REPOST: UPLB reacts to ABS-CBN's Maalala Mo Kaya episode

Mar 9, '09 4:06 AM
Written by the Office of Public Relations
Friday, 06 March 2009 15:10



UPLB has issued an official statement to ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation in light of a recent episode of their Maalala Mo Kaya program which inadvertently cast a bad light on the University and its constituents.

The complete letter is as follows:

Our attention has been called by constituents and alumni to an episode featured in Maala-ala Mo Kaya entitled "Blusa," which was aired on ABS-CBN on Feb. 28 and on TFC recently. Our constituents and alumni were concerned whether the episode was based on truth.

The story was of a woman who allegedly graduated BS AgriBusiness, summa cum laude, from the University of the Philippines Los Baños or UPLB, who could not find a job, and ended up a stripper. We tried to find out who the subject was by tracking all 27 of our summa cum laude graduates from the time the University was established in 1909. We could not find anyone matching the subject as portrayed in "Blusa."

Whether or not the subject was a UPLB graduate, we deeply sympathize with her and her family. However, in the interest of maintaining its reputation as a truthful storyteller, the MMK should have a mechanism to validate claims by letter senders especially those that require a stretch of imagination as to be believed.

While indeed touching and a perfect example of a human-interest story, "Blusa" regrettably affected the reputation of UPLB as an educational institution and its constituents and alumni. We therefore request ABS-CBN to set the record straight and correct the wrong impression that it created among its viewers. We also make an appeal to producers of similar programs to be more prudent in reporting stories with claims that would affect the reputation not only of a school but also of its alumni in the Philippines and abroad.

Thank you.




http://uplb.edu.ph/index.php/news-and-announcements/79-uplb-reacts-to-controversial-maalala-mo-kaya-episode

needless to say, no matter how long my absence is in the cyberworld, i would resuscitate this blog if it could contribute to the call of perpetuating the good name of our university.