Dr. Leticia Bianito Ursua, Communication Educator

Dr. Leticia Bianito Ursua Communication Educator Dr. Leticia Bianito Ursua is a Leyteña by birth, but as fate would have it, she ended up graduating in her elementary years in Tacloban City, her high school studies in Mandaluyong, Rizal, and started her collegiate days at UP Diliman. A strange twist in her journey railroaded her destiny and ended up as a graduate of Bachelor in Secondary Education degree at the University of the East, Manila. In dire need of a job, the city girl now suddenly found herself negotiating primitive country roads -- hole-filled and bumpy, powdery with dust in summer and heavily muddy during the rainy season -- as a lowly teacher at Tococ High School in the barrio of Tococ, Bayambang. One time, she recalls, she was too late to take the last carromata ride going to town, so she had no choice but to walk all the way home. One carromata going that way was too full to take her in, so she took the difficulty on the chin. But she heard something that she'd never forget. A group of young teachers mockingly laughed at her, saying, "Oh poor city girl. Why did she have to come here, anyway?" In Bayambang, she met her husband, Mr. Greg Ursua, who served as Community Affairs Assistant at the Office of the late Governor Aguedo Agbayani and also as Human Settlement Officer of Bayambang. The couple established a modest home and grew a family near Estacion (now Zone V). Dr. Ursua was a hardworking and ambitious teacher. She seized every opportunity to advance in her career. Her rise was fast. In 1971, she transferred as a teacher of English to Bayambang National High School which was then one of the biggest high schools in Pangasinan. At BNHS, she became, among other things, the adviser of the official school organ, "The Leader," a Master Teacher I, and also an Outstanding Teacher awardee of BNHS in 1983. Then in 1985, she transferred to PSU when the whole campus was still a College of Education. Apart from being a professor of English in the Languages Department of PSU, she had also teaching load in the PSU Laboratory High School where she also became principal for one year. She has always been in the world of campus journalism both in the secondary and collegiate levels. Her name is a legend among school paper advisers representing the PSU Lab High School, “Banyuhay,” and the PSU college paper, which she renamed to “The Reflector” from its original name, “The Hilltop.” To her name are appended a Master in Education, major in English degree earned at PSU, a Doctor of Education degree major in Higher Education and a Dip.TESOL (Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certificate granted her on scholarship from the SEAMEO-Regional Language Center, Republic of Singapore. She has authored books in Speech and in Language Teaching, all with copyright and ISBN. Likewise, she served as editor of the PSU Bayambang Faculty Journal and the PSU Graduate School Journal. She used to be adviser and organizer of various schools press conferences at the division and regional levels for several times. The peak of her career speaks of her as Professor 6, an enviable post any professor would aspire for. She retired as the Director of Institutional and Planning and Public Relations Office of the PSU-Main Office in Lingayen. She remains busy even after she has retired from a state university. She is presently a professor at the University of Luzon Graduate School. Moreover, she is the Media Affairs Officer of the local government of Bayambang, where she provides valuable assistance through her media connections and insightful advice on writing and related matters. From time to time, she contributes to regional newspapers “Northern Times,” “Pangasinan Star,” and “People’s Digest” as guest columnist. She is concurrently representing the Women’s Sector of the Bayambang Water District’s Board of Directors. Among other pursuits, she sat as President of the Rotary Club of Bayambang during the Rotary Year 2016-2017. She is still an active member of the Club up to now. Recognized as outstanding teacher of PSU-Bayambang, an Outstanding Professional of the Municipality of Bayambang Award was accorded her during the Town Fiesta 2008. Outside of her chosen profession, Dr. Ursua is, of course, a loving mother to Lily Luz and Aris (both PSU Elementary Lab alumni) and grandmother to an architect, Denise, a medical doctor, Ira, and an engineer, AJ. Dr. Ursua and her husband had also helped several students as scholars, among whom were relatives Vangeline Bianito Valdez, Lilibeth Bianito Munda, and Roxell Mamita de Guzman, and non-relatives and total strangers Lincoln Ariz and Jane Balatico Buya from Dasol, Melony Padilla Donayre from Sta. Barbara, Precy Maningding Fortez from Calasiao, and Jesus Soriano from Brgy. Tambac, Bayambang. Lincoln is now the grade school department Principal of Lourdes School Mandaluyong. Melony was a faculty in PSU Bayambang before she taught in South Korea and later moved to Texas, USA. Vangeline, Lilibeth, Roxell, Jane, Precy and Jesus serve in the public schools. The wisdom Dr. Ursua has gained through the years shines through in every facet of her life, a life well-lived because it is lived to the fullest, to the best of the multiple abilities she was gifted with. *** In Her Own Words I have fond memories of being a part of the Pangasinan State University Laboratory High School (PSU Lab HS) both as a teacher and as a principal. Entering the PSU Lab HS as a student is not easy. Student aspirants have to undergo the selective admission requirements. The general average in Grade VI needs to be high. Passing the entrance exam and hurdling the interview successfully are, likewise, the rule of the day. Really, these students who dare undergo the requisites in the Lab HS are those who belong to the 'cream of the crop' from the different elementary schools. True, "tagisan ng talino talaga!" As one of their teachers, these students who were once under my tutelage are still in my memory. Truth to tell, I still keep dearly my Class Records through the years! Aside from my teaching load, I also handled the advisorship of the Lab HS paper, Banyuhay. Getting into the editorial board of the Banyuhay was another rigorous activity. Our participation in the press conferences was always paid off, because somehow even if we were outnumbered, we managed to bring home a slice of the bacon. Aside from this, I cherish the encounters I had at the Lab HS. The student populace was a dynamo of activities along all facets--academic, co-curricular, cultural. The offer for me to sit as principal of the Lab HS was during the early 2000s. I was at the Lab's helm for more than a year only, but I'll always cherish the demanding roles I've overcome. I experienced the hustle-bustle of campus life like--enrolling students, intrams, student government elections, attending to complaints, beating deadlines, holding meetings, J-S proms, graduation rites, athletic meets and many more duties. I took all these responsibilities as challenges that are lasting treasures. Let me borrow these lines from the famous author Robert Frost, and I quote: "I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence....."