BukSU Share to Heal is ‘Gandingan’ Most Development-Oriented FM Program

MALAYBALAY CITY (OP-IPS) Bukidnon State University’s Share to Heal extension program won as the Most Development-Oriented FM Program in the 2022 Gandingan Awards.

The University of the Philippines Community Broadcasters’ Society (UP ComBroadSoc), the group behind Gandingan Awards, feted the university’s extension program, Pag Ambitay Daw Ag Kaulian or Share to Heal and other winners in a virtual awarding ceremony on April 2, 2022.

They have earlier named the university’s radio station DXBU 104.5 FM and the universities other radio programs as finalists in different categories.   

The winning Share to Heal episode, aired on September 23, 2020, focused on the Anti-Terror Law: Implications in the New Normal. The episode’s resource person, law professor Antonio Gabriel Maestrado La Viña, Ateneo de Manila University School of Law, articulated on the salient provisions of Republic Act 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte on July 3, 2020, replacing the Human Security Act of 2007.

Aside from Share to Heal, other university radio programs were finalists in various categories of the Gandingan Awards: (1) Radyo Eskwela for Most Development Oriented Educational Program, (2) Thank GAD I’m Fine (TGIF) for Most Development-Oriented Women’s Program and Most Gender-Transformative Program, and (3) Kag Lambaga for Most Participatory Program.

DXBU 104.5 was also a finalist under one of the major awards – the Gandingan ng Kaunlaran: Radio/TV Station/Online Platform category.

Other finalists in this category include big stations like GMA Network’s DZBB 594 Super Radyo and Sumbungan ng Bayan, DOSTv – the official weather and science program of the Department of Science and Technology and UP Baguio’s From Ili to City Online.

BukSU Vice President for Research, Extension and Innovations and Share to Heal Project Leader, Dr. Joy M. Mirasol, accepted the award in behalf of the university.

In her acceptance speech, she said that the purpose of the program was to provide a platform where citizens can be proactive and have informed decisions during the pandemic.

“The award is a manifestation of the university’s commitment to take part in efforts to improve the social awareness of the public in spite and despite of the pandemic,” she added.

She also thanked BukSU’s partners of the program, the City Government of Malaybalay and the Office of the 2^nd District Representative of Bukidnon, Atty. Jonathan Keith T. Flores.

Founded in 2004, UP ComBroadSoc, a socio-civic media-oriented organization, is the only student organization award-giving body that runs one of the country’s most credible and highly anticipated university-based awards.

The Gandingan Awards is the only recognition program that highlights the value of development communication and the contribution of both national and local or community-based organizations in the betterment of the lives of Filipinos.

This year’s virtual awards focused on the theme “Nanindigan para ating mga Karapatan” highlighting the issue of rights.

The Gandingan Award is the second award earned by BukSU Share to Heal. In 2021, the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA), in cooperation with other government agencies, recognized the university’ extension program as one of the awardees of the Search for Outstanding COVID-19 (SOVV) Volunteers in Northern Mindanao for the group category.  

BukSU’s Share to Heal Program used a narrowcasting innovation model as an alternative platform for conducting extension activities in line with health protocols during the pandemic. It featured digital radio episodes to combat the COVID-19 infodemic by providing reliable information from experts across nine dimensions of the pandemic and the new normal. Share To Heal is implemented by 45 faculty extensionists across colleges and academic programs. It is currently in its Season 2 and airs every Wednesday from 9AM-11AM. (Joanne Vivien B. Necosia/OVPREI)