AN ALL-THOMASIAN production team’s song and a former Varsitarian editor’s story reaped awards at the 46th edition of the Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA).
Winning the Best Inspirational Religious Song award was “Ikaw ay Pari,” performed by UST Sacred Theology alumnus Fr. Giuseppe Arsciwals, O.P. featuring the University’s chorale group, the Liturgikon Vocal Ensemble.
“‘Ikaw ay Pari’ is a powerful ballad honoring the devotion of priests to their ministry,” Arsciwals told the Varsitarian.
The four-minute song was produced by OPMusik-Dominican Communications Philippines, the official music ministry of the Dominican Province of the Philippines.
According to Arsciwals, the song’s conception began when Fr. Felix delos Reyes O.P., a UST Faculty of Philosophy professor, requested UST Department of Creative Writing chair Assoc. Prof. Joselito delos Reyes to translate a poem titled, “The Priest” by Dominican friar Jean-Baptiste Henri Lacordaire.
“Itong project na ito, ‘yong involvement ko rito ay ginamit lang ‘yong translation ko. It’s a free translation e, so parang verse na rin siya,” De los Reyes told the Varsitarian.
Years later, Arsciwals co-wrote the melody with Jaymar Capalaran of the UST Faculty of Canon Law.
The track and chorale arrangement were done by UST Conservatory of Music alumni Paulo Zarate and Michael Fabian, respectively.
“Its (award) is a recognition of the hard work, dedication, and passion of OPMusik in doing its ministry in the field of music,” Arsciwals said.
“Beyond the award, this recognition serves as an inspiration to continue growing, exploring new creative paths, and producing music that not only promotes Catholic values but also resonates deeply with listeners,” he added.
The song was released on digital streaming platforms last Aug. 4, 2023.
It bested six other entries, including “Muli” by the duo Fratres!, consisting of Arsciwals and Fr. Carlo Rey Canto, O.P.
Meanwhile, UST journalism alumna and former Varsitarian sports editor Llanesca Panti won best news coverage as a co-author of the piece, “A Constitution Named Freedom: The Interim Charter Under Cory Aquino.”
The story, published during the 38th anniversary of the People Power Revolution, delved into the aftermath of the historic event and the restoration of democracy through the 1987 Constitution.
According to Panti, the article came after observing that there were “too many stories about the People Power Revolution,” with “little to no efforts to write about the Freedom Constitution.”
“The story tells us that there will always be people who will try to take away our freedom to gain more power. There will always be people who will take away our freedom for their own self-interest,” Panti said.
Fellow journalism alumna Kathleen de Villa was also among the finalists in the best news coverage category for her article, titled, “Alive Because of the Lord: Pinoy Among Free Hostages,” published in Inquirer. net.
Former UST rector Fr. Rolando de la Rosa, O.P. was one of the finalists in the best opinion column category for his weekly column “Through Untrue,” in the opinions section of the Manila Bulletin.
The CMMA has been honoring outstanding achievements in Catholic journalism, communications, and other forms of media since 1978.
