BY STERNLY overhauling the criteria to better emphasize significant content and Catholic values, the third UST Student’s Choice Awards for Television (USTv) took one step forward into taming the youth’s foremost influence—television.
“On (our) third year, we are moving toward the right track (for) more refined criteria,” UST secretary general Fr. Isidro Abaño, OP said during the colorful USTv awards ceremonies last Feb. 20 at the Medicine Auditorium. “USTv has been acknowledged by the media for the past years and has instilled in them the values of our University.”
Unlike the past two years when GMA-7 received the Television Station of the Year Award for garnering most of the awards over other networks, Studio 23 was given this year’s top award which had been recast into the Television Station with the Most Youth-Responsible Programming.
The criterion for the top award read: “The top award is Television with the Most Youth-Responsible Programming. Since the award is given out by UST students, it addresses the popular and enlightened demand for television programs that are family-oriented or programs geared toward the needs of the families and of young people. Therefore, the television whose programming responds well to the crying need for shows and programs that will address the formative and educative needs of young people will be considered the best television station.”
“More than 10 years ago, ABS-CBN decided to open another channel committed for youth,” Studio 23 creative on-air director and UST alumnus Edson Aguiflor said. “This award is not just an honor for us, it serves as a reminder that we exist for the youth. We renew our commitment to entertain and educate the youth and whatever is between.”
With more weight given to such criteria as “promotion of Christian values” and “reflection of Thomasian vision of truth in charity,” the judges opted not to pick a winner for the best entertainment news program.
“The judges opted not to declare any winner since none of these programs embodies the ideals of USTv,” journalist, teacher, and USTv juror Lito Zulueta said.
Zulueta said that for this year, the awards made a strict separation between “information” and “entertainment” programs. “The USTv awards cannot tolerate ‘infotainment,’ the hybrid of information and entertainment,” he explained.
Zulueta emphasized that having been categorized under information, popular gossip shows fell short of the tenets of good journalism. “There are questions about their accuracy, objectivity and fairness. So, no winner.”
After dominating the past two awards season USTv, GMA 7 won only two awards this year: Jewel in the Palace, best foreign soap opera, under the entertainment category; and UST Journalism alumnus Arnold Clavio for best news and public affairs host under the information category.
“Sarap, bumalik sa UST,” Clavio said. “I will never fail you, my fellow Thomasians. You will always be my inspiration.”
Despite going off the air, Studio 23’s F won Students’ Choice of magazine program for the third consecutive year.
Another third-time winner was ABS-CBN’s Maalaala Mo Kaya, the Students’ Choice of drama anthology.
“I cross-enrolled several subjects during my college in UST,” Santos said. “My parents as well as my ‘first love’ are Thomasians. In a way, UST instilled its values in me and taught me what I know. These values have been stable in the show.”
Studio 23’s Y-Speak and Sineskwela won again for Students’ Choice of public affairs program and educational program, respectively.
ABS-CBN’s TV Patrol World was named the Students’ Choice of news program. For the second straight year, matinee idol John Lloyd Cruz took home the Students’ Choice of actor in a drama mini-series award, for the hit ABS-CBN soap opera Maging Sino Ka Man. His co-star and screen sweetheart, Bea Alonzo, won the counterpart female award.
ABS-CBN took home half of the trophies, including best documentary program (The Correspondents), variety show (ASAP), situational comedy (the defunct OK Fine, Whatever, Eto Ang Gusto N’yo), and full animated program (Naruto).
On the other hand, ABS-CBN’s Pinoy Dream Academy shared the Students’ Choice for reality TV program with ABC 5’s Philippine Idol.
ABC 5 also took home the trophy for a new category, Students’ Choice of Catholic program, which was won by Family Rosary Crusade.
Someday, by recording artist Nina, was named Students Choice of music video. The entertainer did not show up.
But several entertainers graced the event such as Sugarpop, Cover Boys, Philippine Idol’s Pau Chavez, and Pinoy Dream Academy scholars, led by champion Yeng Constantino and Thomasian semi-finalist RJ Jimenez. The UST Singers also rendered a number.
UST Communication Arts alumna Ali Sotto was given the Speculum Veritatis (Mirror of Truth) Award “for mirroring in her life and professional practice the Thomasian virtue of truth in charity.”
Sotto said she was dedicating the award to her UST mentors, including her mother, a long-time faculty member of the UST College of Education.
“Educators have a selfless dedication, giving themselves to the noblest profession even at such a low earning.” Sotto said. “They are the prime factor of what students tend to be, they mold them to be better. I was molded to be what I am because of them.”
Some 7,000 randomly-picked students took part in the voting. The UST Social Research Center collated and interpreted the results. A student-dominated panel of judges chaired by media experts reviewed and confirmed the choices. Marc Laurenze C Celis
