Gani Yambot’s Eye on the Future

 (Tribute to Inquirer publisher Gani Yambot)

       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.