All Because of PhilArts

I was invited to talk during the Annual Career Symposia of UP Manila. Every year, they would invite me and I usually go. The symposia, entitled "Eto Kami Ngayon", is aimed at providing freshmen insights into what life is after finishing their chosen course.

I was quite happy with what I wrote so i decided to upload it here.

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Hello future colleagues in the cultural field!
My name is Ethel Villafranca and I finished BA Philippine Arts major in Arts Management in 1998. I would have loved to join you today for EKN9 but I am currently in Singapore for a one-year internship with DHL. So, Tita Zeny and I decided to just write you a letter and she will read ala-lovingly-yours-Helen.

Please allow me to share with you some of the things I have been able to do because I am a BA Philippine Arts graduate.


•Immediately after my graduation in 1998, I was hired at Ayala Museum where I had successive promotions from being an Educations Assistant to Programs and Marketing Officer and finally as Supervisor for Visitor Services- BECAUSE I AM A BA PHILIPPINE ARTS GRADUATE.


•I received an Asian Cultural Council Fellowship Grant and
was able to travel to 6 different states- New York, California,Kentucky, Massachusetts, Chicago and Washington DC.        
and to more than 60 museums. And all these for free
BECAUSE I AM A BA PHILIPPINE ARTS GRADUATE.                                                                      


•I became an Intern at the San Diego Museum of Art where I had first hand experience on how museums in the US operate BECAUSE I AM A BA PHILIPPINE ARTS GRADUATE.

•I was able to contribute a section to a book published by Museo Pambata on Creating Education Programs for Children BECAUSE I AM A BA PHILIPPINE ARTS GRADUATE.


•I spent 3 years as Project Development Officer of The Robinsons Children’s Library managing the operations of the two branches, project management, program design and implementation, fundraising, PR and Marketing and some HR functions as well. It would interest you to
know that the person who replaced me as Project Development Assistant is also a PhilArts graduate, Jemma Zafra. I was hired by the Managing Director BECAUSE I AM A BA PHILIPPINE ARTS GRADUATE.

                                                                                                                   
•I was able to teach Major Arts Management Courses- Financial Management
 for the Arts and Project Management for the Arts- in
UP Manila BECAUSE I AM A BA PHILIPPINE ARTS GRADUATE.



•I have been invited to share my expertise and experience in workshops/seminars conducted by different cultural organizations such as NCCA, Ayala Museum, Lopez Museum and Museo Pambata BECAUSE I AM A BA PHILIPPINE ARTS GRADUATE.

•I was hired by DHL as the Internal Communications Coordinator for the Asia Pacific Region because of the skills and competencies I learned in my previous jobs which I landed BECAUSE I AM A BA PHILIPPINE ARTS GRADUATE.


•I have eaten gelato in Italy, crepes in France, fish and chips in London, dim sum in Hong Kong, chili crabs in Singapore, visited the Stonehenge, seen the Mona Lisa, was mesmerized Michaelangelo’s David, had a stiff neck looking up at the Sistine Chapel Ceiling--- Ok these things were not entirely BECAUSE I AM A BA PHILIPPINE ARTS GRADUATE.

•BUT, I did go ice skating at the Rockefeller Center, spent Halloween in Salem, Massachusetts, went window shopping in Rodeo Drive, drank tequila in Mexico, cried at the end of Phantom of the Opera in Broadway and tasted snow in my tongue ALL BECAUSE I AM A BA PHILIPPINE ARTS GRADUATE.                          
                                                                                                                                            
I have gone places, met interesting people, done some pretty cool stuff and enjoyed it all BECAUSE I AM A BA PHILIPPINE ARTS GRADUATE.

And with God’s grace, I will be able to pursue my graduate degree in Museum Education as a Fulbright Scholar in 2008 to 2009. I am almost there, I just need to get accepted to a university- and this is again BECAUSE I AM A BA PHILIPPINE ARTS GRADUATE.

If you stick around and finish this course, you are in for the ride of your life. There will be a lot of challenges along the way but if you think you have what it takes to become one of the pioneers in this fairly new field, then you have chosen the perfect course.



BA Philippine Arts is not just a course- IT IS YOUR PLATFORM TO A GREAT CAREER!