Thousands of students and other onsite and online participants attended the first leg of GMA Regional TV and Synergy’s “GMA Masterclass Series” last February.
Launched in 2018, the “GMA Masterclass Series” aims to provide students and professors another venue for new learning and discourse on various local and national issues.
“We are proud to bring you this year’s impressive line-up of GMA Masterclass Series–composed of some of the best from the country’s leading network, GMA,” shares GMA Regional TV and Synergy First Vice President and Head Oliver Victor Amoroso. “In a few months, we will once again choose our next set of leaders. Through this Masterclass Series, we hope that we can inspire our young voting population from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao to dream not only for themselves but also for our country by harnessing their critical thinking skills and helping them make informed choices,” he adds.
The first leg of the “GMA Masterclass Series” commenced in Western Visayas last February 21 at the Central Philippine University in Jaro, Iloilo.
Panelists for the first leg included Miss Universe Philippines 2020 and proud Ilongga Rabiya Mateo, celebrity chef and entrepreneur Jose Sarasola, broadcast journalist Sandra Aguinaldo, GMA News Social Media Assistant Manager Audrey Domasian, and GMA Regional TV One Western Visayas’ Darylle Marie Sarmiento.
The second session in the Visayas followed last February 22 at the University of St. La Salle Bacolod.
Joining panelists Mateo, Sarasola, Aguinaldo, and Domasian was GMA Regional TV One Western Visayas co-anchor and correspondent Adrian Prietos.
Kapuso star Manolo Pedrosa and GMA Regional TV One Western Visayas’ Kaitlene Rivilla served as hosts for both Iloilo and Bacolod events, which also featured The Clash Season 4 Champion Mariane Osabel.
The GMA Masterclass Series continued last February 24 in Central and Eastern Visayas. At the Silliman University in Dumaguete, Mateo and Sarasola were joined by GMA News Anchor and Senior News Reporter Raffy Tima, GMA News Senior Social Media Producer Joselito Natividad, award-winning ‘I-Witness’ director Janus Victoria, and GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak’s Nikko Sereno.
The Kapuso Masterclass in Dumaguete was hosted by Pedrosa and Sillimanian Student Representative Sophia Garzon.
Cebu’s University of San Carlos capped off the successful Visayas leg of GMA Masterclass. Last February 28, GMA's screenwriter, series creator, and creative consultant Suzette Doctolero and GMA News anchor Ivan Mayrina took the panelist seat with Sarasola and Natividad. GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak’s Lou Anne Mae Rondina completed the speakers for this event.
Rain Matienzo hosted the event, while Denise Barbacena showcased her vocal prowess.
The GMA Masterclass continues this March.
Suzette Doctolero, Farm to Table’s Chef JR Royol, Born to be Wild’s Doc Nielsen Donato, GMA News’ Julia Claire Medina, and GMA Regional TV One Mindanao’s Cyril Chavez shared their knowledge last March 14 at Xavier University and at Central Mindanao University last March 15.
On March 16, Doctolero, GMA News’ Mariz Umali, GMA Public Affairs Social Media’s Alex Jemimah Castro, GMA Regional TV One Mindanao’s Sarah Hilomen-Velasco, Chef Jose Sarasola, and Asia’s Romantic Balladeer Christian Bautista will be at the Holy Cross Davao College.
The following day, March 17, Doctolero, Umali, Castro, Sarasola, and Bautista will join GMA Regional TV’s Jandi Esteban at the Notre Dame of Dadiangas University in General Santos City.
On March 24, Doctolero, Kapuso actresses Bianca Umali and Rita Daniela join GMA News Anchor and Senior Reporter Raffy Tima, GMA Entertainment Group’s First Vice President for Business Development Department III Darling De Jesus-Bodegon, GMA Public Affairs Social Media’s Theodore Jason Patrick Ortiz and Hilomen-Velasco at the Western Mindanao University.
In 2021, GMA Masterclass won an Excellence Award in the Communication Training and Education Division at the 18th Philippine Quill Awards. It also took home the ‘Most Development Oriented TV Plug’ at the 2020 Gandingan Multi-media Awards.