Journos Bobby Coloma, Iris Gonzales, 3 others recognized in 2025 Glory Awards

(This is a press release from the UP College of Media and Communication Alumni Association.)

Five alumni of the University of the Philippines College of Media and Communication (UPCMC) have been named recipients of the 2025 Glory Awards for bringing honor and laurels to the institution through their work.

The awardees are veteran journalist Roberto Coloma, digital market research trailblazer Melissa Abad Santos-Baron, community worker and civic leader Elena Buensalido-Mangahas, independent filmmaker Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil, and business editor-columnist Iris Gonzales.

The awards, formally known as the Gawad Gloria Feliciano, will be presented on February 28, during the UPCMC annual homecoming at the Commission on Higher Education Auditorium in UP Diliman. The ceremony will be co-hosted by alumni Tuesday Vargas, RS Francisco and Kata Inocencio, with trophies designed by UP professor emeritus and alumni board member Grace Javier Alfonso.

Now in its ninth year, the Glory Awards Night presented by San Miguel Corporation is organized by the UPCMC Alumni Association and coincides with the college’s 60th anniversary.

“Our honorees exemplify excellence and impact in their fields, bringing pride to our alma mater and inspiring the UPCMC community,” said alumni association president and PTV-4 general manager Malou Choa-Fagar.

This year’s jury included former UP vice president for public affairs and past UPCMC dean Dr. Elena Pernia; Philippine Communication Society past president Dr. Lourdes Portus; professor and former Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino chairperson Dr. Gary Devilles; veteran television producer Chit Guerrero; TV commercial director and 2024 Glory awardee Mandy Reyes; UPCMC Dean Dr. Diosa Labiste; and former ANC and CNN Philippines news director Jing Magsaysay, representing the family of Dr. Gloria Feliciano, who led the college from 1965 to 1985.

The Glory Awards were established in 2017 to recognize alumni whose achievements in journalism, film, communication research, broadcasting, and allied fields evoke the legacy of Feliciano, the pioneering dean of UP’s mass communication program.

Bobby Coloma devoted 40 years to journalism, rising to become bureau chief of Agence France-Presse in Singapore and Malaysia. As editor-in-chief of the UP Philippine Collegian, he was imprisoned for upholding press freedom at the height of Martial Law. He covered pivotal events such as the People Power Revolution, insurgencies, and the removal of US bases in the Philippines. Coloma’s reporting earned him the Catholic Mass Media Award for best in journalism. He received the National Order of Merit, with the rank of Chevalier, from then-French president Jacques Chirac for his “great professionalism and dedication towards objectivity.” He also served as president of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines and reported landmark global events, from the Hong Kong handover to the Trump-Kim summit. 

Issa Baron has built a four-decade track record in the marketing research field, mastering research management, analytics, and business development. As co-founder of GoodThinking Research Inc. and FastforwardMR Corporation, she championed agile, insight-driven approaches and the digitization of research processes. She has served three terms as president of the Marketing and Opinion Research Association of the Philippines (MORES) and held multiple leadership roles that advanced industry standards and digital adoption. Beyond corporate work, Baron has supported consumer advocacy projects and ICANSERVE Foundation, influencing public health campaigns and cancer care policy.

Iris Gonzales is a multi-awarded journalist who has consistently bridged the intersections of politics, social issues, and economic policy. Her thrice-weekly column “Eyes Wide Open” in the Philippine Star has exposed misuse of public funds, corporate vested interests, and government shortcomings while championing marginalized communities. Her investigative reports on Malampaya, e-sabong, POGOs, and coal power have influenced public discourse and policy, earning multiple “Feature Story of the Year” honors from the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines. Beyond the newsroom, she has joined repatriation missions, documented the plight of Filipino fishermen, and covered the Duterte administration’s “war on drugs” and children’s cancer care, often mobilizing aid for those affected. 

Elena Mangahas dedicated 34 years of professional and civil service work in San Joaquin County, California, where she championed workforce development and connected thousands of young people to training, jobs, and volunteer opportunities. Beyond her government service, she held key volunteer leadership roles, including executive director of the Asia Pacific Concerns Committee, senior board member of Little Manila Rising, and president of the Rotary Club of Central Stockton. A lifetime member of the Filipino American National Historical Society, she has been a strong advocate for immigrant communities, women’s empowerment, youth with disabilities, and mentoring minority leaders. Her contributions also extend to the arts and literature through performances in local theater, historical documentaries, and Filipino American productions. 

Ellen Marfil has distinguished herself in Philippine independent cinema through her own production house, Erasto Films. Her feature films Boses, Mga Pusang Gala, and Lakbay2Love have combined artistry, themes of healing and resilience, and advocacy for child protection, gender equality, and environmental awareness. In 2025, she premiered Lakambini: Gregoria de Jesus, a historical opus that revived public awareness of the Katipunan heroine. She has won recognitions from Cinemalaya, CineEuropa Festival in Palawan, and across the United States at the Frameline, G2 Green Earth, and International Social Change film festivals. Her works are screened in schools, communities, and global forums on education and social change. Beyond cinema, she co-founded Pelikulove.com, a multi-arts portal that nurtures new voices in film and theater, expanding access to creative education during and after the pandemic. – Rappler.com