Breakthrough: The voice of the Loud and Proud.
Grasya Pantasya-She’s as shy sweet girl, modest and demure, her laugh wraps like fluffy cotton and feather, Her voice is so soft and soothing like a summer lullaby. Do you know her? Probably not! Because that is not her!
She is Ann Grace Dumlao-Mallare-A lively, bright, and charming DJ and Host. Her deep loud voice echoes like a commanding anthem. She is the perfect blend of humor and fun. Her voice is the magical recipe for a soothing coffee for listeners. Her laugh is magically contagious. In these trying times of Pandemic, you can call her a happy virus. But just like life, her journey to becoming the Grasya Pantasya we all know and love was not all happy and sunny.
College Life
Going to college was the plan, but DJ Grasya entered college 2 years after high school. A decision that burdened her for some time, thinking she was too old and too late. Little did she know that the answer to her questions and doubts would come in her junior year. The day she was hailed as the Best actress at their film festival. According to her, the accomplishment was one of the most remarkable experiences in her college life. It was an incredible and unexpected feat.
According to DJ Grasya, back in high school, she already knew that she would pursue her dream and knew she would follow her passion for becoming a media practitioner.
“ I made the right choice. I made the right path in mass communication in college.”
DJ Grasya shared from her college and career experience that flexibility and good people skills are a must-have for communication students. She believes that in a complex and complicated media industry. One must be flexible in work and life, especially since her experience in the media world is truly unstable and unexpected. The second one is the ability to develop and perform exemplary people skills. She stated that the media work deals with and for people, and one must skillfully work in interviews and interactions. She added that one must enjoy the journey and note the learnings along the way because you may fail many times, but it does not mean you will fail in life.
“ as long as you love this course, as long as you really want to be a media practitioner, in the long run, you would do anything and everything in your power to reach your goal.”
Early Career
Like many people, DJ Grasya has a game plan for her life and career up her sleeves. She equipped herself with the tools, practice, and knowledge to land her dream job. However, Her timing was not the perfect timing. She ended up working in a different field years after graduating from college. But just when she thought that it was all game over, the perfect time has finally presented God’s Plan for her. She landed her dream job at ABS-CBN as a DJ for MOR Baguio. She was ecstatic, for it was a dream come true. She prepared herself to transform into DJ Grasya Pantasya and finally let her voice be heard. However, the management had a different vision for her.
“And gusto nilang character ko is someone na maharot, malandi, malambing.”
According to DJ Grasya, the deepness and loudness of her voice was controlled in the beginning. If she ever, even in a split second, drop her on-air persona, she would be scolded by the management. She struggled to keep up her malambing character as from time to time, her real personality would accidentally surface. She admitted that the struggle to find her media identity was the toughest part of her neo years in the media industry. She was caged in a mold of perfection where everything she does is predetermined. But like a beast determined to be unleased, she broke through.
“ Kasi kung natural ka, it’s really easy to get close to your listeners, to convey the message that you want to convey.”
Despite the challenge and resistance, DJ Grasya endured it all in the fight to show her true colors. Fortunately, the management eventually let her be herself on and off the air. Giving birth to the DJ Grasya P we all know and love today. Due to her oozing passion and talent, her search for adventure and experience landed her hosting opportunities into morning shows like Bagong Morning Kapamilya. Her career has expanded from radio to television platforms
“ Sabi ng mga prof ko noon college, if you want to be rich, don’t enter media. Don’t be a media practitioner.”
DJ Grasya shared that she ended up having enormous debts while pursuing her career. Her job also opened many opportunities. She gave credit to the management and advertisers for her well-paying job. She shared that aside from financial stability, her life and career have also become stagnant but not routinary. She said her work gives her the pleasure of having exciting things happening every day and the opportunity to meet and interact with many people. She added that interviews let her know the specifics that she banters on-air radio.
“ It was a great experience. I love that job. That was my dream job.”
Just when DJ Grasya is happily living her dream life and job, a nightmare came banging at her door. On May 5, 2020, ABS-CBN went off-air. Along with it was the closing of MOR Baguio, which shares the same franchise. Along with it is DJ Grasya’s dream job and work-family.
It was a heartbreaking time event for DJ Grasya and her colleagues. But not long after, Their passion for giving public service and love for their work gave birth to what is now known as the Regional News Group Luzon. It is a start-up news network that is composed of former Abs-Cbn practitioners and producers.
DJ Grasya stated that adjusting to her new work and environment was challenging. She said she did not know where or how to start. The shift to the online platform was also challenging, but she was optimistic about the infinite possibilities of the platform. She said that their team believes that
“ When you are born as a reporter. You will die as a reporter. If you are born as a journalist, you will die as a journalist.”
The regional news channel has acquired two local tv news channels and looks forward to becoming bigger to reach and serve more Filipinos.
Sometimes in life people are remembered things they do or praised for how great they have become. But what people do not often see is the painstaking journey to victory. The story of DJ Grasya tells us that our greatest weapon is ourselves and that we must invest and believe in who we are and what we can become; That the recipe to a successful career and life is first to dream and live following and protecting that dream. Be loud and proud. Let your voice be heard!
