Farewell, Bicol University College of Arts and Letters

Today, April 26, will be the last day that I will be staying in Bicol University College of Arts and Letters (Bucal) as a regular faculty. As someone who has yet to complete his Master’s degree, the university cannot renew my appointment.

This works for me in so many ways, yet bidding farewell to a job I’ve grown fond of is undeniably bittersweet despite its accompanying challenges. There are still so many things I want to teach inside and outside the classroom. I still have many reminders I wish to impart to the future journalists of Bicol. It’s crucial they understand the essence of their profession, who or what they truly serve, and how to prioritize their mental well-being when the weight of their responsibilities becomes overwhelming. But as I said, this works for me in so many ways.

This works for me because then I’ll have the time to write news and features for Philippine Daily Inquirer and my thesis at the University of the Philippines Diliman. This works for me because then I’ll have more time to write in this blog and I’ll have extra time to work on a new blog, something less personal, but something I’ve been planning for a couple of months now.

I reluctantly started teaching at Bucal when Prof. Anacito Dematera, who was then the department chair of the Print and Broadcast Media Department, called me up and invited me to visit his office. He did not specify what it was he wanted to talk to me about, but apparently, I was to handle Prof. Gladys Serafica’s Journalism Principles and Practices class for AB English students. Two semesters later, I became a regular faculty despite not having a Master’s degree.

I still remember all my previous classes and I am proud to say that after their graduations, many of them became good friends. As a professor, I promised that I will have minimal interactions with them online because I did not want anyone to wrongly suspect that I had favorite students. Now that I won’t be connected with the university anymore, I feel like I can relax these boundaries and potentially become friends with them.

Just last week, I was asked by a friend to name my least favorite student, to which I said I did not have any. I told him no matter how despicable someone might seem, I am still obliged to be an understanding instructor because I will never really know what their lives are like outside the school setting. I did try to understand them, though. I have always encouraged my students to write about their hometowns so I know how their environments shaped them. I encouraged them to write about their own advocacies so I can somehow get a glimpse of what it’s like inside their minds and their hearts. I will miss reading my students’ reports.

When I reflect on my time at Bicol University, one aspect stands out as particularly hard to bid farewell to: the enriching experience of being with the faculty members of Broadcasting and Journalism departments (Print and Broadcast Media Department was split into these two). I will miss Prof. Dematera, who never runs out of jokes and wisdom. Although I know that I will still be seeing him in the field during coverage. I will miss Prof. Serafica, who I know is a friend and an ally to all. I will miss Prof. Ma. April Mier-Manjares, who’s the girl scout among the bunch, ready to give you asap whatever it is you need from her (she’s the most organized among us all). I will be also be seeing her in the field and in meetings because she’s also a correspondent of the Inquirer. And of course, I will miss Prof. Sharon Julaton, who is ready to answer my question any time of the day.

I will also miss my students. I hope they learned things of value from their sessions and consultations with me. I also wish for them to develop a clearer vision of how to perceive life’s realities. Dear students, if you are reading this, you are in good hands. Your professors in both departments know how to shape you to be responsible journalists in the future. When you’ve grown with experience, I hope you also consider going back to Bicol University to teach and to share wisdom. I assure you it’s always a pleasure being in the company of future journalists. That’s how it felt like being with all of you.

(BTW, if you’re my student this semester, you will receive an instruction on Saturday morning on how to submit your projects.)

I will also miss Budyong, Rise for Education, and Boses ng Speechless—three student-led organizations that I firmly believe did not need me at all. If you’re from any of these organizations, please know that I will still be here if you need advice. Feel free to approach me without hesitation. I just have one reminder to everyone: Remain humble. Embrace criticisms as opportunities for growth. While experience can be valuable, it’s NOT always the best teacher. If you’re always convinced of your own rightness, you risk plateauing.

To all my thesis advisees, I am very sorry. For those of you who will be having your final defense this semester, I will still be your thesis adviser. If you will be having your thesis defense in the semesters to come, while you’re still looking for a new adviser, I will still be here. My Messenger is always open (although you know I sometimes take my sweet damn time to reply) if something confuses you.

(If you’re my student from 2017 to present, baka naman pwede makahingi ng photos ko, natin, or ninyo sa classroom natin dati. Paki-send sa ra@ravstheworld.com. Maraming salamat!)

Thank you, Bicol University.