FIVE MONTHS AND A RIVER OF TEARS LATER...

Taken from the bouquet of roses he gave me for my nineteenth birthday.

Faded and wilted.

Just like our story.

Just like our love.

CASE STUDY: ASST. PROF. FAYE MARTEL-ABUGAN, M.A.

Ma'am Faye, the bonggang-bonggang CA adviser, is one of the people I look up to in the field of communication. So when we were given the chance to interview successful individuals who took up the same program that we are currently taking, it was her who immediately came into my mind. I was fortunate enough because despite her busy schedule, she was able to spare a few minutes for me. Below is the narrative I have written (in her point of view) based from the interview that I have conducted. If, by any chance, young aspirants like me get to read this, I hope Ma'am Faye's story becomes an inspiration to you to always aim for more and become the best in whatever you do.

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It was not at all that different from the world I grew up in. Only instead of typewriters and broadsheets, there were cameras, microphones, and spot lights. Instead of editors, writers, inks, papers, and printing presses, there were directors, production assistants, yards of thick cables, and production houses. You see, there is this sense of magic in working for TV.

As a young girl, I remember dreaming of landing a job in the biggest broadcast company. We are actually a family of writers so I have always known that I will work for the media. That’s what I had in mind when I entered the University of Santo Tomas during the year of 1989. I took up Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts and on the side, I was part of the Artistang Artlets’ production team. During my time, there was no Tomasian Cable Television yet so I treated my experience in AA as a training ground before I got exposed to the real world of Communication Arts.

I was in my junior year when my research professor-slash-TV 5 human resource director, Ma’am Lanuza, offered an internship in the aforementioned broadcast company. Unfortunately, I came in late so other students already took the slot. I was really sad back then because I had my eyes set on working for that television station after graduation. I had no choice but to move on so I decided to grab the opportunity of having my on-the-job training in a small production house owned by Sir Emmy Pascual, one of my professors. One of the most remarkable projects that I have done there was the audio visual presentation for San Miguel. Since Sir Emmy’s production house did not have the equipment and other tools needed, we went to another production house that was surprisingly a block-timer in TV 5. They had a talk-cum-comedy show entitled “Stay Awake” top-billed by Joey de Leon and Jimmy Santos. Since I was still interested in becoming a part of the said station, I tried my luck and asked if they needed an intern. Sadly, they were not looking for any since they were just a small company but I still left my resume just in case. My internship in Sir Emmy’s production house ended but since I still had a lot of time left, I took the opportunity of having another internship in GMA. It was election period that time so they needed volunteers and since I grabbed that chance, I was assigned in the radio department which is more commonly known today as DZBB. Surprisingly, after that, someone phoned my mom and asked her to let me return the call. Upon doing so, I was greeted by the production house that was block-timing in TV 5. They needed an executive producer that time and they remembered the resume I left so they tried to contact me right away. With my little experience and great ambitions, I accepted the offer and handled the show immediately. I remember leaving our house in Novaliches at eleven in the evening then going to Makati to pull out the needed equipment and then heading towards Joey De Leon’s humble abode in Pasig to get the paintings that will be featured in the show and then travelling to Quezon City to get the sponsored food from Ping Ping’s Lechon and then finally going back to Novaliches for the taping. I felt the burden of the work as I became not just the executive producer, but the associate producer, talent coordinator, writer, and even production assistant as well. I still enjoyed the job, though. But when I realized that I have already reached my full potential and I have already done everything you can imagine in that company, I left with a grateful heart.

Right after graduation, I became a production coordinator or road manager (as some people would call it) for one year. I then worked as a freelancer in TV 5 for three months. But twenty years later, I am happy to still be part of the said station. I have been a part of the production team of several shows like Everybody Hapi and other sitcoms. Apart from that, I am also currently handling the Communication Arts students of UST. I think that is one of my greatest achievements. But if you want more, I would be happy to enumerate some.

Of course, I am a proud mother not just to my lovely child but to my students and my babies in Tomasian Cable Television as well. And speaking of TOMCAT, I am also happy for the awards that we receive from several prestigious award-giving bodies and even more elated to say that I am one of the minds behind Tiger Radio. Now, as a part of TV 5, I think my achievement there would be producing several shows and working with high caliber actors and actresses. But it’s not Christmas everyday. I mean, in my journey, I also had a few hits-and-misses. I tried working on my doctor of philosophy degree but I had to stop after two years just because I realized that it was not my time yet. I also feel sad for the people I have hurt along the way. It’s inevitable, yes, especially when you are in this industry. But what I have realized in my many years of existence is that you should you should learn from your experiences and mistakes. And ever since I became a Christian, my eyes have been opened to the reality that there is a time for everything and the experiences that we have really happen for a reason.

Now, to answer your question regarding the things I want to achieve, well I still want to pursue my doctor of philosophy degree. As for TOMCAT, I want this organization to have a wider reach and if possible, become an open-circuit television. I also want to empower more people to make media content and flourish in the field of communication. And lastly, I want the best for my daughter. I want her to be happy in the program that she is taking up and I want her to grab every opportunity that comes her way.

As a mother, friend, professor, and media practitioner, I just want to tell those who will be able to read this study to know what you want in life, find joy in it, and have the guts to go after it. Opportunities do not come knocking at your door. You should be brave and willing enough to look for it and make the most out of it. Open yourself to the possibilities around you and never be afraid to make mistakes because only then will you be able to grow.