What is your best memory of the UP College of Masscom?

Everyone holds precious memories of their school. This is where students meet friends for life and where they learn values they will hold forever. I believe my four-year stay at the University of the Philippines helped build my self-esteem and character. Most specifically, my having specialized in communication at the College of Mass Communication armed me with the right skills that I use in my job.

The UP CMC is holding a grand homecoming on Sept. 27 at the CMC grounds from 1 to 6 p.m. Who says UP graduates don’t have the same spirit as our Ateneo and De La Salle counterparts? I hope our CMC graduates will come in full force for this centennial celebration, which is touted to be one of the biggest and grandest ever. Here are a few graduates of UP CMC who share our memories.

TESSA M. JAZMINES, president, Larc and Asset; BA Journalism, 1968, MA Communication, 1975: I have so many memories of UP Mass Comm because I have not left it since I graduated in 1968! I taught at CMC right after college and am still at it, so really, I’m still making memories every day. I fondly remember all the generations of CMC students that I had the pleasure of teaching and mentoring. But my happiest memory of UP CMC, I guess, would be when the CMC basketball team that I was managing (the CMC Wildcats) won the intrams championship twice! My players were topnotch and famous: Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio, politician Gilbert Remulla, and Richard Gomez, to name just three. Wagi!

TOTI TREICHLER, film and video editor; BA Film, 1987: UP-IMC was where I found the course that I really wanted. I was in the batch of the first film graduates. IMC is also where I met my wife.

GISELLE SANCHEZ-BUENCAMINO, comedian/corporate host; Broad Comm, 1994, magna cum laude: “Parking” at the back of the CMC building, when the guard caught us and tapped his flashlight on the window of the car and shouted, “Hoy bawal yan dito. Doon kayo sa lagoon!”

JAKE SAN DIEGO, marketing director of Level Up! Philippines; Communication Research, 1993: Directing traffic in front of the CMC building with a giant papier maché club while wearing a furry carpet over bike shorts. It was Starzan and Barok Day during our hell week when I was still an applicant to UP Samaskom. It was character building, really.

MILEN GALANG-TREICHLER, marketing manager, Shang Properties; Broad Comm, 1987: Our teachers were industry stalwarts and our lessons were hands-on, really applying theory into practice. For a documentary scriptwriting class under Maryo J. Delos Reyes, Direk brought us to a bar on Roxas Boulevard called New York, New York, where we interviewed the dancers/entertainers and wrote a docu. Louie Beltran sent us to a police precinct because the first news source of a rookie reporter was the police blotter.

Senator LOREN B.LEGARDA, Broad Comm, 1981: One was during my broadcast production class, Prof. David was very strict then but it was through her that I learned discipline and work ethic. The other fond memory was during my Broadcast Performance class under Professor Orly Mercado, where I was given a grade of 1 despite having stumbled during a performance where I immediately got up. It was then that I learned resilience in life. My professors and all the staff at UP IMC helped and inspired me to become what I am today.

Angel H. Javier, head, entertainment publicity of GMA; Broad Comm, 1990: For a video production class, I worked hard for days to put together a project and was excited to show the class my masterpiece. The day I was going to present was my birthday, but through an act of God, my class was cancelled. We ended up having a fishball party at the parking lot. Little did we know the extent of the catastrophe — it was the 1990 Baguio earthquake.

OGIE ALCASID, singer/TV host; BA Communication, 1993: My best memory was when I had to join Bb. IMC as Miss America and actually won the pageant. It was part of my initiation for entering the Broadcasting Association organization.

MARYO J. DELOS REYES, director; Broad Comm, 1974: A makeshift volleyball court in front of the Masscom steps, where players need not be players but friends freely tossing the ball to one another; the constant tinkering of the bell by librarian Ms. de Jesus warning boisterously funny students to keep quiet while pairs of bikini-cut lingerie are tossed from table to table hoping to be sold; classmates rehearsing at corridors and available corners for performance classes rushing to complete projects; TGIF (Thank God It’s Friday),booze dates after quizzes on Fridays, talking about teachers, class, projects, fads, classmates or anything under the sun and a scar on my right palm bruised by the malfunctioning mimeo machine while running the manifesto!

Joy Lumawig-Buensalido, president and CEO, Buensalido and Associates Public Relations; Broad Comm, 1971, MA Communication Research, 1979: I remember and treasure the people and friends I met there who have influenced me and some of them continue to be part of my work and life up to now: A mentor and our dean at that time, the late Gloria Feliciano; professors like Evelyn David, Cesar Mercado, Puri Tan and Paulina Bautista; Tessa Jazmines who was my thesis adviser; classmates who became better friends after college like Millet Martinez, Chelo Banal, Linda Bolido, Irene Ragodon, Nanette Prodigalidad, Girlie Relunia, Bing Mataverde,Jingjing Villanueva, Diame Dumaup, Imelda Ignacio, Ces Onrubia. I am extremely proud to be a product and alumna of the UP College of Mass Communication because it helped make me the person I am now.

ROSANNA HENARES ANGELES, part-time writer; BA Broadcast Communication: I was at IMC (Institute of Mass Communication) from 1982 to 1986. Orly Mercado taught us 18-year-olds Introduction to Broadcasting or Broad 100. Although an engaging teacher with a really nice voice, we still couldn’t help passing on long conversations on notepad. Once he intercepted and read our notes (names withheld for obvious reasons):

Dear D: Are your armpits in good condition?

Dear T: Why?

Dear D: I was just curious. My own armpits are in terrible shape.

Dear T: Buti nalang inamin mo. Mine are, too!

The great Orly lifted the piece of paper and said, “The future of Mass Media.” He also couldn’t help but make a pointed comment, “Twink, Rhona, Rosanna, may pinagnakawan ba kayong sampayan? Bakit lagi kayong terno?”

Sev Sarmenta was an inspiring teacher who became a friend. Already acting for Rep Phils., I did well in Noel Anam’s TV Speech and Performance (Broad 124). I didn’t quite cut it with Cheche Lazaro for Broadcast Journalism (Broad 133) but buddy Twink Macaraig was outstanding. The other buddy, Rhona Modesto, who is now an RTC Judge, was obviously tops in the Law of Mass Media (Comm 120). 

Evelyn David made such an impact on Divi Jazmines that she turned her back to the lure of advertising and entered ABS-CBN because David said that’s what all self-respecting graduates must do.

CES ONRUBIA JACINTO, Broad Comm, 1970: I believe what made my stint at IMC memorable was very creative and multi-talented classmates. Despite my hectic schedule as a working student, I was still able to have lot of fun and develop long-lasting relationships with my classmates. I remember how we would always have to improvise presentations due to the lack of equipment during our time, as IMC was still fairly new. I am also extremely grateful to all our professors who did their best to prepare us for the real world.

LEAH C. SALTERIO, corporate information manager, Belo Medical Group.; Broad Comm, 1986: Aside from being mentored by great teachers like Tessa Jazmines, Orly Mercado, Bong Lapira, Linggit Tan, Gel Santos-Relos and Carlo Pajar, and being part of the best organization, Broadcasting Association (Broad-Ass), the best memory I have at UP MassComm are the breaks in between classes when I’d simply hang around the college with my closest pals and soul sisters — Fides Raya, Gelly Alcala, Tere Romano and Gina Maranan. Without worrying about our textbooks, subjects, production classes or deadlines, we’d catch up on talk almost endlessly, laugh, tease each other, giggle loudly about boys or even cry, at times. And the afternoons when we’d simply munch on sweet corn, turon, banana/camote cue, lumpia or hail the “Mamang Fishball” to get our fix of the popular street food.