Boots’ bio
BOOTS ANSON ROA – RODRIGO has maximized her potentials through education, media and public service. A product of the University of the Philippines Speech and Drama Department, she has pursued various courses in developmental programs, journalism, public and media relations and film and television production locally and in the US (Georgetown University), Netherlands (Hilversum Television), France and Italy.
Upon the demise in 2007 of her husband, broadcaster Pete Roa, she established Prime (Pete Roa Integrated Media Endeavors) Foundation, Inc., with continuing broadcast education, rehabilitation of Mowelfund (Movie Workers Welfare Foundation) stroke patients and the propagation of devotion to St. Pio as its main thrust.
Most notable in her employment history is being Press Attaché/Cultural Officer/Special Assistant to the Ambassador at the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC in the ‘80s. After her posting at the embassy, she worked as marketing and operations officer for the Citizens Bank of Washington and took up banking at the American Institute of Banking in Washington DC. She also did part time work as head concierge for the Hyatt Regency in Arlington and as subscriptions agent at the Kennedy Center. As an educator, she was a lecturer/trainer in Philippine language, Culture and History at the Georgetown University’s Center for Immigration Studies.
Upon repatriation in 1993, she continued her multi-media work in the Philippines. She was assistant professor for Mass Communication subjects at the Ateneo de Manila, UP and La Salle from 2002 to 2013. She continues to conduct workshops and seminars on mass communications – related subjects as well as on value formation and management.
Through her almost 50 years in theater, radio, television, advertising and film, she has been involved in management positions and as performing artist for multimedia production companies. In 1996, she became vice president of Premiere Productions, Inc. In July 1998, she was appointed chairman and President of Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC-13). She has been actively involved in public service since the ‘70s — as host/moderator of GMA-7’s public service show “KapwaKo, Mahal Ko;” as director for Dare (Anti-Drug for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled; UP-PGH Medical Foundation; Philippine National Red Cross and the Organ Transplant Foundation. She was a commissioner of the Philippine Commission on Population.
She is the president and trustee of the 45-year- old Mowelfund and governor of the Film Academy of the Philippines. She has served as chairman of the Cinema Committee of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and vice- chairman of the Kapisanan ng mgaBrodkasters sa Pilipinas (KBP Metro Manila Chapter). She also served as commissioner for communications of the Unesco. She has further served in the board of the YMCA (Makati).
She is presently a director of the Jesuit Communication Foundation; The Communication Foundation for Asia, and executive committee of the Metro Manila Film Festival.
The actress and educator has represented our country in various capacities abroad including the International Program for the Development of Communication (IPDC) at the Unesco headquarters in Paris; and as part of the 10-man panel of speakers in the International Congress on Communications Jubilee of Journalism in Castelgandolfo, Rome in 2000. In October 2001, she was the country’s representative to the Beijing Film Festival, and in 2007, hosted the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Israel and the Philippines in Tel-Aviv. In July of 2008, she participated in the Paris Film Festival as a resource person on filmmaking. Of course she has further reaped a litany of awards from Famas to Aliw and the Film Acadamey of the Philippines, The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service (Towns) Award, the Gintong Ina Award, and one of the Top 100 Centennial Filipinas in 2000, among others. At 74 years old, Boots Anson Roa Rodrigo has achieved great deal in her personal life and career but still has more to give.