A lot of exciting TV shows are being produced by third-year Communication students from the University of Santo Tomas’ Faculty of Arts and Letters. These Communication students are enrolled in the Communication program’s TV Production course, under the guidance of Asst. Prof. Faye M. Abugan, MA, a seasoned media professional.
One of these shows is Queen of the Arch, a three-episode pageant competition that highlights the strength, intelligence, and advocacy of three Thomasian female candidates. In collaboration with the university’s broadcasting arm Tiger Media Network, the first episode will air on May 2, and its following two episodes will air separately on May 9 and May 16, 2025 via the official Facebook page of UST Tiger TV, the television branch of Tiger Media Network.
Broadcast live to approximately 35,000 Thomasians via UST Tiger TV, Queen of the Arch seeks to champion the empowered Thomasian woman. Per the supervising producer of Queen of the Arch, Allyana Hernandez, the idea for this show came from her passion for pageantry and her admiration for the confidence, intelligence, and grace it brings out in women. She confided, “Growing up in a family that has been involved in pageantry and modeling, I witnessed how these competitions can empower women to discover and showcase their strengths.”
For Hernandez, the journey to the crown begins at the arch, which in itself serves as a symbol of every Thomasian woman’s path to growth, resilience, and success. By putting the spotlight on Thomasian women, the show hopes to celebrate their authenticity while simultaneously inspiring the Thomasian community to pursue their passions. “Every candidate’s path to the crown—a symbol of strength, wisdom, and leadership—starts by embracing the lessons, values, and experiences they gain through the Arch as Thomasians,” she shared. “I hope the show will serve as a groundbreaking platform and truly represent that the journey to the crown begins at the arch.”
The Arch of the Centuries stands at the España side of the campus, serving as a structure that represents history and transformation, and as a gate to the Thomasian experience.
According to the show’s head writer, Ivan Aguinaldo, its candidates will vie to ‘become a true symbol of Thomasian pride,’ a vision that echoes the show’s mission to celebrate womanhood, creative expression, and uplift voices that fully embody the three C’s of the university: commitment, competence, and compassion.
All three candidates are bound to face challenges that test their creativity and grace under pressure. While Thomasians can expect beloved pageantry essentials to appear in the show, such as runway walks and Q&A portions, fresh segments aligned with the sensibilities of the modern age will make their way to television screens all over the university.
Viewers can expect a show that inspires, as stated by Aguinaldo. Beyond the glitz and glamour, the show promises to touch on what it means to wear a crown.
Queen of the Arch is being produced by student-led production house Middle Child Media. Founded in 2023, the production house is notable for having bagged nine awards in BroadQuest 2023, including Broadcast Planner of the Year. It holds itself to values of instilling variety, visibility, and vision in today’s media landscape. With Queen of the Arch, the production house plans to bring purposeful programming to the screen, creating content that is diverse, representative, and forward-thinking.