Nards Galvez, father of campus journalism

By Jun Velasco

NOT much has been heard about the other great Filipino propagandist, Graciano Lopez Jaena, of Iloilo, who, like Jose Rizal and Marcelo H. del Pilar, set the stage for the evolution of a national, better still, a nationalist consciousness.

Last week, we attended an inter-agency meeting at the National Historical Institute to plan the commemoration of the great Hiligaynon’s l50th birth anniversary consisting of unveiling rites, lectures, and other activities in Manila, Iloilo City and other parts of the country.

Lopez Jaena was better known as the country’s greatest orator, a Philippine Demosthenes, during the golden years of the islands when many of our countrymen were thinking more of country than their individual selves.  Of course, there were traitors and corrupt leaders antedating majority of the current crop.

 It’s said: when the times call, Filipinos, by and large, respond accordingly such as the upsurge of Philippine heroism during the struggle against Spanish abuse. Of the eminent Filipinos who rose to the challenge, Graciano Lopez Jaena was on equal footing with Rizal and M. del Pilar  in firing Filipinos’  cause for uprising against colonial abuse.

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Former Pangasinan newsman and education official Leonardo J. Galvez, who has immigrated to the United States  for l6 years now,  surprised his old beerkada last week.

Now 74, Nards or Leony, as he is fondly called, runs a day care center in San Francisco, and by the looks of it, he has grown “younger” except for the graying hair. But, by way of the proverbial “kantiyaw” he made old pals Rod Rivera and Gerry Garcia envious of his hale and hearty comport.

Our orig beerkada Rhee Fer Hortaleza acted as his contact-man and coordinator in getting the guys and gals of the local press at Dop Fernandez’s Regency hotel, otherwise known as Rachel Arenas’ political headquarters, to partake of some goodies and gifts he brought from California.

Rhee was right, Kuya Nards has improved his English diction tremendously. We used to joke about his pronouncing Rod Rivera in press conferences as  “Rude.”

This time, he told us in ebullient fashion, “pare, I just visited our favorite kumpare Rad, and by golly, he looks so slim like he hasn’t eaten for 30 days.”

It was fun listening to his running a day care center in the land of milk and honey.  Before, he was the Current Events Digest czar in the province and later, barangay high  schools supervisor and later  education media  supervisor in Region I specializing  on campus journalism, so that under his wings  he  made pen pushers resource  speakers on writing tips.

What he started as a campus press movement in Pangasinan has become a regular fare in campus curricula in the Region, and we believe, nationwide. It was he who gave our then Department of Education, Culture and Sports or DECS, now Department of Education or   DEP-Ed officials the idea of crafting the campus journalism law of the country.

We reminisced the days he bought a brand new red Volkswagen, taking every newsman for a joy ride to every barangay school and made them resource speakers in journalism seminars.

So, we say,   if  Japan invented the video oke that made many Pinoys instant singing celebrities,  Nards made many high schoolers in Pangasinan expert journalists in their secondary  school years.

For causing the enactment of the campus journalism law in l974, Nards Galvez should be considered the father of campus journalism.

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Our fellow Rotarians in Metro Cubao – NIA administrator Art Lomibao and Pol Bataoil — have become headline news subjects lately.

Not because of Art’s appointment as NIA boss, but because of surveys showing neck and neck with Jamie Agbayani in the gubernatorial race.

We saw the surveys which were not even commissioned by him, dislodging Agbayani, Vice Governor Oscar Lambino, Congressmen Conrad Estrella and Amado Espino in several towns.

A master of mass psychology, Art was able to put to dramatic use the Rotary’s Libreng Tawag project which has already caught fire nationwide.

Pol  Bataoil, on the other hand, looks every square inch like his “idol” Art Lomibao  when he was in the PNP, always every where  the action is.  Instead of getting fatigued by his forays in every sitio and purok in the Ilocos, the shiny guy from Balangobong, Lingayen seems to be enjoying his new assignment.       

“I don’t get tired, because I love to serve, I like what I am doing,” he told us.                                     

 Our  kin General Reynaldo Velasco  has convulsed the 3rd District congressional equation with his announcement last week that he won’t be a pushover in a field consisting of Jun Tulagan, Leo de Vera, Gallant Soriano and Rachel Arenas.

The logic of his entry runs like this: If Spines, if Art can do it, why can’t I? Rey was an outstanding high school alumnus of the Sta. Barbara National High School, a top PMA graduate and a decorated military and police officer. In terms of community leadership, he has been bringing home new buildings, equipment and new modern facilities for schools in the 3rd district.

Matibay ya, ha, insan Mel? Velasco ata yan!

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NOTES: Our sincerest sympathy and condolence to the family of Philippine-American publisher Roger Oriel and younger brother Randy for the passing of their beloved mother Jovita. Binalonan folks led by PGMA, Mayor Monching Guico, Fred Gabot and the descendants of famous writer Carlos Bulosan will miss her for a long, long time. 

A province-wide dance fest “Danziklaban 2006” under the auspices of Asian Institute of E-Commerce will be held at the Dagupan City People’s Astrodome, open to high school students in Pangasinan. Registration for the competition is free. For inquiries, contact AIE   School Director Kharmina Velasco at (075) 517-6440.

(For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/think-about-it/)

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