MY EMCEEING GIGS: HOW IT ALL STARTED

It all started in September 1989.                        

As the reluctant elected president of the English Club of the then Divine Word College now Holy Name University of Tagbilaran City, Bohol, I had the dreaded task of emceeing the Opening Program for the week- long English Days celebration in school as requested nay insisted by our dear Dr. Ester Sajulan, then the English Department Chairperson

I was truly petrified with the whole experience for it was to be my very FIRST emceeing stint. I remember that it was my beloved mentor Prof. Rose Rara- Sarabosing who stayed with me near the podium and who kept feeding me the lines to say and what not to say. 

I survived that ordeal. 

The next few hosting jobs assigned to me were now lapped up with gusto. Of course, there were lapses and some obvious faux pas that were greeted with sneers and jeers
Looking back, I feel grateful and very lucky indeed to have been given the chance to make mistakes in front of peers and mentors while trying to fine tune my public speaking skills

Years of hosting experiences haven't totally changed the real me. Underneath the seeming cockiness and self- assuredness is a bashful and timid person who is not comfortable with crowds.

The evolution to be the best that I could be is a lifelong process and right now, my greatest and fondest wish is to be given the chance to share whatever lessons I have learned about hosting to the next generation of upstarts who will soon take over

Almost a quarter of a century and we're still at it

Thank you God for the gift