DZUP 1602 (DZUP) won a total of nine awards in the recently concluded “Gandingan 2021: The 15thUPLB [UP Los Baños] Isko’t Iska’s Multi-media Awards” (Gandingan 2021).
The radio station took home four general and five core awards at the ceremony livestreamed via the UP Community Broadcasters’ Society Inc. (UP ComBroadSoc) Facebook page on May 22.
Gandingan 2021 with the theme “Midya: Kaagapay ng Bayan sa Pagharap sa Krisis sa Pampublikong Kalusugan” honored DZUP with general awards Most Development-Oriented AM Station; Most Development-Oriented AM Program (“On Point: Indigenous Peoples and the Pandemic and Social Enterprises for Minorities during COVID-19”); Most Development-Oriented Radio Plug (DZUP-UPD University Health Service COVID-19 PSA [public service announcements]); and Most Development-Oriented Public Service Program (Health Matters: Community Health and Disaster Response).
Meanwhile, DZUP received the core awards Most Development-Oriented Educational Program (“EskweKalikasan: Knowledge and Practices of Indigenous People in the Protection and Conservation of Our Environment”); Most Development-Oriented Environmental Program (EskweKalikasan: Laws and Policies on the Environment); Most Development-Oriented Science and Technology Program (Health Republic: Superdrugs and Superbugs); Most Development-Oriented Women’s Program Special Citation (Usapang P! Usapang Pake Ko sa Pwerta ko); and Most Development-Oriented Livelihood Program Special Citation (DZUP Kapit Diliman – Lukal: Ginger-Calamansi Concentrate for Frontliners).
The official radio station of UP Diliman, DZUP 1602 was launched in 1958 and is operated by the College of Mass Communication. The radio station has programs that cover a wide variety of subjects. It is a venue for discussion not only of the academe but of the general public, thus the tagline “Kasali Ka!” DZUP airs Mondays to Fridays, 9am to 8pm.
This was the second time Gandingan held an online awarding ceremony because of restrictions due to community quarantines. Next year’s Gandingan will have a theme on human rights.
UPLB Chancellor Jose V. Camacho Jr. said media plays a vital role during this pandemic, “Sa mga panahong nagdaan habang binubuno natin ang mga pagsubok na dala ng COVID-19, higit na naging sandalan ng mga institusyon at mga mamamayan ang tama at patas na impormasyon tungo sa kanilang pagpapasya.”
Dean Ma. Stella C. Tirol of the UPLB College of Development Communication (CDC) emphasized the need of the people of a correct and understandable information, “We need media that can give us accurate information based on scientific evidence, and popularized so it is easy to understand and apply.”
UP ComBroadSoc organized Gandingan Awards in 2007 and was established through Prof. Mark Lester M. Chico of CDC. It aims “to encourage the production and airing of developmental TV, radio and online programs for the benefit of every Filipino.”