RECOGNIZING the impact of social media on the youth,the 11th USTV Awards handed out for the first time awards to recognize excellence in the social media.
“I know for a fact that almost everyone here has a social media account, thus, we [student leaders] saw the importance and contribution of social media in the formation of concepts, beliefs and ideals that we have as Thomasians,” Student Organizations Coordinating Council president Danisse Odina said in her opening remarks at the Plaza Mayor last April 16.
The social media winners: ABS-CBN’s official hashtag for its papal visit coverage, “#PopeFrancis” (Student Leaders’ Choice of Social Media Campaign for Catholic Formation) and “#TulongPH” (Social Media Campaign for Environmental Protection); GMA’s “#ThinkBeforeYouClick” (Social Media Campaign for Social Action) and the Facebook page of Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (Social Media Campaign for Socio-Cultural Development); Drew Arellano (Social Media Male Personality); and Marian Rivera (Social Media Female Personality).
ABS-CBN bagged the most number of awards with 23, including the Student Leaders' Choice of TV Network and Students’ Choice of Network Foundation for Lingkod Kapamilya.
The Student Leaders' Choice category, consisting of awards in Network Foundation, TV Personality, TV Program, and TV Network, were selected by more than 250 student leaders of UST.
Other ABS-CBN winners: Bandila (Students' Choice of TV News Program; TV Patrol (Award of Excellence–given to a program that has been consistently recognized by USTV for the last five years); Spratly’s (Documentary Special); Matanglawin (Award of Excellence for an Educational Program), with its host, Kim Atienza, named Thomasian Media Personality; Sarah Geronimo (Thomasian Female Personality); Atom Araullo (Student Leaders’ Choice of Male Personality).
ABS-CBN also dominated the entertainment categories.Dream Dad was named as Students’ Choice of TV Drama, while Maalala Mo Kaya was given the Award of Excellence.
Other ABS-CBN entertainment winners: It’s Showtime (Students’ Choice of Variety Show); ASAP (Award of Excellence for Variety Show); The Buzz (Award of Excellence for Talk Show); The Voice Kids (Reality Game Show).
Toni Gonzaga won three trophies: Students’ Choice of TV Show Host, Reality Game Show Host, and Variety Show Host.
GMA Network got 13 trophies, dominating news and media affairs:
Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (Students’ Choice of Magazine News Program and Award of Excellence); I-Witness(Award of Excellence for Documentary Special); Biyahe ni Drew (News Magazine).
GMA dominated the Comedy category: Pepito Manaloto (Students’ Choice of Comedy Program) and Bubble Gang (Award of Excellence).
The 11th USTV Students’ Choice Awards used the capital ‘V’ in its logo, symbolizing veritas or truth. The new logo signifies the Dominican Order’s 800th year of establishment, which will be celebrated in 2016. Elyssa Christine A. Lopez
