ELECTED Chairman 2010 of the Capampangan in Media, Incorporated (Cami) Crispulo J. Icban Jr. is now Press Secretary as announced by President Arroyo January 21, a day after he was inducted by President Arroyo as Cami chairman.
Last January 20, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, inducted the eight officers and seven directors of CAMI at the Fontana Convention Center in Clark Freeport Zone.
Aside from Icban, the other inductees were; The Manila Times chairman Alfredo "Fred" M. Dela Rosa (vice-chairman), Philippine Star columnist Federico "Dik" Pascual Jr. (president), DZXQ anchorman and KP productions manager Ernesto Tolentino (vice president for Metro Manila); Manila Bulletin correspondent and Sun.Star Pampanga columnist Fred Roxas (vice president for the provinces); Philippine Graphic senior writer Jose Cortez (secretary); Business Mirror chief news editor Dionisio Pelayo (treasurer); and LUB Banner chief editor Ashley Jay Manabat (auditor).
Inducted as CAMI directors were Pilipino Star Ngayon editor in chief Al Pedroche; Philippine Broadcasting Service (PBS) Radyo ng Bayan director John Manalili; Philippines News Agency (PNA) manager Vittorio Vitug; Tony Lozano, in-charge of the Senate media; Virgilio Vitug of North Luzon Railways Corporation (Northrail); Philippine National Agency (PNA) consultant Jake Espino; and NOW columnist Willie Capulong.
The President was accompanied by Acting Press Secretary Conrado Limcaoco Jr. and Press Undersecretary Romeo Junia.
Icban is the ninth press secretary under President Arroyo. His predecessors were the late Noel Cabrera (whom he inherited from President Estrada), Rigoberto Tiglao, Silvestre Afable, Ignacio Bunye (who served twice), Hernani Braganza, Milton Alingod, Jesus Dureza, and Remonde.
Born in Tondo, Manila, on August 3, 1935, Icban graduated from the Tarlac Central Elementary School in 1946 and from the Pampanga High School in 1950. He was class valedictorian in both instances.
He graduated from the University of the Philippines (UP)-Diliman with a bachelor of arts in English, magna cum laude, in 1954.
Upon graduation, he joined the Manila Times as general assistant in the editorial department, later as reporter covering the Department of Foreign Affairs, and then as editorial writer. He was subsequently appointed news editor, a position he held until 1972, when the paper was closed down upon declaration of martial law.
In 1958, he earned his master's degree in journalism, under Fulbright and Smith Mundt Grant, at Syracuse University in New York. In 1966-67, he was one of 12 American and six international newsmen in the annual Nieman Fellowship program at Harvard University in Massachusetts.
Icban served as professorial lecturer in journalism and English at the Philippine Women's University (PWU) from 1956 to 1957 and at the UP-Diliman from 1958 to 1973.
He authored, in collaboration with Dean Gloria Feliciano of the UP Institute of Mass Communication, Philippine Mass Media in Perspective, a book now used as school reference.
In 1974, Icban joined the Manila Bulletin, as consultant to the publisher and later as news editor. He became editor-in-chief on November 25, 2003.
Icban has received numerous awards in over half a century of service as journalist. He was named Outstanding Kapampangan by the Pampanga Provincial Government, 1988; and Distinguished Tarlaquenos by the Tarlac Provincial Government, 2003.
He was conferred a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Management, honoris causa, by the Pampanga Agricultural College on April 12, 2006.
CDC FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF Cami.-Thank you very much to Clark Development Corporation (sponsor of the Cami induction) officials and personnel who extends full and wholehearted support to Cami.