Public relations is a very challenging occupation, requiring of practitioners creativity, a wordsmith’s skill, a gift for gab and charm that make clients, consumers, and communities feel that life is worth living. For Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., the largest telecommunications enterprise to deliver its services satisfactorily to subscribers, its public relations teams must not just be telecommunications savvy, but also have that personal touch or, in laymen’s lingo, sex appeal.
The above skills are in the possession of a public relations expert who makes PLDT stakeholders, including its relatively new owner, Manny V. Pangilinan, proud. Her name: Evelyn Mamauag-del Rosario. For 40 years, she’s worked for the company, beginning as a member of its national traffic operations office, and working up to become special assistant to the first vice president of the public affairs office, and currently, to senior manager of PLDT’s community relations division.
Her being an asset to the company was confirmed at a celebration a couple of weeks ago where a video showed PLDT’s big boss, MVP, as he is popularly called, saying, “Evelyn, I hope you are not retiring from the company.”
Evelyn’s assignment puts her on top of the company’s corporate social responsibility function which involves interfacing with government’s officialdom, supervising plant tours of foreign and local guests of PLDT, organizing corporate special events such as inaugurals and blessings of new facilities, and evaluating requests for corporation donations involving partnering with such networks of stakeholders as the Philippine Business for Social Progress, the PLDT-Smart Foundation, Inc., the University of the Philippines Open University, Earth Day Network Philippines, and a host of NGOs, academic and socio-civic constituencies.
The company’s corporate social responsibility projects are diverse, from providing medical and dental services under relief operations to upgrading cyber technical skills of pupils and teachers, helping in the digital training of 10,000 grassroots women, donating a school building, paints, hand wash facilities, school supplies and garden tools for students, a five-year tree-planting program of 80,000 seedlings, to providing free medical and dental services. Included are sponsoring art workshops, and a college art-making contest using recyclable materials; providing old telephone directories for female inmates to make into baskets and decorations, financing housing projects, constructing a fish nursery for fishermen; providing high-speed electric sewing machines for a women’s eco-bag project, giving trainings on cellphone repair, PLDT card sales, and manicure, pedicure and soap-making. Sponsored are basketball training for youths and the big festivals.
All these activities involved working with partner organizations and people – men and women, adult and children, rich and indigent. Where Evelyn went, she won friends – the mark of an effective public relations person. It’s no wonder that she is considered a “pillar” in PR, selected by her peers as president of the Public Relations Society of the Philippines for two terms, and chair of the prestigious PRSP Anvil Awards – the PR equivalent of Hollywood’s Oscar. She has served as juror in beauty contests, and much-sought resource speaker and lecturer.
Evelyn was born in the municipality of Aurora, in the province of Isabela, where her maternal grandfather, Don Lorenzo C. Nitura, is acknowledged as the town founder. She finished her elementary and high school education in that town, and earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of the Philippines, cum laude, in Manila. In the course of her work at PLDT, she enjoyed several overseas study grants, foremost of which was a scholarship program on policies and strategies for aiding urban and rural poor at Cornell University in New York. The same took her to international conferences and observation and education tours on telecommunications practices and operations in many parts of the world.
Is she willing to give up the joy of working for people – and PLDT, she was asked at her 65th birthday celebration at the cool and grand Canyon Woods in Tagaytay? Evelyn said, “I go where the Lord has in store for me.” That was very like her, who is a faithful church-goer and spends time in prayer. In fact at all her birthday celebrations, bishops and priests and nuns are special guests. At this last bash, Arch. Ramon Arguelles and Ret. Arch. Diosdado Talamayan concelebrated the holy mass with seven priests.
To mark her coming of another age, she chose as the theme of her party, the immortal Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, “The Sound of Music.” Songs from the Broadway musicale were played, with the guests, coming from the U.S. and Manila, singing along, with sounds provided by the Velvet Mood band. Dr. Telly Somera led in the singing of “The Sound” numbers. To everyone’s delight, religious sisters sang and dance.
Tributes were given by Evelyn’s first boss at PLDT, Enrique Perez (whom Evelyn called “my most, most, next to MVP”), her siblings Dr. Rex Mamauag and Dr. Jane Mamauag. Sitting quietly at a table, enjoying listening and watching the goings on was Evelyn’s mother. A special performing artist contributed Spanish songs – Rosana Robles, who was brought by Evelyn’s special friend – Betty Lou Penera, former Philippine Information Agency director.
It was a memorable party. First, a sight to see was Evelyn, who had three changes of beautiful gowns made by Alex Soncio, a prominent designer in Iloilo. Next, how nice to see her laugh, to her heart’s content. In her message, she said she chose the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic as her event’s theme because “It has been a blessed and wonderful 65 years so far in my life. Today, I can sincerely affirm with all gratefulness and joy, that the music in my life is perfectly in tune all because of each one of you who are here today. Because of the Almighty father, who gave me this song to sing. And my beloved family, who never fails to strike a chord of love in my heart, who completes me every day.
“I would like to thank all the people who have taught me to cherish my life as a grand master plan designed by God himself.
“My song is far from over that’s for sure—and it is my pleasure to face more years humming with all of you until the last encore.”
My email:dominitorrevillas@gmail.com