Celebrating Progress: PUP CORE Reaches New Heights with Four Dynamic Events Marking CommRes Month 2024
To officially commence the celebration of Communication Research (CommRes) Month, the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) Department of Communication Research (DCR), and the PUP Circle of Research Enthusiasts (PUP CORE) spearheaded “TAMPISAW: Living in the Splashes of CommRes Waves" which was held in a face-to-face setting from May 12, 2024, to May 30, 2024.
CommRes Month started off with the first-ever documentary series from C23 Production under PUP CORE entitled “Sa Liksi ng mga Mananaliksik." It aims to highlight the experiences and stories of DCR students, the faculty, and its chairperson.
This was followed by the first face-to-face event in this year’s CommRes Month: “Sayutsot 2024: Lekturang Rustica C. Carpio," an event dedicated to Dr. Rustica Carpio that teaches students research in the fields of media and theater.
It was then followed by “UNveiling Growth: Supporting Sustainable Research Driven Goals,” which gave the students lessons on how they can incorporate the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in their own research.
Finally, the celebration ended with “CommRes Quest: A Thrilling Journey Towards Discovery,” which gave the students a chance to take a break and explore PUP-COC with exciting and thrilling treasure hunting.
Sa Liksi ng mga Mananaliksik: A DocuReel Series
PUP CORE created C23 Productions in May 2023, where they first presented their first short film entitled “Pagkatapos ng Takipsilim,” a film that gives a thorough explanation of what the BA Communication Research program has to offer.
This year, C23 Productions produced their first mini-documentary series entitled “Sa Liksi ng mga Mananaliksik,” which features different students and faculties representing PUP-DCR. Each episode was posted on PUP CORE’s official Facebook page every Sunday from May 12, 2024, to June 2, 2024.
The first episode was posted last May 12, 2024, entitled “Sa Liksi ng mga Mananaliksik: Ang Mag-aaral.” The post shared an interview of a 4th year DCR student, Brent Yuri D. Jurado, who discussed his journey from initially wanting to pursue an education course to excelling and fully embracing CommRes.
Looking back at Jurado’s past decision, he explained that he initially chose CommRes after being unable to enroll in an education program. Nevertheless, he believes that being exposed to research, and everything related to CommRes, helped him grow as a person. His academic learnings in CommRes bring him enough experiences as well that might be useful to his future endeavors and help him overcome upcoming challenges in life.
This episode serves as a way to inspire future scholars to not hesitate in choosing the program and let themselves immerse in the course firsthand and discover their unique approach to it.
The second episode was released on May 19, 2024, featuring two student leaders in DCR: Jemima Faith Laurenciano, the president of PUP CORE, and Gabrielle Montiel, the Editor-in-Chief of UNDERSCORE PUP-DCR. The episode explores how individuals in DCR come together and interact, highlighting how their roles as student leaders have enhanced their experience as CommRes students.
Montiel and Laurenciano highlighted how their respective organizations helped them write academic papers and manage their time. Student leadership demands passion and commitment due to its challenges, Jemima stated. That’s why, driven by the oath of to serve the community, Laurenciano and Montiel are motivated to effect lasting positive change within the department and among DCR students.
Episodes 3 and 4 took a step forward and focused on the pillars of PUP-DCR: the professors. On May 26, 2024, PUP CORE released the third episode of their documentary series, this time featuring Asst. Prof. Jeffrey R. Ancheta, the Chairperson of PUP-DCR.
Asst. Prof. Ancheta shared the importance of the institution starting at the ground level to become a center for excellence. By doing that, they can build a strong foundation that won’t falter no matter what happens. He also highlighted several projects initiated by the department to support students with their research papers.
He shared how there's a tragedy in research:
“Hindi ko kasi niro-romanticize ang research sa kanila, at lagi kong sinasabi na may trahedya sa pagbuo ng pananaliksik; may trahedya lagi sa pananaliksik. ‘Wag tayong matakot sa trahedya na pwedeng maidulot ng pananaliksik dahil sa panahon ngayon, isang malaking trahedya lalo kapag walang magsasaliksik at wala tayong mabubuong pananaliksik para sa lipunang ginagalawan natin,” he emphasized.
[“I don’t romanticize research, and I always tell my students that there’s always a tragedy in creating research and in research as a whole. However, let’s not be terrified of the tragedy that research might bring because, right now, there’s a bigger tragedy if no one will conduct and create research for our society.”
Asst. Prof. Ancheta admitted that research is truly intimidating. But with the help of the PUP-DCR faculty, the programs, and its student organizations, a DCR student can have a smooth-sailing journey in the program.
The last episode in the series was posted on June 2, 2024, featuring three professors under PUP-DCR: Assoc. Prof. Kriztine Rosales-Viray, Dr. Jim Duran, and Prof. Jomar Soriano.
They defined CommRes as a home for excellent and diligent students and professors. Dr. Duran shares that DCR shapes the students into multi-professionals who can work in different industries. Additionally, Mr. Soriano points out that CommRes is a program that is needed by the nation, especially in producing research outputs that will help give our society a foundation in deciding what’s best for them. Finally, Assoc. Prof. Viray emphasized that staying in CommRes can make students feel at home with their family.
Alaine Magsombol, the head and producer of the documentary series, admitted that it was challenging for her. Aside from the lack of resources in editing and during filming because of the suspension of classes, she mentioned that this was her first time leading an event. However, seeing her co-head and director, Brianna Buan, as well as other co-officers excited for the production, gave Magsombol a boost of motivation. She shared that the success of the production is an accomplishment for the whole organization.
Sayutsot 2024: Lekturang Rustica C. Carpio
Sayutsot is an annual event of DCR that started in 2022 to commemorate Dr. Rustica C. Carpio, former dean of the PUP College of Communication (COC). Dr. Carpio was renowned for her contributions to art, media, film, and television. The event features communication scholars and encourages researchers to explore diverse narratives and stories worldwide. Last year's Sayutsot focused on poverty in films, while this year's event addressed fake news in the Philippines through the lens of theater.
The opening remarks by Assoc. Prof. Kriztine Viray, the adviser of PUP CORE, acknowledged the participation of students from other universities and PUP departments. She discussed the relationship between theater and research and emphasized that science and art can be interconnected.
The main speaker, Mr. James Harvey Estrada, a journalist, researcher, and actor, shared his experiences with fake news in the Philippines. He discussed how he represented these experiences through performing arts and research.
He began by sharing a story about his research on the violence of the drug war in the Philippines. He expressed fear about performing this research in the Philippines during the time of former President Duterte due to widespread red-tagging by different individuals.
He criticizes how Filipinos easily believe fake news just because it's entertaining or because the person spreading it is entertaining to watch and listen to.
“Pag sinabing fake news sa Pilipinas, sino o ano ang embodiment noon? Kapag nirerepresenta ko ang [fake news sa] Philippines ay tulad ni Mocha Uson. When I think of all fake news, it should be entertaining, because Filipinos follow entertainment. Kahit kailangan na natin magseryoso, kailangan may konting fun. And that’s Filipinos.
So ang dali lang natin maloko, kasama na yung presenting pa lang how fake news flourished o kung paano yumayabong yung fake news sa bawat locality.”[“When fake news is being talked about in the Philippines, who or what is the embodiment of that? Whenever I represent [fake news in] the Philippines, it’s like Mocha Uson. When I think of all fake news, it should be entertaining, because Filipinos follow entertainment. Even if we have to be serious, there needs to be a little fun. And that’s Filipinos. So it’s easy for us to be fooled, including just presenting how fake news flourished or how fake news thrives in every locality.”]
During the pandemic, he and his workmates lost hope that they could still go back on stage. They even questioned why they were continuing their research despite the many health issues and deaths occurring worldwide. However, they firmly believed that all their plans for their Fake News performance research would be applied in a post-pandemic time. Estrada also emphasized that historical revisionism was part of their conversation to push forward what needs to be done in their performance.
At the end of his speech, he talked about one of their performances that portrayed a faith healer symbolizing fake news in the Philippines. He also digitally presented one of his works entitled “The Legend of Fake News," which included sections such as The Seed of Fakery, The Power of the Seed, Manifestation of the Seed, and Where is the Seed?
The event concluded with Teatro Komunikado (TK) raising awareness about HIV through a performance. Apart from addressing fake news, HIV was also a focal point of one of the many research projects conducted by the main speaker, Estrada.
Bea Sevilla, the program head, explained that TK's performance aimed to raise awareness about an important social issue among a broad audience. The performance provided an opportunity to showcase the members' remarkable talents while also promoting HIV awareness.
Sevilla added that for the first time, they discussed Philippine Theater as the new theme of Sayutsot, a change from their usual focus on films in previous years.
“If I’m not mistaken, we’ve organized Sayutsot for at least a month. I think the most difficult part of it was the goal of how we will execute the project with a unique twist na related pa rin sa mukha ng Sayutsot. And behold, this is the first installment that we’ve discussed the importance of Philippine Theater.”
[“If I’m not mistaken, we’ve organized Sayutsot for at least a month. I think the most difficult part of it was the goal of how we will execute the project with a unique twist that is still related to the face of Sayutsot. And behold, this is the first installment that we’ve discussed the importance of Philippine Theater.”]
On the other hand, Althea Agustin, the project head, mentioned that the theme of this year’s Sayutsot is specifically based on one of Dr. Carpio’s areas of expertise.
“Actually naisip namin na maging Philippine theater naman yung angle na ito kasi from its establishment since 2022, ang mga installments ng sayutsot ay nakafocus sa Philippine films. Kaya naisip namin, ano naman kaya yung pwede namin ipakita for this installment since pang-apat na nga ito? So tiningnan namin yung craft ni Dr. Carpio, yung expertise niya o ano pa yung mga ginagawa niya. And because of her expertise and credentials din, nakita namin na isa siyang playwright, kumbaga tanyag din sa Philippine Theater, kaya napag-decidan namin na Philippine Theater yung maging bagong mukha ng Sayutsot ngayon.”
["Actually we thought that this year’s angle should be Philippine theater because from its establishment since 2022, the installments of Sayutsot are focused on Philippine films. So we thought, what else can we show for this installment since it’s already the fourth one? So we looked at the craft of Dr. Carpio, her expertise, or what else she did. And because of her expertise and credentials, we saw that she was a playwright, apparently also famous in the Philippine Theater, so we decided that the Philippine Theater would be the new face of this year’s Sayutsot.”]
Agustin stated that they chose fake news as the main topic because of its significance in today’s society. Specifically, the continuous distortion of truth that is spread by many people. Therefore, Estrada’s experiences with fake news, translated into some of his theater performances, make the audience reflect on themselves and show how it is still widely prevalent.
UNveiling Growth: Supporting Sustainable Research Driven Goals
As a part of the Siento Benteng Lektura in celebration of the 120th Founding Anniversary of PUP, PUP CORE, in collaboration with PUP-DCR and the PUP Research Institute for Culture and Language Studies (RICLS), headed “UNveiling Growth: Supporting Sustainable Research Driven Goals," a face-to-face event that was held on Bulwagang Bonifacio, NALLRC, PUP Mabini Campus last May 22, 2024. It emphasizes the importance of integrating SDGs in the students’ research outputs.
The event started off with the opening messages of Dr. Hemmady S. Mora, Dean of PUP-COC, and Dr. Anna Ruby P. Gapasin, Vice President for Research, Extension, and Development. Dr. Mora expressed her delight in the development and appreciation of research. She then added that, nowadays, research is seen as a needed contribution to the needs of society instead of being a simple academic requirement. Meanwhile, Dr. Gapasin mentioned that the UN’s SDGs are on top of the university’s mission. She said that the event isn’t just a form of advocacy; it is a call to action. Both of them commended and congratulated both the organizers and the audience for the event.
The lecture commenced with a detailed presentation by Dr. Henry Leen S. Magahis, the principal of E. Zobel Foundation, Inc. Dr. Magahis highlighted that we need to ask ourselves what is our end in mind and how we can ensure relevance before we start implementing the SDGs. After briefly discussing the SDGs, he stressed that we can use the SDGs in our research framework because he, along with his students, had already successfully done it. He launched the Kaya ni Juan project back in 2016, where he made his senior high school students apply SDGs to their research.
Dr. Magahis pointed out that, at the end of the day, what's important is changing the perspectives and finding relevance with the help of the SDGs.
“Baguhin natin yung perspective. Kapag may point why we do things, mas magiging madaling i-achieve yung isang bagay; and yung magbibigay sa inyo ng perspective na ganon ay yung SDG in particular. Kailangan nating hanapan ng relevance yung ginagawa natin and yung magbibigay ng relevance at the end of the day ay yung SDGs,” Dr. Magahis said.
[“Let's change the perspective. It would be easier to achieve a specific goal if there's a point on why we do things, and the SDGs will give you that perspective. We need to find relevance in what we do, and the SDGs will give us that relevance.”]
Following Dr. Magahis' lecture, Dr. Joseph Reylan Viray, Director of PUP-RICLS, analyzed existing ethical standards in relation to sustainability research. He first defined sustainability in different ways before discussing traditional ethical standards. Dr. Viray then elucidated that, as of now, there's still no existing ethical standard for sustainability. However, if someone is to create one, sustainability ethics shouldn't be detached from sustainability relations.
Dr. Viray postulated that interdisciplinary research can help achieve the SDGs.
“Kapag gagawa tayo ng research, dahil nga gusto nating tingnan lahat ng aspekto na makakaapekto doon sa iyong kapwa, sa generation na susunod, at sa environment, kailangan ang mga studies na isusulong natin upang ma-acheive natin ang SDGs, lahat yan ay interdisciplinary approach. Hindi natin pwedeng tingnan ang pananaliksik bilang fragmented. Hindi natin pwedeng tingnan na pawatak-watak, titingnan natin siya bilang isang buong kontekso ng ating relatedness,” Dr. Viray shared.
[“If we’re going to analyze all of the aspects that will affect other people, the next generation, and the environment, we need to use an interdisciplinary approach to achieve the SDGs. We shouldn’t look at research as fragmented; we should treat it as a context of our relatedness.”]
Vince Manda, the event’s project co-head, felt amazed by the success of the event as he saw the struggles and hard work of the advocacy team. Similarly, Aira Palacio, the event project head, stated that it was fulfilling to see that everything that they have done has produced great results. She also personally thanked Asst. Prof. Ancheta for his support despite his busy schedule. Both heads highlighted their struggles in the event, but Palacio took it as motivation to facilitate a good event. Additionally, Palacio shared her expectations that the event will kickstart the interest of researchers in integrating SDGs into their papers.
CommRes Quest: A Thrilling Journey Towards Discovery
PUP-DCR proudly presented its annual Game Day, themed "CommRes Quest: A Thrilling Journey Towards Discovery," spearheaded by junior officer Erick Bolo. This eagerly anticipated event brings together 50 students from the DCR community for a day of challenges and camaraderie.
Game Day is designed to engage participants in puzzles and competitions that promote essential skills such as teamwork, critical thinking, and creativity. Erick Bolo highlighted the event’s educational objectives, emphasizing the value of cooperation, problem-solving, and resilience in a dynamic and enjoyable environment.
Game Day also served as a valuable opportunity for students to take a well-deserved break from academic pressures, focusing instead on community spirit and personal growth. The event aimed not only to celebrate the spirit of CommRes but also to strengthen bonds among DCR students, fostering a sense of belonging and pride in their academic community.
"It’s challenging initially, but immensely satisfying in the end. The spirit of 'for perpetual growth and progress' resonates deeply as we look back on our achievements,” Bolo remarked, reflecting on the day’s activities.
The anticipation built across the campus for "CommRes Quest," Game Day delivered an unforgettable experience filled with discovery, teamwork, and shared accomplishments among the CommRes students.
Recognizing the Journey and the Impact of the Activities
Daryn Rivera, the overall project head for CommRes Month, stated that the events were crafted by each of the project heads where they considered how the whole department would benefit from the activities set for CommRes Month.
He pointed out the impacts of each activity: Sayutsot commemorates Dr. Rustica C. Carpio and helps researchers understand that research is not only applicable in the mainstream media but can also be applied in any field; Sa Liksi ng mga Mananaliksik shows the might and the talent of everyone in the DCR community; UNveiling Growth teaches us how to apply SDGs in our studies and identifies for whom we conduct these studies; and lastly, CommRes Quest encourages a healthy environment by taking a break from academic requirements.
Rivera also said that these events are also for students who are exploring the meaning of CommRes and research as a whole; that it is a way for others to learn and a way for them to show what the program can offer.
