๐Œ๐ˆ๐‹๐„๐’๐“๐Ž๐๐„๐’ | ๐“๐€๐” ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ ๐›๐ข๐  ๐š๐ญ ๐๐ž๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ฎ๐ฅ๐€๐ ๐ซ๐š๐ซ๐ฒ๐จ ๐Ÿ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ“ ๐ซ๐ž๐ โ€™๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฅ๐ญ, ๐ฌ๐ž๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ซ๐ž๐ฉ๐ซ๐ž๐ฌ๐ž๐ง๐ญ ๐‚๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐š๐ฅ ๐‹๐ฎ๐ณ๐จ๐ง ๐š๐ญ ๐ง๐š๐ญโ€™๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐ž๐ฏ๐ž๐ฅ

The finest storytellers from Tarlac Agricultural Universityโ€™s (TAU) Department of Development Communication lit up the silver screen as the 2025 PelikulAgraryo Regional Awards unfolded at the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Regional Office Conference Hall in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga, 1 Julyโ€”showcasing a powerful celebration of youth-driven advocacy through film.

Delivering a landmark performance in the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations (ARBO) category, TAUโ€™s student-produced film Rang-Ay clinched Best Film and swept six out of seven major awards, including Best Editing, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Director. With this victory, Rang-Ay is set to represent Central Luzon in the national PelikulAgraryo competition this August.

This year's regional awards followed the provincial tilt held in Tarlac on 30 June, where both TAU entriesโ€”including Hirayaโ€”rose to prominence.

โ€œThese awards serve as a testament to our DevCom studentsโ€™ hard work and commitment to being catalysts of social change. Sulit lahat ng mga puyat at pagod natin, mga Katalista! This validates our ongoing efforts to enhance our studentsโ€™ visual storytelling capabilities. We also celebrate the people behind the success of this projectโ€”our BSDC students and alumni. You guys rock! Talagang pinatunayan ninyong basta sama-sama at tulong-tulong tayo, lahat makakaya natin!โ€ Mr. Mallari expressed.

In the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARB) category, Tarlac State Universityโ€™s (TSU) film Punla won Best Film, along with Best Actor and Best Actress awards. Punla stood out for its emotional impact and compelling portrayal of the real struggles faced by Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries.

Other outstanding regional winners included Bulacan State Universityโ€™s (BulSU) Binhi, which earned Best Cinematography and 2nd Best Film in the ARBO category, while Wesleyan University Philippines (WUP) secured 3rd Best Film. In the ARB category, The Manila Times College of Subicโ€™s Ang Huling Ani bagged Best Editing, Best Screenplay, Best Director, and 2nd Best Film.

Dr. Sherwin S. Alar, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), noted that the recent triumph of the Development Communication students reflects the Collegeโ€™s mission to amplify unheard voices and shape purposeful communicators through multimedia.

โ€œWe are not just teaching students to create; we are shaping communicators who carry real stories with weight and truth,โ€ Dr. Alar said.

TAU President Dr. Silverio Ramon DC Salunson, who has been steadfast in supporting youth-led creative and academic endeavors, expressed his optimism for the journey ahead. According to him, the achievements of the Development Communication students signify TAUโ€™s growing role in communicating rural realities through innovative platforms. He added that he would like to see these students advance to the national level, which could ultimately open greater opportunities for them to contribute meaningfully to agricultural and rural development.

With their victories, TAU filmmakers not only brought pride to the province of Tarlac but also amplified the voices of marginalized communities through motion pictures. As their PelikulAgraryo journey continues, Central Luzonโ€™s youth have made one thing clear: agriculture remains the backbone of local and national development.

#SmartTAU #GreenandGlobal #SineSulong #DAR #ARB #ARBO #SDG1 #SDG2 #SDG4 #SDG10 #SDG13 #SDG17

Article | Department of Development Communication and Information Unit

Photos | Department of Development Communication