𝗖𝗧𝗨 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗖𝗼𝗺 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺’𝘀 𝗣𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗸𝘂𝗹𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆𝗼 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗽𝗮𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘆 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗧𝗨 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁

CTU students from the BS Development Communication (DevCom) program paid a courtesy visit to the University President, fresh from their big wins at the 𝐏𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐮𝐥𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲𝐨 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐦 𝐅𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥, held from June 23-25 in Cebu, where their short films garnered major awards and touched the hearts of audiences and judges alike.

The courtesy visit, held on August 1, 2025, featured CTU President Dr. Joseph C. Pepito expressing his congratulatory message, continued support, and aspirations for the students’ growth and success. He was joined by the Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Romeo P. Montecillo, CTU Main Campus Director Dr. Gregorio P. Pajaron Jr., Dean of CAS Dr. Edwin A. Andaya, and Dr. Mila Mae A. Caballero.

With nothing but passion and purpose, DevCom students proved that great stories don’t need big budgets to make an impact. The film 𝐇𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐘𝐮𝐭𝐚, created by evening class students, 𝐰𝐨𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐄𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐎𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐀𝐑𝐁𝐎) 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐲.

Directed by Johnrix Flores and produced by Raiza Mae Andata, the film received praise for its powerful storytelling and emotional depth, despite being made with minimal resources. Director Flores expressed his gratitude and shared his hopes for the film. “Through *Hinaguan sa Yuta, we now have the chance to reach a wider audience and, hopefully, inspire more lives with the story we chose to tell,” he said. “This win is not just for us—it’s for the farmers whose voices we tried to honor through our film.”

Producer Andata added, “When we started, we had no money, no complete equipment, and just one day to shoot. It was uncertain and difficult. But we pushed through because we believed in the story.” Their hard work paid off, as 𝐇𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐘𝐮𝐭𝐚 is set to represent Central Visayas in the 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐮𝐥𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲𝐨 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐦 𝐅𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 in Manila.

Meanwhile,”𝐔𝐦𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐧”, a documentary by day class DevCom students, 𝐰𝐨𝐧 𝟐𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐦 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 (𝐀𝐑𝐁) 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐲. It was the only documentary among the entries and featured the inspiring life of 𝐉𝐮𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐥𝐜𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐳, a 56-year-old farmer from Carcar City, Cebu.

In total, the DevCom program submitted four films: 𝐇𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐘𝐮𝐭𝐚, 𝐔𝐦𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐧, 𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐛𝐝𝐚𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐚𝐬𝐚𝐬𝐚𝐆𝐮𝐧𝐚. These films competed with entries from five other universities in Central Visayas, including Cebu Normal University, Bohol State University, Negros Oriental State University, Metro Dumaguete College, and Holy Name University.

The PelikulAgraryo 2025 Film Festival showcased 10 short films that portrayed the real-life stories of agrarian reform, highlighting the struggles, victories, and transformations of farmers and rural communities. With limited means but limitless heart, the DevCom students brought these stories to life and proved the power of storytelling in creating change.

Via Dr. Mila Mae A. Caballero