Friday, March 21, 2014

Mr. and Ms. PHCM 2013 - 2014: A Writer's Perspective



It was just recently that our Mr. and Ms. PHCM 2014 commenced last Feb. 21, 2014. Definitely, it is one of the most awaited events in our school. 18 candidates from different courses compete for the prestigious title of being the most handsome and most beautiful persons in our school.  So what makes this event different from the last one held last 2011? Actually, there’s a lot of changes between the two, the biggest of which is the parties responsible for the event. The most recent event was organized by the student council, breaking the tradition of school officials being directly involved. The Mr. and Ms. PHCM 2013-2014 was spearheaded by Supreme Student Council (SSC) President  Giselle Millado. But the comparison between the two events doesn’t end there guys, it is also a first that the Mr. and Ms. PHCM event introduces the candidates as icons. Yes, that’s right, starting this year, the annual pageant of the school will now be called as "Icons"!

Well, about this blog, we shall put the spotlight on the people and things that are behind the scene. The reason for this is because it will provide you guys an in-depth look of how the event was done, instead of stating the obvious. Which, is lame. Moreover, not everybody knows what happens beneath the curtains, and this blog will also give credit to the people who worked backstage.The preparation for this event is no joke, because aside from our icons, the production staff spent a lot of time and effort in making the event as flawless as possible. Imagine all the training, rehearsals, and all the effort exerted to make the event successful and enjoyable for everybody. The pressure was overwhelming on the coronation night itself, the production staff came early to the venue, and everybody was busy with their respective tasks: the Director, Floor Director, Writers, Performers, Candidates, Hosts, and Technical and Production Assistants were giving their 100 percent. The staff was composed of members of the SSC, with the cooperation of some students of the Mass Communication department. Perhaps, not everyone knows that the staff is composed of newbies. Yes, it is the first time they handled this kind of project. This doesn’t come as a surprise, because most of them are freshmen. Seeing how these first year do their best despite their relative inexperience. It puts a smile on my face that these first year students aren’t afraid to learn, and I really just feel that there is a certain camaraderie even under pressure. To say it simply, they are professional, they do things right their first try. On a personal note, I could relate with the new guys, because it is the first time I was appointed with the position of a writer. I did not consider myself on the same level as our veteran writers, that’s why I took the task half-heartedly, but my desire to really test my skills, push my self to the limit won over me. There I was, wishfully thinking, with some divine intervention, be able to perform my task without mistakes.

Overall, the staff was pretty competent, and did their job right, yet despite these observation, and including critical thinking, there are a few chinks in the armor that I’ve noticed. Like the old saying goes, “Nobody is perfect”, I would like to point out some mistakes that could’ve been avoided. With all due respect to the SSC, there is a lack of preparation of the facilities to be used in the event. For example, the technical staff relied on one laptop, even though the minimum required would be three, one for the video effects, another for audio, and the last for reference. Certainly, it made the tasks difficult and tedious, since one laptop can only handle a few tasks at the same time. This could’ve been prevented if assignment of bringing spare laptops were done a day or two before the event. Another thing is that there’s no table for the writers, such a basic piece of furniture would’ve save the writers from the inconvenience writing on the floor. There’s not even a clean piece of cloth where we can write the spiels for the hosts. Basically, we were scrambling over the dusty floor while writing. What saddens me more is that there’s no snacks or water that were given to the much deprived, haggard, pressured and stressed out production staff. It’s kinda hard to focus on the task at hand if you’re working in such a poor condition. Now, the final nail in the coffin, is that the Mass Communication department was not given due credit for all their efforts and contribution to said event. From start to finish of the Mr. and Ms. PHCM Coronation Night, not one word was uttered to acknowledge our department, while the SSC’s contributions were mentioned numerous times during the event. Truly, it hurts my heart to see our department being brushed aside, since the event would not be successful or as successful without the help of the Mass Communication department. I think we should give credit to where it is due, don’t you think? Let us not forget to thank the respective people who contributed to the success of this event.


Just to close this post on a positive note, the saying goes true that: “All’s well that ends well”, and the event is a big success since everyone performed their tasks with great proficiency, staying calm and focused, despite all the pressure and stress they faced. BTW, in case you are wondering about the lack of pictures used in these blog, I do apologize since I was too occupied during the event, but feel free to enjoy the pictures that I’ve shamelessly copied from the FB page of Icons '13-14. Have a nice day! 



-Ticktalk627




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