Gateway to My Goals

“Hello PUP! Hello COC!” I remember myself saying when after the ever prestigious PUPCET and after the time-consuming enrolment, I was finally in front of College of Communication building.

It seemed like my hypothalamus and my senses have failed their functions that time. I did not know what to feel. After a while, I had my feelings back. The sense of pride and achievement that I felt on our graduation day came rushing through me again.  Being accepted in College of Communication, specifically Department of Journalism, was not easy anyway.

It was no easy convert for me. I have been in high school for the past four years of my life. And the fact that I am already a college gives me the creeps in such way that I do not know what college life will bring me.

I am surrounded with genius people -- faculty members, professors, instructors, co-students and block mates. If you are surrounded with geniuses, chances are you are also one of them. Yes, being with geniuses is such an honor but no matter how I tried to avoid it, it still brought me insecurity at the same time. The problem is how can I excel when there are equally or even more talented than I am.

But when you put pressure into clay, you can mold it into a beautiful pot. The pressure of insecurity has molded me into a person with confidence. The pressure has converted insecurity into a challenge.

Now, when someone asks me about my college life, with head held high, I am proudly saying that I am a Journalism student from PUP. A university wherein its students are epitome of delayed gratification. With due experiences, students therein are being taught the virtues of patience and perseverance.

And as I roam along the hallways of COC, I look around as I tell myself, the walls of this building will be the witnesses as I strive hard to reach the proximity of my goals.

Yet, I do not know what qualifies me to write this. Sure, I am still light years away from my dreams. But with PUP-COC on my side, I know there is bright future ahead of me.

-Precious Gunayon, Contributor 

Sheer Illusion

In the pale light of an early morning, while a flat, white moon awaited the dawn and wind-driven clouds flung faint scudding shadows across the roof, a girl walked through the corridors of a two-storey building with a knapsack on her back, and her envelope embraced by her.

A quiet and lonely place- this was the only thing that her mind screams as she walks through the dark and quiet corridors.

 “Isn’t it ironic that she thought of College of Communication a silent place? We all know that Communication is about speaking- but why is this place so still?” the girl wondered.

She felt crazy for talking to herself, good thing there’s no one around. With a neural feeling, she looked through the numbers printed above each door, citing its room number. Once she found her room, girls and boys the same as her age approached her cheerfully. The place is lonesome, but there was an atmosphere of excitement. She made friends with them, but still hesitating if she’ll enjoy this place.

At first she was on culture shock- from the grading system to the exam system. But she gave herself a shot to understand those things. Her second day is better than the day before, not only for the reason that she already knew people that can be her companion, but also for the reason that the idea of thinking of this place she first described as lonesome, starts to fade. You can see a group of people dancing at a corner, then another group singing and playing guitars on the other. Fascinating, she thought.

Then organizations started to introduce themselves- organizations that help the students to enhance their inner skills. There are academic and non-academic organizations around the college and each of them are indeed helpful in their own creative way. Her first impression for this college starts to go down from 100% down to 25%.

“excuse me, can I ask you where the library is?” she asked a guy, who is sitting at a bench and is deeply drowning into the book he is reading.

“ah, yes, second floor, first room at the right wing.” He answered.

She also noticed that the students are all approachable. She never expected that. Good thing about it, you can ask each and every student about stuffs without hesitations. The professors are also very good, you can rely on them- and that made her feel that this college can give her a family. Her impression completely faded, and good things come along her way.

“Even though I am just starting to create memories in this college, I am completely attached by this time.” She muttered to herself.

She is completely attached that she committed herself and became active to the particular field she engaged to. She knows that she has a lot learn, and she’s willing to learn more from the people she’ll meet. The quiet and lonely place she once knew became the most active and flabbergasting place she ever know, and the experiences she had , they are priceless.

- Karmina Allaine Arco Liquigan, Contributor 

DOJ Welcomes Freshmen

Department of Journalism (DOJ) organized an orientation to converge all the frist year journalism students held last July 19 at College of Communication- Audio Visual Room (COC-AVR).

Waving the theme “Pen-Pen de Sarapen: The Department of Journalism Freshmen Orientation”, Journalism Guild, the official academic organization of the department, spearheaded the event aiming to formally welcome all the freshmen.

Meanwhile, Dr. Edna Bernabe, the college dean, gave her opening remarks, fully stating how lucky the first year students to be part of the Center of Development (COD) in the Journalism Program.

Furthermore, DOJ Chairperson, Cherry C. Pebre familiarized the sections BAJ 1-1D and BAJ 1-1N with the policies of the university and as well as the curriculum of the department. Pebre also encouraged the students to engage in different organizations in the college to further hone not only their skills but also to widen their circle of socialization.

Moreover, the three different department organizations namely Quadro Photography Club, The Journ Post and Journalism Guild also introduced themselves and encouraged the freshmen to join them.

Words of gratification were delivered by John Paolo Bencito, Journalism Guild Chairman, as he formally closed the event.

- Lyssa Jane Villanueva

Living in History; The Feat that marks our Identity

Now there’s another reason for you to walk with pride.

Everyone was scampering in the corridors. Shackled by the belief that this might be the start of something to be celebrated or a sudden truth that will be punctuated, the reality gradually pronounces itself.  News was gathered and all the gossips had subsided. By the virtue of Resolution No. 157-2013, the goal that seemed to be the steepest have been scaled. The Department of Journalism bannered the conquest, plunging its name to a higher pedigree that is rare for other universities to earn. From now on, Center of Development trails our maiden institution.

The Commission on Higher Education granted the COD on February 25, 2013 in a memorandum issued in accordance to the Republic Act No. 7722, or otherwise known as the “Higher Education Act of 1994”. Patiently waiting for the verdict of CHED within months of deliberation and thorough analysis of the committee, the faculty, spearheaded by the Dept. of Journalism Chairperson, Prof. Cherry Pebre, the Dean of the College of Communication, Dr. Edna Bernabe and the students persistently anticipated the judgment. Though nervous in an anxious way, the eagerness in achieving the recognition seizes every heart that pounds.

It was crucial to prepare for COD. Gaining that high-octane acknowledgement need a pumping, fuel-ignited effort. Days, weeks and months plunder the calendar of grounding all the requirements. But, as time consumes the works, enthusiasm covers our exhausted body. And with competent credentials, our shot would not be thrown to the trash.

Department of Journalism is loaded with quality and efficient attributes. The faculty has an exceptional frontrunners and teaching capabilities that can’t be purchased. All members of the league are holders of relevant master’s degree and at least 50% of them are owners of doctorate diplomas. Experience is not an issue within the team, as the entire core is possessor of at least 10 years or more related work practices. International, regional and national scholarships also endow the names of 30% of the faculty. We are privileged to have the digital newsroom, computer laboratory and library as part of the department’s commitment in innovative learning. Maybe, as CHED stared on these details, they never blinked.

Other than the recognition, the focal point of the COD is its benefit. We are blessed that as the recipient of the award, financial assistance which is aimed for the improvement of the program, particularly cutting edge technology for journalism, will be vested in our legacy. Flanking with the University of Santo Tomas as the other beneficiary of the COD, and University of the Philippines, the Center for Excellence receiver, PUP-COC, particularly our department, will be in the limelight of development.

This is not the end of our journey in reaching further goals; it is just the start of attaining more poles of success. That honor is just a tool to dig our feet deeper, to burn our souls together. It is not just a decoration that will be crated in a stagnant frame; it is a symbol of stepping forward. We are lucky. We study in the cradle of best of the masses, the PUP. We chose the land of the champions, the College of Communication. And certainly, our footprints will be bigger, as we walk from the Center of Development, the Department of Journalism.

CHED'S Memorandum of the Center of Excellence and the Centers of Development for the Journalism Program

- Ramon Rafael Bonilla, Editor-in-Chief

COC holds Freshmen Orientation

In order for the freshmen students to be familiarized with the academic and non-academic affairs of the institution, College of Communication (CoC), in partnership with various organizations conducted an orientation held at Bulwagang Balagtas on July 16.

With the theme “UPgrade: CoC Freshmen Orientation,” the student council gathered all the first year students from Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Communication (BABrc), Bachelor of Arts in Journalism (BAJ), Bachelor of Arts in Communication Research (BACR) and Bachelor of Arts in Advertising and Public Relations (BAAdPR) to participate in the said program.

Dr. Edna Bernabe, Dean of CoC, shared her warm welcome to the new students and talked about the recognitions the college had received.

College of Communication's Dean, Dr. Edna Bernabe while giving her talk. (Photo By: Frank Reyes)

“You are very fortunate for entering CoC. It was just last time when this institution was recognized as the 5^th Outstanding Communication School in the Philippines,” Bernabe said.

Dr. Edna also congratulated Department of Journalism (DoJ) upon being recognized by Center for Higher Education (CHED) as Center for Development last March 2013.

Moreover, the orientation presented several academic and non-academic organizations within the college including Broad Circle, Journalism Guild, CORE, CoC Ensemble, Movers and Motion, Teatro Komunikado, AdPross, DZMC, Quadro Photography Club, The Journ Post, SAMASA and CoC Volleyball Team.

The Journ Post representatives, (L-R) Emil John Manguerra, Ramon Bonilla and Lyssa Villanueva giving a short speech of what the organization is about. (Photo By: Frank Reyes)

This year’s orientation also aimed to welcome Department of Advertising and Public Relations (DAdPR) as the newest course to be catered in the college. DAdPR was recently moved from College of Business (CB) to CoC.

Meanwhile, the aforesaid program introduced the faculty professors and officials of the college.

After the event, an acquaintance party also took place. Selected freshmen students displayed their talents as they performed on stage. 

-Emil John Manguerra