocacies and their municipality’s products and tourism.

Communication at Mariano Marcos State University, served as the speaker who talked about “The Ad-vantage: Making Your Brand Pop in the Crowded Market.”

She discussed the strategies in advertising and the reason why companies need to promote their products among the people.

Hosted by the

organization, Y2Con is a monthly webinar tackling topics in the different disciplines of communication and media. It is primarily being participated by Bachelor of Arts in Communication students of the university.

PHOTO | ArJae Photography

Y2C holds webinar on IMC, advertising ROSE ANN BALINO

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oung Communicators’ Circle (Y2C) conducted the fifth episode of Y2Con (Y2C Conference) with the topic of integrated marketing communication (IMC), specifically advertising, on Feb. 25 via Zoom and Facebook Live.

Prof. Myra Eugenia S. Castillo, Program Chair of BA

Comm stude wins best editing at Tan-ok film fest

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EDMAR DELOS SANTOS

ohn Bryan Dela Cruz, a second-year Bachelor of Arts in Communication student, brought home the Best Editing award under the narrative category of the 2023 Tan-ok ni Ilokano Film Festival during the awarding ceremony held at the Ferdinand E. Marcos Stadium on Feb. 24.

The sophomore student edited the film ‘Karkarma,’ a short film helmed by Mr. Melver Ritz Gomez, a faculty of the Department of Languages and Literature (DLL). It is one of the two official entries under the narrative category of the film festival.

‘Karkama’ tells the story of Tisang, a woman with golden earrings who explores her

town to find ‘mangagas’ (healers) for her ‘karkarma’- the second soul of Ilokanos. It dominated the film festival with numerous awards–aside from its achievement in post-production–namely, Best Narrative Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Scoring, Best Screenplay, and Best Actress.

Meanwhile, ‘Aweng,’ the Best Documentary Film under the documentary category of the said festival, was narrated by sophomore student Ryand Angelo Ugalde.

Last December 2022, Dela Cruz also got the best editing award for the film ‘Iliw’ during the second edition of Y2Cinema, an annual film festival of the Young Communicators’ Circle (Y2C).

SCREENSHOT | Young Communicators’ Circle Page

Y2C mounts int’l communication, media congress anew ELOISA KATE FLORES and MYRNA GUILLERMO

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oung Communicators’ Circle (Y2C) conducted its 9th International Young Communicative Human Development (YouComManD) Congress, its major annual activity, via Facebook Live and Zoom on May 06 and 13.

With this year’s theme, “COMMverged: Communication as a pan-discipline in the globalized technological landscape,” eleven equally competent communication and media experts were invited for this year’s edition and talked about different fields of communication, four of whom are international speakers.

The speakers on the first day were Ms. Jessica Nalupta, Dr. Catalina Doran, Dr. Mark B. Ula, Dr. Davide Dall’Agata, and Dr. Ludwig O. Federigan.

They discussed communication in service work, international cooperation, gender and culture, intelligence and global security, and climate change, respectively.

Meanwhile, Mr. Jeff Canoy, Mr. Steve Michael Moore, Dr. Richmond Romar S. Rivera, Mr. Joseph Arcegono, Mr. Mark John Pamintuan, and Asst. Prof.

Ian Boots Bautista talked about digital journalism, public relations, communication ethics, regional cinema, project management, and digital imaging, respectively, on the second day.

MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis praised the organization for improving the media congress every year. “A lot

has changed [since the first edition of the congress in 2014], but Y2C continuously evolved and has grown. Y2C as an organization has truly come a long way.”

“It is an annual event where we empower and expand student talents and support them in unveiling their full potential and communicative competence through webinars,” Leianne Zyra Calderon, Y2C Executive Chairperson, said.

The virtual media congress was attended by over 200 communication students from the university and around the Philippines and various academic institutions in Indonesia.

MMSU Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Prima Fe Franco congratulated the whole Y2C during the last day of the event for implementing such kind of activity and advised communication students to continue striving for excellence and be the agents of change and catalysts in society carrying the trademark of a true stallion.

The said media congress was held virtually for the fourth time and third-consecutive year internationally.

Y2C launches The Mediator to promote BA Comm

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oung Communicators’ Circle (Y2C) finally introduced its official newsletter, The Mediator, on April 18 through Facebook Live.

The Mediator will feature articles on Y2C and the Bachelor of Arts in Communication program, such as the organization’s activities and achievements of communication students in various competitions and on the latest trends and social issues.

“The main concept of our newsletter is to encourage communication students to write stories concerning our degree program, college, university, and the nation. Thus, all articles are

BERNADETTE TOLEDO

from the communication students’ perspectives,” Edmar Delos Santos, the editor-in-chief and founder, said.

The newsletter will also serve as promotional material to encourage graduating senior high school students to enroll in the program. The newsletter’s diverse content will provide prospective students with a glimpse of the academic excellence and opportunities that await them at Y2C and in the program.

The maiden issue of The Mediator is now available online through Issuu and Y2C’s official website.

SCREENSHOT from Zoom

History in the making: Y2C... | from p.1

Bombo Radyo Laoag’s Romnick Quimoyog and Love Radio’s DJ Jaja May were awarded Best Local Radio Personality for AM and FM, respectively.

Meanwhile, the Best Local Radio Station is Bombo Radyo Laoag, while FM is Love Radio Laoag.

For online, Headline Ilocos got the Best Social Media News Page.

Quimoyog, one of the awardees, shared how awardgiving bodies like the Aweng Awards validate their work as journalists of the province.

“Through this kind of prestigious award, our efforts behind the scenes as journalists [are] recognized somehow.

Hence, we feel [more] eager to make people updated about current events and noteworthy

information,” Quimoyog told Y2C in an interview.

Further, the Bombo Radyo anchor gave a message to all aspiring journalists in Ilocos Norte. “I want to tell them that they should never, never, never stop until they can make their dreams into a reality, even if they are convinced that it’s all over. Let’s help each other to inform everyone about what is happening in our society.”

Aweng Awards was inspired by other award-giving bodies from the biggest schools in the metro offering communication programs. The organization vowed to add more categories in the next years to come.

Comm studes reap awards in regional press con

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ELLEN JUNE ARCHANGEL

achelor of Arts in Communication students seized awards in the 21st Regional Higher Education Press Conference (RHEPC) organized by the Association of Regional Campus Press Advisers in Higher Education Institutions, Inc.

(ARCPA HEI), held on January 26–28, 2023, at Puerto de San Juan, San Juan, La Union.

Participated by more than 300 campus journalists from 21 higher education institutions (HEIs) in the Ilocos region, communication students from the university ranked in

various individual and on-thespot categories: Edmar Delos Santos, 6th Place in Feature Writing (English) and 9th Place in Copyreading and Headline Writing (English); Crisdeniele Clemente, 7th Place in DevCom Writing (English); and Ryand Ugalde, 8th Place in News Writing (Filipino).

Meanwhile, Ryand Ugalde, Angel Christin Ped, and Jirah Failano in the Radio Broadcasting (Filipino) group category seized the Best Anchors/ Reporters, Best Script, and the overall championship out of seven competing groups.

3 faculty members author book on risk, disaster, humanitarian comm

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PHOTOS | Brett Andrew Rikke P. Bungcayao

RANDY GIANAN JR.

hree communication faculty members of the Department of Languages and Literature (DLL) at the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) recently published a book on the integrated concept of risk, disaster, and humanitarian communication.

The book authored

by Mr. Brett Andrew Rikke P. Bungcayao, Dr. Bryan R. Realgo, and Prof. Karla Auria S. Galeon was titled “Taking the Risk: An Introduction to Crisis, Disaster, and Humanitarian Communication.” It was independently published by the authors.

In an online interview, Mr. Bungcayao shared that the said book came to inspiration by realizing how underrated the discipline is and how they want this book to not be a mere piece of information about the subject matter or become simply

just a guide but to highlight its importance and how they must integrate risk communication as a part of everyone’s everyday conversations.

The said book aims to share an appreciation of the discipline of communication and how it can be a powerful tool during critical times as it purposefully justifies its main goal, which is to save lives, prevent, and minimize risks and hazards.

Meanwhile, Prof.

Galeon also published a book on Development Communication in April titled “The Basics and Beyond of Development Communication.”

“Taking the Risk: An Introduction to Crisis, Disaster, and Humanitarian Communication” and “The Basics and Beyond of Development Communication” are now available via online purchase through the Amazon website.