SU hosts GMA Masterclass
The speakers and audience of GMA Masterclass pledge to fight against misinformation and disinformation. (Photo by the SU Camera Club)
Students from around Dumaguete City filled the Claire Isabel McGill Luce Auditorium on February 20, 2025 for the GMA Masterclass hosted by Silliman University (SU).
The event was the last stop of the Visayas leg of the Eleksyon 2025 Dapat Totoo Series, which “…aims to educate why we must take our role in elections seriously and what we can do to arrive at informed choices.”
In his opening message, Silliman Mass Com alumnus Oliver Victor B. Amoroso, senior vice president and head of GMA Integrated News, Regional TV and Synergy, emphasized how every vote counts during the elections. He cited a student government election results at SU where a candidate won with just three votes.
“Those three votes might just come from you, our Gen Zs present here today, who comprise a huge chunk in the voting population for the 2025 midterm elections,” Amoroso said.
GMA Regional TV and Synergy, in partnership with GMA Integrated News, brought practitioners of mass media and communications to SU, engaging with students from SU, Negros Oriental State University, Foundation University, Colegio de Sta. Catalina de Alejandria, and St. Joseph Seminary.
Media and communications experts from GMA interact with audience members during the Q & A. (Photo by the SU Camera Club)
Hannah Petrache, social media manager of GMA Integrated News, tackled the power of social media and the Internet, urging students to research on the candidates just like they would do in their research projects.
Martin Antonio, sportscaster and analyst of GMA Synergy, related his experience in sports to choosing the right candidate. “What’s your standard for leaders? They should be performing at 100%, most of the time, all the time,” he said.
SU alumnus Joeberth Michael Marti Ocao, who serves as managing editor of Digital News and GMA Regional TV, talked about the swing vote and explained how local news mattered. “The primary purpose of journalism is to provide people with the information they need to be free and self-governing. Specific locations have specific needs when it comes to the news,” Ocao said.
Seasoned broadcast journalist Susan Enriquez shared her experiences on the field and provided insights on the plight of Filipinos, highlighting the imperative to choose the right leaders. She said, “Hindi pwedeng gawing biro ang ating kabuhayan, hindi pwedeng sayawan ang ating kinabukasan.”
Mariz Umali, also an experienced journalist, spoke last and urged the audience to vote. She said that even if the voters’ chosen candidates perform poorly on surveys, they should still vote for them: “Basta nakilatis mo, nakilala mo at alam mong maglilingkod sa bayan, hindi corrupt, walang bahid ng katiwalian, kahit kulelat siya sa survey, iboto mo!”
The event also featured Martin Javier as celebrity host and Mariane Osabel, Sparkle talent, as celebrity performer.
In her welcome address, Dr. Margaret Helen U. Alvarez, SU interim vice president for Academic Affairs and Research underscored the importance of the event: “Election time is a vital and pivotal time for mass media and mass communication to be at the forefront of knowledge production and education. This is the reason why we are grateful to GMA network for bringing their Masterclass Series to Dumaguete.”
Dr. Margaret Helen U. Alvarez (center), SU vice president for Academic Affairs and Research, receives the plaque of gratitude from Ann Marie O. Tan, senior assistant vice president for Local Sales and concurrent station manager for Central and Eastern Visayas of GMA Network, and Oliver Victor B. Amoroso, senior vice president and head of GMA Integrated News, Regional TV and Synergy. (Photo by the SU Camera Club)
The event was co-organized by different units of SU including the Office of Media and Public Affairs (OMPA), the College of Mass Communication (CMC), the Student Government, the National Service Training Program, the Office of Community Extension and Service Learning, and the Culture and Arts Council.
Panata Wall
Prior to the event, the audience members signed the Panata Wall, pledging to fight against misinformation and disinformation.
The signed wall was turned over to the CMC on February 21 during an information session with junior and senior students. Part of Mass Com Week celebrations and co-organized by Mass Com Batch 2001, the learning session featured Amoroso and Ocao.
CMC dean, Dr. Madeline B. Quiamco, received the signed wall in the presence of Asst. Prof. Melita C. Aguilar, CMC faculty; Dr. Warlito S. Caturay Jr., OMPA chief; and students.
The College of Mass Communication receives the signed Panata Wall during an information session with Oliver Victor B. Amoroso and Joeberth Michael Marti M. Ocao. (Photo from the FB page of SU’s Kapunungan sa mga Mass Communicators)
