GMA-7 awardee dreams to be the next Jessica Soho

CEBU, Philippines - Last April 27 was a big day for 20-year-old Rachelle D. Sindo. Along with fellow 2011 graduates, she was set to don the coveted maroon sash that afternoon in a ceremony that was to be the culmination of the four years she spent toiling as a Mass Communications major at the University of the Philippines-Cebu College.

But unlike her batchmates who must have been busy preparing their attire and last-minute necessities, Rachelle had a scheduled press interview the morning of her graduation day. The consistent dean’s lister was this year’s Cebu recipient of the GMA Network Excellence Award, an annual recognition that rewards outstanding Mass Communications students from chosen universities who demonstrate excellence in the field.

While the award has been handed out to deserving Mass Communications and Engineering graduates in Manila for the past ten years, this is only the second year that the search was extended to Cebu.

Rachelle — an active figure in campus as college publication editor, batch chairperson, member of socio-civic organizations, and organizer of major school events – graduated cum laude with a grade average of 1.57. She was also the recipient of the Outstanding UPCC Mass Communication Student 2011 Award.

The bubbly morena, who was once crowned Miss Surigao-Tourism 2006, graduated with honors at Caraga Regional Science High School and spent her elementary days at Surigao City Pilot School.

Ma. Teresa Pacis, Assistant Vice-president of GMA Network’s Corporate Affairs, explained there are several criteria that needed to be met for students who vied for the award. First, they had to be at least of cum laude standing. Second, they had to submit the best school project they completed throughout their academic life. Third, a selection committee composed of network officials interviewed the candidates to determine who among the nominations possessed that “X-factor.”

“When we interview the students, we try to look for that X quality that we believe will make him or her an outstanding and exemplary media practitioner. It’s hard to quantify, but of course, their grades and projects would help us decide,” Pacis said.

Awardees receive a plaque, plus a P10,000 cash incentive. Since the search is an independent undertaking not tied with any recruitment program, a job offer from GMA-7 is not automatic, although most awardees do end up working with the network.

“I just always put in mind that if you want to pursue excellence, mediocrity is not an option. But I did all my school responsibilities without minding this award. The award is just a bonus, it was not my main aim,” Rachelle quipped.

A native of Surigao del Norte, she credits her thesis topic (titled “Kongking, Kumusta: An Ethnovideography on the Situation of Mamanwa Tribe in Barangay Taganito, Claver, Surigao del Norte Year After the Struggle for Royalty Payment from Taganito Mining Corporation”) as one of the factors that helped her bag the award.

“I think what brought me here is the idea that it doesn’t stop with communication alone. As a communicator, I focused on development communication. Me and my thesis partner went to Surigao del Norte to create an ethno-videography on the situation of the tribesmen there who are locally called ‘Kongking’ or ‘Mamanwa.’ They look like the Aetas in Luzon,” she shared.

The law provides that when a mining corporation is operating in the land of the lumad, they should be given 1% of the income. However, Rachelle said that Taganito Mining Corporation, which has been operating in the native’s area for over 40 areas, only managed to give them their first royalty payment two years ago.

She added, “We also found out that even if they were given 51.5 million pesos in shares, these 400 tribesmen still chose freedom over their land instead of the money because they believe it is better to preserve their culture than be introduced to new innovations and technology.”

Topics like these are what Rachelle hopes to tackle more someday in documentary form and share with the public, if given the chance. She reveals to have submitted her application as researcher for GMA-7’s award-winning docu program “I-Witness”, even before learning about the GMA Network Excellence Award.

“My dream is to do documentaries, travel to different places and at the same time, help people through the research I will be doing, just like the broadcast journalist I look up to, which is Jessica Soho,” she said.

Service, leadership and excellence are among the virtues that UP taught her. To the best of her ability, this shining example of an “Iskolar ng Bayan” integrated these values to the university and to the community.

“Outstanding performance should always be visible before any recognition. Given the honor, the GMA Network Excellence Award will serve as motivational influence for me to continue excellence and widen my horizon especially in the field of communication.”