Kabanata X (Chapter 10) : Janet Tibaldo an Empowered Woman

"If there's one word to describe me, I would say strict." A fiery, passionate, professor and a mother of two children. An epitome of 'empowered woman' who empowers other woman as well especially her child and students.

If you studied at Saint Louis University since 2002 or currently studying under the program of Bachelor of Arts In Communication in School of Teacher Education and Liberal Arts Department, you surely know her and possibly she might know you as well.

"I am not only strict at school, even at home, I think both of my children are more scared of me more than their father because when I said no, it's no." Janet said. Because of this, people criticize her for being a perfectionist. She doesn't like rushing or cramming and blames herself when her students failed to pass a perfect output. She's a pure and genuine person. She always speak her mind all the time to avoid misunderstandings. But despite of all these reasons, she only wanted to discipline her students and as well as her children and when you got to know her she has a warm aura that comforts her students but at the same time her 'strictness' is still evident.

One student said that she's gives importance to time that Janet, herself, proved. "During the face to face classes, when I enter the classroom at 9 am, all students after me, who are considered late, must get a slip from OSA to enter my classroom." she said. This proves that she always gives her best in whatever she does and also dedicates her time, and effort when it comes to working.

"Age doesn’t really matter in delivering your work. You must have the fire and passion to continue. If you have competency ang knowledge thirst to become more." she added. Her passion is always there ever since she was young. She was an activist until her early 30s during her undergraduate years, 1986, when she was a rallyist for malnutrition, women's rights, and other subjects. She was very bold that she didn't have the chance to look for a boyfriend even after she graduated. Furthermore, she graduated under the program of Communication at Saint Louis University, Baguio City. She completed the Corporate Communications Program at the center for Continuing Education, Ateneo Graduate School of Business in 2002. She also the Compliance Officer of the Philippine Association of Communication Educators (PACE), the oldest and biggest most dynamic organizations for Communication Educators and practitioners in the country. She travelled nationwide to train teachers, parents and student on media literacy, under the auspices of the National Council for Children's Television (NCCT) of the Department of Education for she's an impassion Media and Information Literacy (MIL) advocate.

It actually didn't stop there. Her passion for journalism and communication started ever since she was a child. She was born during the Martial Law years and was trained to only stay at home by her parents. To buy some time, she spends it by watching news, listening to radio and read. She is a voracious reader. She looked up to Loren Legarda and Korina Sanchez during her High School years, but time to time her adoration to those personalities are changing but one thing remains is her looking up to an example that Jesus shown us when he was living here on Earth that was captured in the new testament. For a fact, John 3:16 is her ultimate favorite verse.

"Experiences during College under BA Com. There are actually a lot of stuffs that molded me into who I am today." she also added that her college years are have more memories that her high school years. Firstly, because of their situation where in there's no internet, gadgets, and smartphones. There also have limited number of malls, that's why they find it difficult to buy clothes when they need it for interviews. Because of these, she learned to never waste opportunity. She learned to look beyond what you could possibly do. She learned how to improvise.

"It taught me to learn from the world around me, not just the world inside my classroom. To be able to adapt to a variety of settings, even if they are limited."

She shared that she was so bold to work during her 3rd year in College as an Account Executive at Sunstar and was asked to write feature stories. She also experienced being a weather reporter at North Com Cable Television. Moreover, recently she graduated from PHD in Language and Communication, she was a scholar of CHED for research and dissertation. Because of this pandemic, she graduated virtually and got a medal. She was offered to be the Department head, but she did not accept it because she wanted to become a research coordinator. She thought of giving up her profession as a teacher because of wanting to become part of the Government; however, she is still hesitant to take the risk, time, and consequences that she will be facing before achieving it. In fact ,she is working for a journal article, research, and it is accepted for publication. Out of 8 panelist there are 3 that gave opinions and recommendation.

She made a lot of achievements and goals connected to her profession even if she knows to herself that her greatest achievement haven't really meet yet but she still considered herself blessed. However, she laments living with her mother-in-law shortly after marriage because she is a busy and career-driven woman. The situation was a bit toxic due to the mother-in-law being sick. She did not have time for her family and asked her husband to fill in her roles. She was so busy and was hardly at home when her mother-in-law passed away. She wished she could have done something for her and gave her best.

During this pandemic, she was not an exemption of experiencing mental health issues, she felt stressed, and underwent psychological support. She is under intermittent fasting, because of her doctor’s recommendation. 16:8. She is actually not a morning person and feeling a bit under the weather because of she has a lot of tasks to do.

"I'm a nocturnal creature. When it comes to morning, my brain is not so focused." she said. A nocturnal creature is someone who is most active at night. Since she was a major course professor she has more works now compared to face to face that resulted that even when she's staying at home, she can't do household chores.

Because of this pandemic, she realized a lot and shared the top 3. First, is the importance of family. In this pandemic, her family experienced a lot of firsts since they were all stayed at home compared to their life before that they seldom see each other in the house because of their own tasks. Second, is the importance of our relationship to God. She shared that it is what matters the most right now, to strengthen our vertical relationship to God. Lastly, is her improvements as a mother and a professor. She says that being able to raise her 2 wonderful kids and lead them into the path of Christ is one of her greatest fulfillment in her life.

She discovered empathetic communication skill as the most important and most effective skill wherein she was able to detect whenever she’s being lied upon. This, as well, helped her to effectively connect with her family despite her busy schedules. She was too busy with the academic connections that she wasn’t able to focus on the growth and development of her daughter. Although she is not worried for she knows that she connected them with the vertical relationship and also able to invest her time with them when they were younger.

She advise to student journalists and young adults out there to always seize the opportunity, grab it. Opportunity only knocks once in a while, you should never missed it so you have no regrets. Be a voracious reader. Reading expands your knowledge and vocabulary. Through reading you are helping yourself to improve and it can also enhance your skills. Get yourself a grip . Always ask yourself every time if you are doing the right thing. Be brave enough to learn from your mistakes and embrace your flaws. She says that it’s more on the person. How strong you are as an individual, whether you have a good foundation, accept and believe in yourself. She says that you should invest in yourself because it will make you stand despite negativities. Last is to look into causes to build a better world that will stop racism and accept cultural diversity. We all dreamed to lived in peace.

"Life is difficult but you are free to make choices and every time you make choices be prepared for the consequences." Janet S. Tibaldo, 2021