By Eunhice Corpuz

For 15 years, Far Eastern University (FEU) Campus Hour aired under Radyo Veritas 846, pioneering the world of convergent media. With casts full of talent and wit, the program opened the door for the Communication students to show what they’ve got. From a hiatus last 2019 and its return in 2022, Campus Hour has now entered their 12th season this year so, let’s once relive the magic of ‘FEU Campus Hour’ with one last full-blown show. 

FEU Campus Hour aired every Saturday from February 1 to 22, 1 to 2 p.m. this 12th season, which is composed of four episodes in total. 

In an interview with FEU Advocate, FEU Faculty Association President and FEU Communication Society adviser Karen Lee Panela shared the humble beginnings of FEU Campus Hour. 

“Way back in 2010, Radyo Veritas 846 made a partnership with FEU. The partnership would entail different Universities being on board as part of the campus hour, the Radyo Veritas campus hour,” Panela explained. 

She disclosed that the University was a pioneering school in the program during that year and was one of the only six selected schools to air. Running alongside FEU were Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Universidad de Manila, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, AMA University, and Philippine Women University. 

“So in 2010, if I’m not mistaken, there were only six Universities. So pioneer University si FEU for being part of the campus hour. So we came up with, of course, the FEU Campus Hour,” she said. 

As the years progressed, the different seasons of FEU Campus Hour evolved through time. 

“So initially, what we did years ago for the pilot season, which was season one, involved faculty members and the resident student-hosts. So it was purely talk. Nag-usap lang kami and all,” Panela reminisced. 

Starting with a pure ‘talk’ pilot episode, the program expanded to include radio dramas, and finally, teledramas. It was composed of faculty joined by Panela herself, Babsie Morabe, and the late Anna Kibanoff and former Mass Communication students. 

“And then nag-e-evolve [na] ‘yung Campus Hour, [kung] saan ni-require na kaming magkaroon ng drama. So we had radio drama,” she added. 

From season one to nine, Panela handled the production. Then, in 2019, she was informed by the Radyo Veritas 846 to do a dramatized teledrama from a radio drama. 

Then, the pandemic struck, ending season 10 before it began. As a result, the program jumped from season nine to eleven upon its return in 2022. 

In these two new seasons, graduating Communication students who aspired to participate had to meet a new requirement. 

Graduating Convergent Media Track student and anchor of Season 12, Jedidiah Laudencia, disclosed that one of the qualifications to be a main anchor is to receive the title of ‘Best Performer of the Year’ at the Tamaraw Media Awards.  

“Isa kasi sa qualification ng main anchor, is dapat manalo ka muna ng ‘Performer of the Year’ sa Tamaraw Media Awards. So kapag napili ka, isa ka sa magiging anchor automatically ng FEU Campus Hour the following year (One of the qualifications for the main anchor is that you must first win ‘Performer of the Year’ at the Tamaraw Media Awards. So, if you are chosen, you automatically become one of the anchors of FEU Campus Hour),” he shared. 

After winning the award, Laudencia was tasked by Panela to form a team for Season 12 of FEU Campus Hour. 

“Fortunately, I was awarded as the FEU Performer of the Year 2024. And then, ‘yun na, doon na nag-start. Sinabihan ako ni Ma’am Karen, our prof, [to] form a team na bubuo sa FEU Campus Hour Season 12,” the anchor explained. 

Upon choosing the dream team of Season 12, he considered the best of the best for the roles that needed to be occupied. He evaluated potential members based on their experience while also considering those whom he has worked with in the past. 

“So pumili ako ng team na I think na best sa mga roles, in terms of experience din, [at] sa mga naka-work ko na rin before,” Laudencia revealed. 

One of the members of the team, graduating student and co-anchor Danielle Marie Dayao, described that being on the team gave her the push to deliver well. 

“Everyone in our team for Campus Hour Season 12 is really talented and creative in their own way. So it was a good pressure for me to do my best,” Dayao said. 

She mentioned that she felt inspired to do well because her fellow team members worked with passion and were hands-on. Further, she practiced a lot since it was her debut as a radio jock. 

“I did practice a lot. Alam ni Jed ’yan, kasi it was also my first time to be a student radio jock. So siya ‘yung parang naging mentor ko rin aside from Ma’am Panela,” the co-anchor conveyed. 

Dayao wasn’t the only one who felt the pressure reverberating through their vocal cords, but also Laudencia. He described that being at the front of the program pressured him to do good and deliver smoothly. 

“For me as one of the anchor[s] din, pressure rin of course kasi nga siyempre kami ‘yung naka-front, kumbaga kami ‘yung mukha ng program. So we had to do our best na maibigay ‘yung full energy, projection, [at] kailangan [ng] delivery. Ginawa talaga namin ‘yun,” he proudly stated. 

For both the anchors, they grew fond of their last episode, which centered on love for the country and the importance of elections. According to them, it was their chance to seize the moment and apply all of their knowledge for the final episode of FEU Campus Hour Season 12. 

_{In photo: Jedidiah Laudencia and Danielle Marie Dayao, along with their team, aired their final episode on Radyo Veritas last February 22.}

Another change was made for the two recent seasons, which was linking it to the on-the-job training (OJT) for incoming fourth-year students. So, participating in this program is equivalent to rendering their OJT hours. 

Despite being part of the curriculum and aligning with students’ OJT requirements, the long years of FEU Campus Hour did not grant them any permanent budget allocation. Panela mentioned that they had received funding only two or three times. 

“So since 2010, parang nagkaroon lang kami ng chance na mabigyan ng budget siguro mga twice or thrice pa lang. But after that, wala na,” she revealed. 

Considering this challenge, she remains hopeful that the FEU Department of Communication will allocate financial support for this program. Besides financial constraints, another challenge was finding the right people who are similarly interested in radio production. 

“Kasi alam niyo naman na radio is no longer very popular among Gen Zs. So minsan nakatutuwa kapag nagiging involved sila sa production, nagkakaroon ng appreciation sa radio production and radio broadcasting (Because, as you know, radio is no longer very popular among Gen Z. So, it’s sometimes heartwarming when they get involved in the production; they develop an appreciation for radio production and radio broadcasting),” the adviser stated. 

Following this message to the Tam COMMunity, Panela is manifesting for the University to hold its first hosting of the Campus Hour Awarding since it is one of the pioneering schools of the program. 

“At the end of the season, ‘pag tapos na lahat [Universities involved] umere, may awarding na nagaganap hosted by Radyo Veritas, and at times, nagtatap sila ng University to be the host. FEU has yet to host it, kasi ang alam ko [ang] Bulacan State University hosted it [and] nag-hint si Radyo Veritas na kung puwede FEU naman,” Panela revealed. 

For 15 years, the FEU Campus Hour has been continuously airing and evolving as they serve not just ordinary seasons and episodes but something that will surely be engraved on each audience. During that span of years, this program paved an opportunity for the Tamaraws to explore and apply in real-time their skills and wits. So as Season 12 ends, the hope to have a better and improved set-up for the following years remains to live via frequency of ambition. 

(Photos by Zedrich Xylak Madrid/ FEU Advocate)