Going with the flow with Ms. Rhea Asuncion in adding fun and youthfulness to a professional world
The 21-year-old, despite having the workload and practices being harder than it looks, still did not expect that a person like her would’ve landed the job.
Dreaming without action means nothing. For Ms. Rhea Asuncion encapsulates free-handing life with clear intentions on what she wants to speak out about, to reach her own definition of success and to reach out for people and give them the help and needs that they deserve; one case study feature at a time.
Being in the industry and the front-line for information that is fed to the mass, Ms. Rhea Charo Asuncion went from being a student who’s undecided in their collegiate course to a program researcher for KMJS by going with the flow.
A confused but well driven collegiate
Started out as a communications student that only took up the course because it seemed like a “escape-card” out from college, she saw beauty in the course and in the production angle when it comes to events and seminars that were held before in the campus that pushed her to continue in communications. “may mga malalaking seminars before na dinaluhan nila ma’am Jaqcue manabat, nila Marison Abdurahman… tapos iba pang mga alumni and alumna sa SLU, so uhm, yun yung ilan sa mga memorable (experiences) ko na ang lalaking production kasi sya tapos pinagkakatiwala saamin, sa org…MCS (Mass Communication Society).”
To add, through experiencing being one of the finalists and winners for Dokyubata 2018 under the young adult division and an audience choice award for their documentary called “Die Yet”, about a girl with excessive dietary practices that led her to become anorexic. She saw a spark that letting things happen for a reason is the right track for her and could use her existing knowledge to apply into the real world.
In April of 2019, her last sem and term for her collegiate life, she took a chance to audition of a job opening found on Facebook for Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (KMJS) that her friend recommended for the both of them to take part in.
Unfortunately, she did not make it at the time for KMJS, but the Public Affairs management took her work, credited and gratified her for it landing her a chance to be a part of Unang Hirit (from July 2019 to February 2021) and later acknowledged to be a part of the production staff and become the program researcher that we know starting from March 2021 to present.
Professionalism at a young age
Continuing with her mantra up to this day “If you can dream it, you can do it”, perfectly sums up the phrase
YOU MISS 100% OF THE SHOTS YOU DON’T TAKE
,plus her persistence and willingness to take risks in order to keep up with the demands of her job.
When it all started, the Rhea that we know had to intake a lot of being exposed in the real world at the time. “To be away from my family at age 19…pumasok ako sa GMA sa trabaho na to uhm, tas Manila pa… ayun parang naging independent ngay kasi ako that time. Na parang whole new world na to eh” she said, “Hindi sya naging madali. Ang daming kinonsider sa pagpasok talaga dito… tatayo ka na sa sarili mong paa tapos ii-start mo na career mo, yung journey mo to adulthood.”
“After 19, okay gora na ako sa real world. Hellooo, eto na ako mag wo-work na ako parang handang handa na girl pero hindi pa pala…andami mo palang kelangan na matutunan… ri-nisk ko lahat ng yon para pumunta sa kung nasaan ako ngayon.”
Like all people who seek comfort in words of affirmation, she asked advice to one of her friends if it’s still worthy to push through her career. Although hesitant at first to say because of what people might think of her, she still wanted to reach out. The advice of her friend to just try it and continue in order to learn new things and try out new experiences was just what Ms. Rhea needed.
“ Nag lakas loob akong pasukin yun. Okay 19 na… mag te-tengga lang ba ako sa bahay, para makatulong na ako sa family ko, oh go; trabaho na kahit anong trabaho yan.”
Using her refined interpersonal skills to understand better towards their case studies and to bond with them better to get the genuine story out and telling others to understand people or what they’re going through to tell the world that we need to help each other. That’s what motivates her to be excellent and to never miss.
A sense of fulfilment and understanding
Ever since she started working with the program staffs and managers for KMJS as one of their researchers, she still can’t help the ethereal reactions she gets when seeing her hardwork lavish on screen and affect change to their case studies or to other individuals. She explains her sense of fulfilment from her first project, “Mysterio ng Kalawakan” that she has been a part of.
“ Ang surreal nya, actually hanggang ngayon, parang ang fulfilling nya na nakikita mo yung pangalan mo on tv… parang di mo ma-explain yung saya… yung 7 days na pinaghirapan mo more or less…pag nakikita mo on tv… ang saya ng feeling din…maiiyak sa tuwa, sa hirap, sa pinagdaanan mo… until now na fe-feel ko parin sya.”
She believes that dreams should be closely related to actions, to build yourself in order to reach that goal, and once you do, the achievement tastes out of this world. Reminding us that everyone is different and all goals aren’t the same level as others, “Kung kaya nila, sila yun hindi ikaw yun eh. May kaya sila na hindi mo kaya meron karing kaya na hindi nila kaya.”
Endgame
As the interview closes, Ms. Asuncion took her bet on what her goal is, legacy she wants to leave behind, and what advice she could give to students and anyone who’s still facing difficulties in the time of the pandemic.
“Siguro, sa age na to… to reach my own definition of success. Parang in the near future gusto kong maging successful or ma-reach yung own definition ko ng successful” she adds, “yung maging stable sa buhay, sa income, maging masaya sa buhay, o magka-jowa, CHOZ… ayern sya.”
She values being a “people person” and to see that the action that she has engaged in creates a difference for the better, wanting for people to remember her as their-friend-Rhea outside of professionalism and work, and give out a friendly but life-changing advice that “you are not alone, everyone is struggling dahil sa pandemic na to, but choose what works best for your struggle.”
Valuing friendships and the type of person to be there for others while balancing professionalism is the highlight that makes Ms. Rhea Asuncion one of the differences that we all need in life.
Words and Illustrations by Gab Madriaga
