The “Organica: Prominence” portfolio awarding ceremony was held on April 8 at the 5/F Augusto-Rosario Gonzalez (ARG) Theater, Taft Campus, marking a momentous occasion for Multimedia Arts (AB-MMA) students.
Serving as a vibrant showcase of their creative evolution, it provided a platform for students to present the culmination of their hard work and transformative journeys.
Opening the event, Mr. Gosh Mangampat, a faculty member from the MMA Program under the School of New Media Arts (SNMA), extended his gratitude to everyone who played a role in the event’s success.
“[...] From uncertainty to clarity, your portfolios emerged,” Mr. Mangampat expressed, “Take what you’ve learned and become not just creators but problem solvers too.”
Industry experts weigh in
The event’s success was greatly amplified by the presence of a distinguished panel of judges. Mr. Jeth Torres, co-founder of Manila Middle Ground, Mr. Dan Matutina, founder of Plus63 Design Co., and Mr. Tosh Barrero, an experienced Creative Director for major brands like Bench, Oxygen, and Peri-Peri.
The judges discussed their approach to evaluating the students’ portfolios; Mr. Torres emphasized the importance of overall quality and presentation, while Mr. Matutina highlighted thoughtful curation—ensuring that portfolios clearly reflect the creator’s strengths. Mr. Barrero, on the other hand, stressed the value of a strong personal branding and a consistent creative identity that makes an artist memorable.
The winners for each category are as follows:
Best in Graphic Design: Peter Craig Raph Trinidad (ID122)
Best in Illustration: Yohanna Elyse Mendoza (ID123)
Best in Photography: Regine Andrade Hawang (ID121)
Best in Video Production: Jan Arthur Delos Reyes (ID123)
Best in Motion Graphics: Charmaine Chua (ID123)
Best in Animation: Lauren Nicole Sy (ID123)
Best 3D Artist: Christian Gabriel Austria (ID123)
The Top 3 finalists for Best Portfolio were then announced:
Top 1: Joelle Viola (ID122)
Top 2: Mikaela David (ID123)
Top 3: Trinity Torres (ID123)
In gratitude and in community
In her acceptance speech, Viola expressed her gratitude, describing her win as unexpected given the talent in the room. She shared how she took the time to view everyone’s work at the “Organica: Emergence” portfolio exhibit held on March 26 to 28, and how much it inspired her.
She emphasized that the achievement was something she shared with the entire community, “I want to share this with everyone in this room [...] congrats to all of us!” she expressed.
The program was further energized by live performances from the band Uncle Jonny, along with a special performance by ID123 AB-MMA student Mico Angeles.
Closing the event, Mr. John Paul Kevin Samonte, another faculty member, thanked the judges and congratulated all participants. He left the audience with a final piece of advice: “Be inspired, never stop creating, continuously update your portfolios, [...] never lose your voice as artists in the world out there.”
From Emergence to Prominence
In an exclusive interview with The Benildean, ID123 AB-MMA student Alyanna Agapito, highlighted the meaningful experience of seeing strong support within the community, saying, “I saw how different we all are even if we’re taking the same course—it’s fulfilling to see each one thrive in their own way.”
Similarly, ID125 AB-MMA student Isaiah Ado noted his appreciation for the theme and performances and shared that the showcase inspired him to “explore, find my style, and create more works to add to my portfolio.” Likewise, fellow ID125 AB-MMA student Lazarre Gahisan expressed excitement in seeing her peers’ work, adding that the showcase reshaped her view of creative growth, saying it “showed me that my skills can further evolve.”
Organica: Prominence stood as a testament to the students’ journeys—from emergence to recognition—highlighting not only their creative excellence but also their potential to shape the future of the industry.
