Normalites greeted the week with much pride as the Department of Communication and Media Studies (DCMS) of the Cebu Normal University(CNU) snatched recognitions and awards from the recently-concluded Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) Radio Festival 2021, Sunday night, March 14, 2021.

Entries from over 27 participating schools both Senior High and College levels hailed from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao and all have pitched to the massive success of the maiden virtual edition.

The week-long competition featured three distinct categories: Radio Jingle, Radio News Production, and Podcasting.

Dubbed “Epiko: Radio in the Eye of the Truth-tellers,” this year’s PUP Radio Festival has embraced full-virtual format for the first time, due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

Kicking off was a virtual forum that featured practitioners to inspire and motivate aspiring media practitioners from all over the country and ended with a bang via the virtual awarding of the winning entries for the three categories.

Brimming with passion, Cebu Normal University was the only university from Cebu to have made it to the final cut, and eventually named Best Radio Jingle and second Best Radio News Production (RNP), plus special awards as RNP Best Sound Design and RNP Best Infomercial.

Among the 95 qualified entries, only five to six advanced to the final round, following the pre-judging deliberation.

The winning Radio Jingle entry of the department entitled “Piliin ang Totoo” was composed and performed by trio Yv Anya Abugan, Virlie Christine Alfar, and Brigida Gerzon.

Abugan attended the virtual awarding that was livestreamed via Facebook, and delivered the speech after being announced the Best Radio Jingle. “Being appreciated by you guys and even just the opportunity, even if we would have not won, we are much grateful for this and honored,” Abuga said in her speech.

She also emphasized the struggle that the team went through in maximizing available online tools to remotely create a well-mastered piece.

“We did our best though we don’t have enough resources. So everything was quite raw, but the fact that we have able to put things and music together, we (were) still able to (make it).”

Furthermore, the Radio News Production’s “Radyo Cuarenta,” composed of anchors Carl John Griño and Harrel Jade Porrio, alongside news presenters Hoehnferdz Gonzaga and Rhea Ambrad, scriptwriter Melissa Arbuis, Infomercial Specialist Grace Noynay, as well as Technical and Sound Director Kyle Sarona, placed second Best Radio News Production.

Meanwhile, the department’s Podcast entry “Ohhs and Ahhs,” created by Erica Abella, Hannah Cabibil, Trifone Lopez, Maebel Cabañog and Shantall Jane Librando, successfully made it as a qualifier.

Jessa Agua-Ylanan, part-time instructor at CNU and broadcast media practitioner at dyMR Radyo Pilipinas Cebu, and Dr. Joseph Elvir Tubilan, chairperson of the department served as mentors for the participating teams.

These achievements further cement how Cebu Normal University molds its talented gems: academically-excellent and well-rounded students. /Harold Regodos and Mary Giralyne Manolo, BA Comm Broadcast Journalism