(Tribute to Gani re-published by YahooPhilippines March 6, and the Inquirer, front page, yesterday). Around this time, we would be getting texts and phone calls from Gani about the graduation program. Aside from the certificates of recognition of the Inquirer scholarship grants, Gani would lug to the stage, with a big smile, small gift-bags of goodies which looked like he had handpicked himself, and hand them to each graduate-scholar. It made all the difference.
Inquirer publisher Isagani Yambot had his eye on the future.
Every graduation day for the past decade, he attended the graduation rites of the college to witness future journalists march up the stage, and shake the hands of the Inquirer scholars and their parents.
Every year for the past decade, Gani Yambot personally coordinated with the Department for the submission of the list of nominees to the Inquirer scholarship grants based on academic performance, published work , journalistic experience, and demonstrated leadership.
Every first quarter of every year, he tirelessly and personally texted, telephoned, emailed, and wrote to prepare for the awarding of the Inquirer scholarship grants. He never delegated the task to a representative or an assistant, he used his own cellphone and computer to coordinate the submission of records in time for evaluation and shortlisting. Upon our invitation, every April, he braved the summer heat in his working jusi barong, and sat onstage with the faculty and staff to personally congratulate his Inquirer scholars and see the face of the future among the journalism graduates.
Gani Yambot saw the next century .
The most modern, technologically equipped , LAN-connected simulated newsroom in the University is a donation from the Inquirer. Named “The Inquirer Newsroom”, it hosts the multimedia courses “The Newsroom”, “Online Journalism”, “Publication Design and Layout”, “Multimedia Newsroom”, and soon, if approved by the University, the proposed M.A. (graduate) course “Online News Production” (Advanced online journalism: Producing web content from breaking and developing news in the social media).
His commitment to a free and independent press and journalistic excellence was equalled only by his uncanny foresight and wisdom in investing in brilliant scholars and multimedia infrastructure in the academe.
This light will continue to shine upon us.
On behalf of the Department of Journalism, we extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Gani Yambot.
It would be difficult to imagine this year’s graduation rites without Gani in our midst, but it would be easy to see him in the face of every journalism scholar and graduate that the Inquirer had supported and helped.
