Eloisa Cruz Canlas is 2011 UP Gawad Plaridel awardee

MANILA, Philippines - The UP College of Mass Communication is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2011 UP Gawad Plaridel in the person of Eloisa Cruz Canlas.  Canlas was chosen for her outstanding contributions to the broadcasting industry, particularly in the field of radio. 

Known to many as Lola Sela Bungangera, Canlas is a self-taught talent, starting out as a as a production assistant for the drama programs of DZRH radio station in the ’60s. Throughout the ’70s and ’80s, she voiced many different characters, and gave life to popular local AM figures such as “Zimatar” and “Eng-Eng” in the Adventures of Zimatar. Aside from this, she also worked as a talent for numerous shows such as Gabi ng Lagim, Mr. Romantiko, and Hukumang Pantahan, among others.  To date, she still voices the program Lola Sela Bungangera with the Senior Citizen & Livelihood Project of DZRH, her home network. 

Canlas continues to be active as a freelance voice talent for numerous commercials, anime shows, and other radio/television programs over the years. Aside from her current voice talent work, she hosts the Pondahan segment of cable network UNTV’s Good Morning Kuya early-morning show.

As owner and director, Canlas is also at the helm of Tanghalang Parisukat Training Center, a creative voice acting center established in December 2003. The Tanghalang Parisukat seeks to educate the youth on the importance of theatre, radio, television and print media as a means of fostering a peaceful community, and aims to cultivate the hidden creative skills of the youth and to promote values through free seminars and training programs.

The award comes with a trophy by National Artist Napoleon Abueva which will be handed by UP officials on July 20 at the Cine Adarna of the UP Film Institute. She will also deliver a lecture on important issues in the radio broadcasting industry during the ceremonies.         

Established by the UP College of Mass Communication, the annual UP Gawad Plaridel recognizes Filipino media practitioners who have excelled in any of the media (print, radio, film, television, and new media) and have performed with the highest level of professional integrity in the interest of public service. Already on its seventh year, the UP Gawad Plaridel’s roster of honorees include Eugenia Duran-Apostol (2004),  Vilma Santos (2005), Fidela Magpayo (2006), Cecilia Lazaro (2007), Pachico Seares (2008), and Kidlat Tahimik (2009) who were recognized for their outstanding contributions in print, film, radio, television, community print media and independent filmmaking, respectively.