ProjectSaysay, HAU to Launch Animated History Lessons
Holy Angel University (HAU) and ProjectSaysay, Inc. are set to sign a memorandum of agreement formalizing the three-year collaboration to produce free and shareable five-seven minute animated Philippine history materials on November 10 at the said university in Angeles City. The project is dubbed as Animated Philippine History Lesson.
Also to be previewed in the event is the first animated Philippine history lesson produced under the aforesaid collaboration. Entitled “The Nameless Hero,” the said animated lesson is an adaptation of the book The Nameless Hero: Revisiting the Sources on the First Filipino Leader to Die for Freedom authored by ProjectSaysay Founder and Executive Director Ian Christopher B. Alfonso and published by Holy Angel University Press in 2016. Born and raised in Macabebe, Pampanga, Alfonso chose the topic as it is the only way ProjectSaysay can honor the first among our ancestors to die defending our freedom but consigned by the Spaniards to anonymity by not recording his name. Alfonso is also the writer and director of the animated lesson while Robby Tantingco, Director of CKS and HAU Vice-President for Student Affairs, is the editor.
Nine graduating animation program students of HAU were involved in the project: Cheyenne C. Calara, Abigail Kristine L. Castro, Kimfher S. Gulapa, Dainnielle Angelo M. Magat, Myron Justine A. Sangil, Rose Maricar L. Sigui, Ashley Shane A. Salunga, Marc Richard Louise C. Santos, and Van David H. Reyes. They were supervised by Animation professors, Paul Albert S. Calimoso and Adrian Lee Magcalas of HAU College of Information and Communications Technology.
From ProjectSaysay's end, the project is especially supervised by its Multimedia Director and Vinta Program Head Oswald Santos.
Venturing in the production of animated materials is a fulfillment of ProjectSaysay’s mission to spread the ideals and values of great Filipinos through dissemination of relevant, useful, and inspiring information sourced from Philippine history. It is also aligned with one advocacy’s objectives of generating sensible and accurate online materials that are shareable and attune to the needs of time.
"Rest assured that ProjectSaysay will equal the Animation Program of Holy Angel University with materials definitely sourced from primary sources," Alfonso said. He continued: "We will do our best to equip the Animation Team with historical foundations and conventions and to guide them in employing culturally sensitive and politically correct elements."
"This synergy between two different disciplines—the Animation and History—is a worthwhile experience on how the two may help the Filipino imagine and remember," Alfonso furthered.
