Justine Mae

98' · csr wannabe ·

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University of the East Public Relations Office

22195 C.M. Recto Avenue

Brgy. 404, Zone 41, Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines

PRESS RELEASE                

Contact: Justine Mae J. Santos

Corporate Communications Officer

Mobile: [phone]

Email: [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UE- MANILA ACCREDITATION: FOR THE BETTER FUTURE

         UE Manila (December 5, 2017)–The University of the East-Manila tries to win the hearts of the Philippine Association Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA) as they were evaluated to level up their department last November 27-29, 2017 The students were trained to face the accreditor named Dr. Pedrito Jose Bermundo who was assigned for AB Broadcast Communication and AB Journalism. The Association of Broadcasting Students (ABS) teamed up with their co-students to prepare the media center as well as bulletin board to be presentable for the accreditation; same went to the University of the East Journalism Society that is also under the same department. The facilities such as media center, programs of the said courses like the outreach programs and the areas which are the professors, the students, the events that were organized by the Association of Broadcasting Students such as General Assembly, Broadcasting week, Media quiz bee and acquaintance party were strictly evaluated.

         Aside the face-to-face dialogue with the accreditor, the department professors chose ten (10) students to represent the course and recite the university’s mission and vision. The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) has high hopes for this year’s accreditation as they believe that the department will finally level up. They are also better than ever as the professors and students are already claiming it, for they already have a temporary media center which is now located at the 5th floor of education building of the University of the East. The accreditors namely Dr. Fernando Sumido, Dr. Pedrito Jose Bermundo, Dr. Veneranda Semande, Dr. Leonardo Medina and Dr. Loida Sta. Maria were very meticulous when it comes to facilities since it has a large impact for the accreditation.

         And lastly, the whole department are just waiting for the results and hoping that finally after how many years, the students, the professors, and the future leaders of this university will get what they really deserve.  

XXX

University of the East Public Affairs Office is responsible for the development, implementation and evaluation of strategic public and media relations and communications for University of the East with an emphasis of proactive approaches and marketing strategies.

[jxmsantos]

University of the East Public Relations Office

22195 C.M. Recto Avenue

Brgy. 404, Zone 41, Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines

PRESS RELEASE  

Contact: Justine Mae J. Santos

Corporate Communications Officer

Mobile: [phone]

Email: [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

University of the East-Manila: Christmas is finally in our spirits

         Recto, Manila–‘Tis the season to be jolly again in the Pamantasan ng Silangan as the annual Christmas tree lighting commenced last November 27, 2017 at the UE Manila SFC Quadrangle. In line with the yuletide 2017 celebration, it was a day full of Christmas activities from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. that were held on the said date. First was the Simula ng “Anghel ng Pag-asa” which was held in Dalupan Lobby and was followed by the Paligsahan ng Belen later that afternoon. A mass was also convened at the Rizal hall of the university.

          This year’s theme is Pasko Na, Ka-UE. The university started early this year as everyone is excited for a month long Christmas activities. Last December 5, 2017, the students and faculties once again gathered at the SFC Quadrangle as the UE Chorale together with the UE Band amazed the campus with their collection of Christmas carols and an Original Pinoy Music (OPM) pre-Christmas concert entitled “Paskuhan sa UE Manila: A UE Chorale Christmas Concert”

          However, it doesn’t stop there. The University of the East invites you as they prepared their annual UE’s Anticipated Simbang Gabi Masses which will start on December 15, 2017 up to December 20, 2017 at exactly 5:30 p.m. at the Rizal hall. “Pagdiriwang ng Pasko sa UE” activities will also push through on December 21, 2017 which happens to be the last day of classes for this year

          The University of the East will surely close this year with fun and lots of amazing activities. Have a holly, jolly, merry Christmas, UE!

XXX

University of the East Public Affairs Office is responsible for the development, implementation and evaluation of strategic public and media relations and communications for University of the East with an emphasis of proactive approaches and marketing strategies.

[jxmsantos]

Twitter as a Platform for Citizen Journalism

Twitter has always been accessible. It’s a way to communicate and connect to a friend, it is also a place for you to express your thoughts, rants and opinions. However, twitter will limit you with only 140 characters. Personally, twitter is my go-to platform when I want to know the news. On twitter, you can also see this sign ‘#’ which means hashtag. With this, your tweet can increase engagement as well as be seen by a lot of people.

A lot of people nowadays use twitter to spread news. As for the teenagers, they make twitter as their online diary, just like blog. Twitter and Facebook serve as a source of news is continuing to rise because we consider Facebook and Twitter as a real-time news platforms. As a result, many news junkies greatly prefer Twitter over Facebook. They’re two very different parties – one consisting of friends and one consisting of information sources. As a journalist, you really want to be at both parties. In addition, celebrities are fond of using Twitter rather that Facebook to connect to their fans as Facebook is meant to be private and used to connect to families and close friends. While on twitter on the other hand, they can communicate to their fans just by clicking the “follow” sign. They are also considered as Public Figure on twitter so people can follow a certain celebrity without the celebrities’ confirmation.

When it comes to hashtags, you click a specific hashtag and see all the tweets that are being talked about different people. See for instance, here in the Philippines, when we want to see all the tweets regarding the ongoing UAAP, we just need to click the hashtag and look for #UAAPSeason80 then you will be able to see all the tweets regarding the UAAP. It is very easy and very accessible.

Social media has become the way people get news nowadays. Since we are on our phone every single day, it’s not hard for us to access those social media platforms. Twitter has specifically been instrumental in spreading and shaping news about events and social unrest both near and far.

However, there are disadvantages as well when you use twitter as a platform for citizen journalism. There are a lot of fake news on Twitter just like on Facebook because people can say whatever they want and people will believe it. People can easily spread news and they don’t even have to consult anyone. I kid you not, one tweet can affect a lot of people.

It’s okay to use twitter as a platform for spreading news, just make sure that you’re saying the right thing and you don’t mislead people. Some people in social media are gullible we can’t deny that. And twitter is very accessible. Even children can access the social media and are using twitter. One tweet can reach a lot of people and it can affect them in so many ways. People will also give their own meanings and understandings on your tweets so even if your tweet is okay, some people will take it negatively.

As to what I learned in my online journalism, I learned how to control my emotions when it comes to Social media. Before, I post whatever I want online. I don’t care about what others will think because it’s my blog. But I learned that it is a wrong mind set. However, you are entitled on your own blog.

In addition, I also learned how to be a good example to others because 1 post can reach a lot of people. I should be cautious with my actions in social media to be able to influence others in a good way. 

All the things that I learned in my online journalism will help me in the near future as a media practitioner. If you’re a public figure, it is your responsibility to build a standard type of writing. May it be blogs or articles, personal or for the public. Lastly, I learned how to think before I click.

References:

http://www.adweek.com/digital/report-twitter-is-a-real-time-news-platform/

https://multimedia.journalism.berkeley.edu/tutorials/twitter/

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I AM A PRO-DUTERTE 

Hi guys!!! Please do watch my 2nd vlog regarding our President “Digong” Duterte. 

Disclaimer: This is for academic purposes, we don’t mean to offend anyone. 

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Blogging, a threat to Journalism??

Blogging is used to express thoughts or ideas online. While it’s underestimated and not considered as a form of journalism by the government, there are still a lot of people who are turning their backs to the traditional media and joining the bandwagon. Countless of blogging platforms are now being used by the mass. Some of the most known blogging platforms are (1) Tumblr, (2) WordPress, (3) CreatorsLink, here, you can write your own articles or just make it your online diary. Everyone is entitled to blog. I agree that it is still different from our traditional media but we cannot deny that there are a lot of perks in b(v)logging as well that some reporters make b(v)logging as their part-time job.

Not to mention that the internet is very accessible to all, this made b(v)logging a lot more easier. You may use b(v)logging as your job and make income out of it or just do b(v)logging for fun or entertainment purposes. A lot of artists now a days use YouTube as a platform to make vlogs. For instance, Alexa Ilacad, Andrea Brillantes, Yeng Constantino are frequently posting and joining the trend. They are also making a lot of money out of it in which some people make YouTube as their regular job just like Anna Cay, Michelle Dy, CongTV, and Wil Dascovich. Those are just examples of people who make YouTube videos for a living. In addition, it’s so easy to be known or be famous online. With the help of those platforms that are mentioned above, the more you’re active, the more money you get. It doesn’t require anything. Some people use these platforms as their stepping stone to become a celebrity.

When we do b(v)logging, we are more likely to look at the content rather than the source. It’s very risky to do b(v)logging but here, you don’t really lose anything, hence, you are hoping to gain everything. Since there’s a lot of fake news now a day, people don’t really know who to trust anymore. This is where you can take the opportunity and write articles or express your ideas through the use of b(v)logs. I personally rely on the Internet to gather news, since I am on my phone 24/7, I don’t usually watch TV nor listen to radio. I believe that it’s easier to spread news online rather than our traditional media. One tweet or one post can cause phenomena. Don’t get me wrong, there are countless of fake news online. However, it will always be up to you whether you believe it or not. On the internet, you have to be wise.

B(v)logging takes time, I kid you not. There’s only a thin chance for you to make money out of it. Some say it’s not about the money, but in reality, IT IS about the money. It may be underestimated but b(v)logging is not that easy. A lot of people spend their time blogging, whole day of typing, gathering news, sleepless nights.  Don’t be threatened by our traditional media. Let your voice be heard. If you want to earn from it you have to work hard for it.

[jxmsantos]

Hi guys!!! Please do watch my first vlog regarding Victim Blaming. I just think I need to address this issue. Disclamer: This is my own opinion. I don't mean to offend anyone. Don't hate, appreciate.

[jxmsantos]

JUST BECAUSE…                                                 

Just because I’m lazy, doesn’t mean I’m not smart      Just because I hangout with boys, doesn’t mean I’m a slut Just because I curse, doesn’t mean I’m a bad person Just because I’m talkative, doesn’t mean I can’t be trusted nor I only talk non-sense. Just because I’m always joking, doesn’t mean I can’t be serious. Just because I don’t say something, doesn’t mean I’m not aware. Just because I’m quiet, doesn’t mean it’s okay 

Hi, I’m Jamie Santos. 19 years old and currently taking up AB Broadcasting at the University of the East-Manila. Please allow me to talk about myself as I would like to share with you my autobiography. No this is not about sugar-coating my name nor my image. This is me sharing something personal so you can know me better.

Let me introduce myself properly. My name is Justine Mae Santos, but you can call me Jamie or Jam whichever you prefer. Residing in Angono, Rizal with my family but right now I am living with my friends here in Manila. I am fully aware that my life isn’t perfect. It has always been a roller coaster ride. Sounds cliché,   eh? I came from a broken family. My mother left when I was still young. She is currently working in Canada. We are in good terms though. I haven’t seen her for almost 15 years now but we still have connection. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not mad at my mom even if she chose her career and ambitions over us, her family. I had to admit, it’s hard to grow without a mom. No one’s there to dress me up, no one understands me when it comes to girl’s problem. Even on our special occasion, she’s not there. My debut, my graduation, my birthdays, the day I had my period. It always feels like something is missing.

On the other hand, my father raised me and my brother alone. I had a step mother when I was 9 but eventually they broke up when I turned college. It was like a large thorn was finally removed from my chest. I’d be a hypocrite if I’d say I liked her. I blame her for ruining my childhood; but I thank her for being a part of my life. If it wasn’t for her, I won’t be this strong and I won’t be this independent. If I’m going to tell the story in full details I’ll be finishing my blog next year. Going back, we didn’t had a good relationship. It feels as if she is the gap between me and my father. She is jealous of me, she calls me stuff like “malandi and sipsip” she is also saying that “maaga akong mabubuntis” well, that didn’t stop me from living. I must say, I felt separated with my father. I felt alone. I have no one to talk to and I didn’t had the guts to tell my father everything she did because he is happy with her and that is more than enough, as long as my dad is happy. Moving on, I also have a step brother, he is the oldest. We may not have the same father but I love him as much as I love my other brother. 

My brother is like my best friend, we grew up together, we did everything together, we fight a lot and I love him so much. My brother and my dad means the world to me. I don’t know what I’ll do without them. But despite the amount of love I have for my brother, there’s this one thing that I feel about him... Jealousy. My father always taught us that jealousy is the ugliest trait that a person has. Yet, I envy my brother so much. I envy the attention he’s getting. I don’t feel that my relatives love me as much as they love him. But even though he always had this charm in him. He never fail to make me feel love. He protects me in his own ways, he expresses his love towards me without saying a word. With that, I can already feel that he’s sharing the love he’s getting to me. I will be forever grateful for my boys (My Dad and My Bro) and I wouldn’t trade them for anything even if I would have a chance.

Moving on to my friends, growing up I had to deal with bullies. When I was in high school, they will always bully me due to my colds. I do have an allergic rhinitis so it is my talent to sneeze 20 times a row and to have a cold everyday. I have always been underestimated, judged and hated by everyone. I don’t know why they take it as a joke when I say I have anxiety. I may be happy on the outside but I’m broken on the inside. It is true that we cannot please everyone. Whatever you do, they will always have something to say. Even though I have a squad, I always feel that I am the most unwanted one. I am always the “last option” and the “no choice”. I have been through lots of toxic relationship. “Plastic, malandi, madaldal, nakakairita, hindi mapagkakatiwalaan” has always been my attributes. Well, that’s how they describe me and I just got used to it. Nevertheless, I do have friends who stayed by my side regardless of my attitude. I am confident enough that I am fun to be with, sometimes. I believe that my attitude is always based on how they treat me.

However, all those demeaning words made me strong, it made me realize that maybe something is really wrong with me and I have to make it right. I took all of it as a motivation. I am not perfect. I know. But because of those words, I am here where I want to be right now. I am blessed with lots of opportunities and I am doing what I love which is hosting. I know I can do better and there’s a lot of possibilities ahead of me. My family, friends, and Mark have always supported me in everything. They are more than enough. I couldn’t ask for more. They are the reason why I’m still here. Fighting. I can say that I have all the love that I need. 

I am not saying all of this to gain pity nor to seek attention. I just want to share with you how I won this battle. People will always have something to say; but it is up to you whether you let them destroy you or you go and live your life. Don’t think about other people’s opinions about you. Be you. Don’t let other people define you. Own yourself. Me? I may be annoying, but my only purpose is to make people happy. So, if you’re annoyed feel free to leave and close the door. I will continue to walk in my own shoes.

Psalm 118:6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?  1 Corinthians 16:13 Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. 

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Meet the real leader of Finland. 

(via KellyWeill)

[glassbonespaperskin]

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WHAT HAPPENED TO THE RADIO INDUSTRY?

Is the radio industry about to die? This is going to be my perception as to what is happening to the medium that I want to work on in the future.

Radio is a resilient medium, having lived through world wars and technological revolutions. Before, we listen to radio literally like everyday. When we eat breakfast, when we are cleaning the house, when we have nothing to do, we just sat there and listen to radio for hours. But because of the advancements in technology, we take radio for granted. In reality, we can only listen to radio when we’re commuting and we have no choice. Sometimes, drivers tend to connect their phone using an aux cord. We want to choose our desire music freely. In radio, we don’t have the control. However, when listening to radio, you get to know new music, be updated in the news, and to be entertained by the DJs. 

I personally want to be a DJ someday. I had my internship in Magic 89.9 and Riki Flo is one of my favorite DJ and of the best DJ in Magic 89.9 (next to Joyce Pring of course) and I can see that they are working their asses too. They try their best to go to work everyday even if they’re tired from another event because they are freelancers, they do have sidelines too. They’re not just sitting there, playing musics for you, granting your request and at the same time greeting everyone of you. Also, they have to deal with their time slots, some DJs air early in the morning or late at night. We are used to hearing that it is easy to be a DJ, no. I beg to disagree. They’re just like other professions, they have no holidays and when you’re a DJ, you get a lot of perks. They are working very hard to give the listeners what they want and for them to be satisfied obviously.

We should not take radio industry for granted. I’m not saying that we should listen to radio everyday but we should stop stereotyping our hardworking DJs. Let’s not hate, let’s appreciate.

[jxmsantos]

Can we all just be happy for our country?

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UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST & COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES MISSION AND VISION: Is it evident in the types of student they produce?

I’m going to indicate here our University and College Mission and Vision so that you’ll understand what I’m talking about. I will also let you know my thoughts about it. 

THE UE MISSION STATEMENT

Imploring the aid of Divine Providence, the University of the East dedicates itself to the service of youth, country and God, and declares adherence to academic freedom, progressive instruction, creative scholarship, goodwill among nations and constructive educational leadership.

Inspired and sustained by a deep sense of dedication and a compelling yearning for relevance, the University of the East hereby declares as its goal and addresses itself to the development of a just, progressive and humane society.

THE UE & CAS VISION STATEMENT

As a private non-sectarian institution of higher learning, the University of the East commits itself to producing, through relevant and affordable quality education, morally upright and competent leaders in various professions, imbued with a strong sense of service to their fellowmen and their country.

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES MISSION STATEMENT

The College of Arts and Sciences shall endeavour to provide the students with a diversity of learning strategies and opportunities that will promote their intellectual, personal, and social development; equip them with professional competence within their field of specialization so that they may readily be absorbed by the labor market; and provide a dynamic curriculum, grounded on the values and traditions of our culture.

For the past 4 years of my college life, we have been memorizing our university’s mission and vision. But the question is, do we really understand it? I personally don’t understand our mission and vision statement to be honest. Let’s not be hypocrite here. I know it, our beloved professor made us memorize our mission and vision for the sake of accreditation. There’s not much problem besides the length, I believe it is very long, the choice of words are very complex and it is a very promising statement. However, are they really fulfilling their promises?

Let’s examine first the UE mission statement, I can see that it is very broad and there’s a lot of thoughts into it. It is very long as well. Same goes to our college mission statement. Although, if you’re going to ask me, I would not like to change even a single word to our college mission statement. I repeat, COLLEGE mission statement. I can see that UE really cares, they hear our voices, they care about our safety and they are willing to hear our thoughts. It is stated on their statement “the University of the East dedicates itself to the service of youth, country and God”. Some students don’t really appreciate what they are doing because they measure the word “care” by the suspension of classes. I don’t know about you guys, but that is how I see it. Again, this is my opinion only. Our University’s mission statement can do a lot better.

The vision statement on the other hand is much easier to understand. However, there is one word that catches everyone’s attention. “AFFORDABLE” quality education. When we say affordable, it should be inexpensive or at least reasonably priced. Is the price reasonable? Ask the students, conduct a survey. You’ll know the answer. Before, yes, it’s kinda reasonable. But now? I don’t know. 

In reality, some students doesn’t really look at the mission and vision anymore. They just don’t care. But as a loyal student of University of the East, we should do our part and understand our University and College Mission and Vision statement not just memorizing it. I cannot say that UE is the perfect school for me, some of their promises are being fulfilled, and some remains as a promise. Nevertheless, I will always be proud of my University. Once a warrior, always a warrior. Our Mission and Vision statement doesn’t make me love Pamantasan ng Silangan any less. Igma Kadima!

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FREE TUITION FEE IN STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES: IS IT A GOOD IDEA?

Duterte have signed the bill granting free tuition in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) last August 3, 2017. This provided the opportunity for all the people who cannot afford to study but has a potential to become a leader someday. However, is the Philippines ready to embrace the changes that is happening in our educational system right now? First, the implementation of K+12 curriculum. It's been 2 years since our President signed the granting of K+12 curriculum. Come to think of it, the program is a good idea but is it good for our country? Is it really necessary to add 2 more years to our basic education? We all know that the Philippines is a 3rd world country. Some Filipinos cannot even afford to study even in public schools and now, adding 2 more years in our educational system is quite crucial. Imagine, instead of finishing 2 years in college already, you have to provide a large amount of money to finish high school. Another argument is that a lot of degree holders cannot even find a job. And yet, they’re saying that if you finish senior high, you can work already???? Hell no. Perhaps, the K+12 is an unrealistic idea. But, there’s nothing we can do about it.

Now, the Philippines is trying to embrace another big change in our educational system. Again, here is the question. Will this be beneficial to the Philippines? Or it will just be another big problem that our dearest country will face? There are some allegations that our country cannot provide the budget that is needed for this project. And yet, we are paying huge amount of taxes every single day. So how come they’re saying that we don’t have enough budget? The budget allocation for each SUC is based on the estimated tuition income they submitted for the 2017 Budget of Expenditures and Sources of Financing. They allocated an estimated P8.3 billion fund for a tuition-free schooling in state universities and colleges (SUCs). As per Patricia Licuanan the Chair of Commission on Higher Education “The commission was studying carefully how to implement free tuition so that the poor will be the primary beneficiaries.” However, only 8% of the poor are enrolled in college according to CHEd and the rest are those who are financially capable or the “nonpoor”. In addition, she also said “The poorest of the poor are not yet in college. They have been knocked out long ago and enrollment of the poorest quintile in higher education is only 8 percent. So it’s not going to benefit the poor”

My argument here is that in every situation there are advantages and disadvantages. A lot of people will surely benefit from this program. In this case, of course they should prioritize the poor. Nevertheless, poor or nonpoor should not abuse this program but instead be grateful for what they are experiencing right now. For those people who can’t really afford to study should take this opportunity and let this be their stepping stone to achieve their goals. A lot of people are complaining about the rich who will be benefiting for this program. They are studying hard as well to stay in a prestigious school such as UP. It’s not easy to enter UP, you have to pass the entrance exam. And I’m telling you, it’s not easy. The main reason why some nonpoors are studying in a state university (UP, for instance) is because of the quality education that they offer. And! They are good for your reputation. Not all deserves to have free tuition fee, especially those who are not willing to study. We should all value the importance of education. Let us give this program to those who really wants it, to those who are eager to study and to those who really deserves it.

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no offense but money would solve literally every single one of my problems. like all of them. i dont have a single problem that money wouldnt immediately solve

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STEREOTYPING IN MASS COMMUNICATION

Stereotyping in Mass Communication is one of the reasons why people are demeaning and underestimating those students who are taking up or under the course mass comm. Before I get into details, I just want to explain briefly what Stereotype means. According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, stereotype means to believe unfairly that all people or things with a particular characteristics are the same. Yes, unfairly. As the saying goes “Don’t judge a book by its cover”. Stereotypes are a generalization of characteristics and are often used in a negative of prejudicial sense and are frequently used to justify discriminatory behaviors.

I, personally, as a Broadcasting student, I have received thousands of jokes about mass communication. “Mass comm? Mass comm-portable sa bahay?” “Kaya ka lang nag mass comm kasi walang math” “Gusto mong mag artista noh?” “Diba kahit sino naman pwede maging DJ/Reporter?” and a lot more. Even my relatives and friends are saying those demeaning words to me. I was never got affected nor it changed my mind. My heart will always be dedicated to my course. I took Mass Communication not just because I’m talkative but because I know that I will be a DJ someday or a reporter (well, there’s a fat chance I don’t want to jinx it though). On a more serious note, it is a sad reality that there is not much money in media. But if you’re enjoying what you’re doing then you don’t really have to work for it or consider it as your job and if your heart tells you to do so, go for it.

Before I end my blog, I just want to make things clear for all those who are stereotyping my course which is Mass Communication. Well, first of all, we do have math classes under our course. We don’t usually stay at home to do our projects or our works so you can’t say that “Mass Comm-portable sa bahay”, we have tons of shootings, editing, researching, etc. Yes, I also want to be an artist someday if there’s a chance, why not? Lastly, anyone can be a DJ or a reporter of course, even if you did not take Mass Communication. But it’s still different when you have knowledge about your chosen field. Just like any other courses, we also take our course seriously and we work hard to be what we want to be in the future. We are very talented people, we know how to critic movies. We know the strength and weaknesses of every movie. We also go through hardships, we also take written exams, we do have thesis and finally, we have those sleepless nights. A. LOT. OF. SLEEPLESS. NIGHTS. We are not petiks. That’s buhay mass comm!! 

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AWRA AWRA PAANO KA GINAWA?: MEDIA REPRESENTATIONS OF AWRA BRIGUELA  AS THE “BREAKOUT CHILD STAR” REPRESENTING THE GAY COMMUNITY

The acceptance of LGBT have been increasing for the past years but hate crimes and discrimination are still serious problems. In this study, I will tackle how media is representing Awra Briguela in Philippine showbiz. McNeal Briguela started as an online sensation when someone posted a video of him making face. It became viral on Facebook rapidly. The said video received a lot of likes, shares and positive comments from the netizens. Awra had already made his name at the age of 12 only because of that Facebook post that became viral. Imagine how powerful social media is. In addition, he also received a lot of TV guesting, movies and shows which made him the “breakout child star”. He won “Your Face Sounds Familiar” a game show in the Philippines and played as “Makmak” in a long-running primetime drama under ABS-CBN entitled ’Ang Probinsyano’ together with Coco Martin which made him even more famous.

Awra knew he was gay at the age of 3, he said in one of his interview on the Inquirer.net the he likes to play hello kitty when he was young. He also seek Rhianna for inspiration. While young gay boys of the previous generation looked to fashion rags to cop the chicest looks, the new generation turns to Instagram for references. Despite the fame, Awra will always look back from what he came from. His family always supported his decision as well as in his identity. They have always accepted Awra being gay. Growing up, the breakout child star have also been bullied but he didn’t let those people destroy him.

Awra became too confident of his gender mainly because of the influence of Vice Ganda. He played as “Megan” in the blockbuster movie ‘The Parental Guardian’ which received Php590.1 million gross together with Vice and again, Coco Martin. The comedian supported Awra and guide him throughout the process. The child star always wanted to be Vice Ganda when he grow up. But there are some allegation that the comedian is said to be a bad influence to Awra regarding being an outwardly gay. However, Vice Ganda addressed the issue and defended himself calmly. He emphasized that he considers Awra as his younger sibling. Vice, stage brother as he was.

The “breakout child star” may or may not be a good influence to children these days. He may be affecting the rising numbers of the LGBTQIA+ community. Being a public figure, a person should be aware of his/her doings. Awra seems to doing things that are inappropriate to his age knowing that Filipinos are said to be conservative. He is a cross-dresser at a very young age. Not to discriminate those who are cross-dressers or gays, but a lot of children are seeing him being outwardly gay. It may not be good to the society. LGBTQIA+ might dominate the country and outnumbered those who are straight.

Is it really Awra’s fault to have an impression such as an outwardly gay? Or it is the media’s fault to badly represent Awra? Entering showbiz is not easy, the Network is the one who is responsible for the artists. Are they making Awra to do stuff that are inappropriate for his age? The media is representing Awra as an outwardly gay because they are encouraging the child to do things for the sake of entertainment. And because of the widely-acceptance of LGBTQIA+ by the people, they tend to see it as a trend which makes a lot of people to surprisingly come out and admit their gender or sexuality. I know that you cannot change this kind of situation but you can control it. There is a video of Awra Briguela wherein he was seen practicing a production number for one of the variety show in ABS-CBN Network and he is dancing sexually which is very inappropriate for his age. It got viral on Facebook and it received a lot of negative comment from the netizen because the said network should not be tolerating this kind of act. Moreover, it is not good for the viewing children for they may be influenced by that simple video.

Therefore, at the end of the day, Awra is entitled for his life. I can see that at a very young age, he already know what he is doing in his life. He just have to have a limitation in being gay. There’s nothing wrong with being gay but make sure that you are not influencing or encouraging young people to be gay. He makes impact to the young audiences so he has to be careful with his actions. There’s a lot of gays who are decent most especially because they know that it is not healthy for our country to be dominated by the LGBTQIA+. I don’t think that the media is representing Awra well. He can be a young comedian without being an outwardly gay. Nevertheless, I have observed that Awra Briguela is simply just being McNeal Briguela.

[shunyown]

TANGINA KA! Hintay ka lang.