Two Thomasian journalists have been appointed officers-in-charge (OIC) of the news divisions of media entities under the Manuel V. Pangilinan-led Mediaquest.
Patrick Paez, a former student of the Journalism program, has been appointed OIC of News5, succeeding veteran broadcaster Luchi-Cruz Valdez, who retired last month. Prior to his designation to News5, Paez was head of Cignal News Content.
Jovenal Francisco, who obtained his biology degree from UST in 1991, took over Paez’s post in Cignal News Content as OIC.
The appointment of Paez and Francisco was announced to employees of Mediaquest Holdings, Inc. in a memorandum issued last week.
Paez, who has been a journalist for three decades, was head of the news production of News5. He is also one of the hosts of One News’ public affairs program “Storycon” and a former documentarist of the defunct ABS-CBN show “The Correspondents.”
Known to his colleagues as Jove, Francisco was a senior manager for content for One News and One PH. He is also a former reporter for TV5 and a host of the One PH program “Sa Totoo Lang.”
Last year, Francisco was feted during the Thomasian Outstanding Alumni Scientists Tribute Awards by the UST College of Science Alumni Association.
Paez and Francisco are the latest Thomasian journalists to be given key positions in news organizations.
Last month, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. appointed veteran journalist and Communication Arts alumnus Fernando “Dindo” Amparo Sanga as director- general of the Presidential Broadcast Service-Bureau of Broadcast Services (PBS-BBS).
Sanga, who oversees 33 state-run radio stations, graduated from UST in 1986.
He also served as chief of ABS-CBN‘s bureau in the Middle East and head of the network’s integrated news gathering. F — Barbra Althea Gavilan
