The Paulines Institute of Communication in Asia (PICA) celebrated its 10th year of foundation last April 27, 2012 at the Daughters of St. Paul, Pasay City. The celebration was highlighted with a thanksgiving Mass presided by Fr. Apolinar (Boy) Castor, SSP. Significance of the celebration includes: Pica 10th anni final thanksgiving to God for guiding PICA the past ten years, acknowledgement of every student who supports MLE and looking back at the development of PICA for greater appreciation of MLE. The celebration also traced the historical context of PICA which recalls the late Sr. Lucina Sarmiento, FSP who pioneered MLE in the congregation of the Daughters of St. Paul with her proposed thesis on “Child of Media” and “Media Baby” at the Ateneo de Manila University. The Provincial Chapter of 1989 already discussed the possibility of a systematized MLE for the future of media apostolate. Similarly, the Provincial government of1998 felt the pulse of PICA’s coming birth upon the completion of in-depth communication studies of two FSP’s namely; Sr. Consolata Manding, fsp who obtained her Doctorate Degree in Communication at the University of the Philippines (UP), and Sr. Clothilde de las Llagas, fsp with her Master in Media Literacy Education in the United States of America. Eventually, PICA was launched in April, 2002 and emerged as vehicle for Media Literacy Education Graduate and Training Course, and with Mobile MLE.
The PICA Management and Staff wish to express a Christ-filled gratitude to all students in Media Literacy Education Graduate Course, Certificate Program and the Mobile Media Education Seminar Participants…God bless you all!