A Night of Glory brings together achievers in media

MANILA, Philippines — A celebrity-studded alumni homecoming was what the UP College of Mass Communication (UP-CMC) took pride in when it recently held its grand reunion, A Night of Glory, at the UP Bahay ng Alumni in Diliman, Quezon City.

From the hosts to the performers, the awardees and the attendees, the event saw a good number of stars and well-known celebrities that added glitter and glamour to the night. UP-CMC alumni Pia Guanio hosted the program, with the perky Tuesday Vargas and Kaladkaren Davila (a.k.a. Jervi Li) adding fun and laughter to most of what transpired onstage, much to the delight of the attendees.

Through the years, UP-CMC has a deep well of achievers in media and allied fields of communication, even in showbiz. The graduates have become movers and leaders in Philippine mass media.

Highlight of the evening was the first Glory Awards, held in honor of UP-CMC’s first dean, Dr. Gloria Feliciano. The awards were conferred to the outstanding alumni of the college, with substantive track records of accomplishment.

Pernia with UP-CMC Alumni Association president Malou Choa-Fagar and director Maryo J. de los Reyes

After this year, the Glory Awards will be held annually, according to the “indefatigable” UP-CMC Alumni Association president Malou Choa-Fagar. Also around to hand out the awards were UP president Danilo Concepcion, UP-CMC dean Neny Pernia and Dr. Gigi Javier-Alfonzo (who designed the trophy).

Seven successful and eminent alumni of UP-CMC were recognized and chosen by a jury of mass communication experts. The awardees were ABS-CBN entertainment production division head Lauren Dyogi for TV arts, GMA Network news executive Marissa Flores for broadcast journalism, independent PR practitioner Joy Buensalido for public relations, newsroom executive Roby Alampay for print and online journalism, UP Film Institute director Sari Dalena for filmmaking, CEO of McCann Worldgroup Philippines Raul Castro for marketing communication and Oxfam Asia regional director Lan Mercado for social advocacy.

Meanwhile, several illustrious UP-CMC alumni were also recognized and given the Glory Medal of Distinction. They have reaffirmed the college’s “tradition of excellence and paved the way for the next generation of achievers.”

For advocacy and public service, the awardees included Sen. Loren Legarda, former Press Undersecretary and Vice Mayor of La Paz, Tarlac Robert Mananquil, former Sen. Orly Mercado, film and TV director Maria Montelibano and chairman of Creative Point International Dante Velasco.

PeopleAsia editor-in-chief Joanne Rae Ramirez (right) and Joy Buensalido

“I am eternally grateful for the discipline and learning that I acquired from the UP-CMC,” said Legarda. “That helped me in my career as a broadcast-journalist and now, as a public servant. Up to this day, I remain committed to the ideals and principles of the UP-CMC.”

For education and research, there were Pernia, former UP Diliman vice chancellor and UP-CMC Prof. Tessa Jazmines. For film, there were Cinema One channel head Ronald Arguelles and award-winning film/TV director Maryo de los Reyes. (Direk Maryo passed away last month.)

For journalism, the awardees included TV5 News and Public Affairs head Luchi Cruz-Valdez, GMA Network broadcast journalist Kara David, book editor and travel writer Angge Goloy, Rappler editor-at-large Marites Vitug, publisher-editor Vic Tirol, TV5 news anchor Ed Lingao, GMA Network news anchor Jessica Soho, Inquirer editor Abel Ulanday, ABS-CBN head of News and Current Affairs Ging Reyes, founder and CEO of One Mega Group Sari Yap and from The Philippine STAR, there were editor-in-chief Amy Pamintuan, Lifestyle editor Millet Martinez-Mananquil and PeopleAsia editor Joanne Rae Ramirez.

From performing arts, there were Tessie Tomas and Ogie Alcasid, while from television, there were Sev Sarmenta and Lyca Benitez-Brown.

Performers that night included Myrtle Sarrosa, UP-CMC broadcast communication batch 2017 graduate, cum laude. She is also Ginebra San Miguel calendar girl 2018. GMA Network artist Ruru Madrid, a protégé of direk Maryo, also rendered a few numbers.

A Night of Glory was presented by San Miguel Corp. and Television and Production Exponents (TAPE, Inc.), producer of TV’s long-running noontime fare, Eat Bulaga!.