UP Press veteran editor: ‘We have high expectations for MMSU Press’
“We have high expectations for the MMSU Press,” said Hermilinda “Linda” Lingbaoan-Bulong, a seasoned editor of the University of the Philippines (UP) Press and award-winning writer, as she served as a resource person for the STRATCOM Reimagined: 2025 Professional Development Training held on December 8–9 at the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), Quezon City.
Organized by the Office for Strategic Communication (STRATCOM) of Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU), the two-day training aimed to strengthen the team’s skills in visual storytelling, feature writing, and book publishing, while enhancing teamwork, innovation, and professional growth to sustain high-quality communication services for the university. The activity was attended by STRATCOM staff, led by director Prof. Herdy Yumul.
𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗠𝗦𝗨 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀
Bulong delivered discussions on “Operating a University Press” and “Guideposts on Editing Manuscripts,” encouraging the MMSU Press to expand its catalogue beyond textbooks by producing monographs, literary works, and scholarly publications. She explained the potential of collaborations with organizations such as GUMIL Filipinas to enrich the university’s literary output. Bulong emphasized the importance of maintaining the independence of a university press and stressed its important role in actively soliciting manuscripts from faculty researchers, including theses and dissertations that could be developed into publishable books. Her insights inspired the MMSU Press core team to pursue a stronger, more professionalized publishing program.
𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Renowned TV writer, director, and producer Raymond Dimayuga delivered a session on Storytelling and Visual Representation, highlighting the importance of a Unique, Universal, Emotional Selling Point (UUESP) in creating effective narratives. He emphasized the “show, don’t tell” principle, reminding participants that stories should guide audiences through an emotional journey using clear visuals, coherent sequencing, and a strong central message.
Dimayuga also walked the participants through critiques of documentary films and feature writing samples, showing how story structure, pacing, and character focus can make content more engaging. Through these practical discussions, he encouraged the STRATCOM team to look for the human angle in every story and to use both words and visuals to make their communication outputs clearer, stronger, and more relatable to audiences.
𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀-𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Participants engaged in interactive workshops designed to enhance competencies in communication, digital media, and information management. These sessions encouraged team cohesion while allowing staff members to apply newly learned techniques to practical tasks, improving the university’s communication and publishing outputs.
𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁 𝗨𝗣 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀
The STRATCOM team also visited the University of the Philippines (UP) Press, where the MMSU team gained firsthand exposure to one of the country’s most established and respected academic publishing institutions. Led by UP Press director Dr. Galileo Zafra, the delegation was introduced to the Press’s history, mission, and operations. Dr. Zafra explained how UP Press, founded in 1965, has remained an important part of the nation’s intellectual and literary landscape by consistently publishing academic works, creative titles, and research-based materials. He shared that the Press produces around 30 books a year and operates with a full editorial, production, and marketing team, making it a self-sustaining university press in the country.
The MMSU staff toured the dedicated UP Press building, where they observed the process of manuscripts moving through the various stages of publication, from acquisition and peer review to editing, layout, printing, and distribution. They also visited the Press’s physical bookstore, where staff demonstrated how titles are curated, displayed, and promoted to readers. During the visit, the MMSU group met fellow Ilokanos working at UP Press, who encouraged them to push forward with regional literature and strengthen Ilokano publishing. The benchmarking activity provided the MMSU Press team with practical insights and operational models that will guide the development of MMSU’s own publishing program.
𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘂𝗺 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿
To stimulate fresh ideas and broaden perspectives, participants took a curated tour of three major institutions of the National Museum of the Philippines: the National Museum of Fine Arts, the National Museum of Anthropology, and the National Museum of Natural History. Exploring masterpieces, historical artifacts, and biodiversity exhibits, the MMSU team found inspiration for creating visually engaging and culturally grounded communication content.
Prof. Yumul expressed his gratitude to MMSU President Virgilio Julius P. Manzano, Jr., for his continued support to the STRATCOM, noting that the museum tour is part of the preparatory plan for the eventual establishment of an interactive MMSU Museum. “We are committed to supporting the administration’s aspirations to strengthen the university’s cultural initiatives by developing a space where the community and the public can engage with MMSU’s rich history, as well as its scholarly and creative outputs,” he added. (𝘔𝘔𝘝 &𝘑𝘊𝘍)
Dec, 12, 2025 08:34:am
Written By:
STRATCOM
