- Wilma Cruz-Tapalla
Wilma Cruz-Tapalla is a veteran speech trainor and image consultant in the
Philippines . She is the Founder and Director of the Wilma Cruz-Tapalla Academe of Speech and Personality, a leadingfinishing school in thePhilippines .Early life and education
Tapalla completed her elementary education at St. Theresa's College, and high school education at La Consolacion College in Manila. She earned an
Associate of Arts degree from theUniversity of Santo Tomas Faculty of Arts and Letters , and aBachelor of Science inForeign Service degree from Lyceum of the Philippines (nowLyceum of the Philippines University ).Profile, WCT Academe of Speech and Personality. 2002.]She took up graduate studies in
Mass Communication at theUniversity of the Philippines College of Mass Communication; Speech Drama atWayne State University ; Poise and Personality atJohn Robert Powers Finishing School inSan Francisco ,California ; Speech for Executives at the London Language School; Speech Pathology at St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital inMichigan ; Speech Dynamics underDorothy Sarnoff ofNew York ; Charismatic Speech underDoe Lang of New York; Voice Acting at Speech Masters in New York; Phonetics under Hazel Brown of New York; Intensive English Pronunciation under Laura Darius of the Centre for Speech Arts in New York; Brandon Techniques in Sta. Clara, California; Personal Power with Firewalk Experience underAnthony Robbins of California; Speech Camp at theUniversity of California ; Television Acting at the KGO Channel 7 under Jack Henson of San Francisco; and Public Speaking and Public Relations Seminar inWashington D.C. .Profile, WCT Academe of Speech and Personality. 2002.]Coaching
Tapalla established the Wilma Cruz-Tapalla Academe of Speech and Personality (WCT Academy) in
1967 . The academy is afinishing school offering speech communication, personality development, and foreign language, andESL courses for students, tourists, models, politicians, and professionals. Under her leadership, the academy has trained prominent members of the Philippine society, including high-ranking government officials, beauty queens, local politicians, doctors, lawyers, actors, and athletes.Profile, WCT Academe of Speech and Personality. 2002.] Among her former students include former Executive SecretaryOscar Orbos , former Philippine Presidential CandidateEddie Villanueva , former Secretary of Education Nilo Rosas,Miss Universe 1994 FinalistCharlene Gonzales , and veteran actress and nowBatangas GovernorVilma Santos -Recto. Her corporate clients include the Philippine Medical Association,San Miguel Corporation , Bureau of Internal Revenue,Professional Regulation Commission , Department of Justice,Philippine National Bank ,University of Santo Tomas ,De La Salle University-Manila ,Assumption College (Philippines) ,St. Scholastica's College ,College of the Holy Spirit ,San Beda College ,Mapua Institute of Technology ,Centro Escolar University ,Philippine Women's University ,Arellano University ,Lyceum of the Philippines University andSt. Paul University Quezon City .Profile, WCT Academe of Speech and Personality. 2002.]The WCT Academy was adjudged as the "Most Outstanding Speech Clinic in the Philippines" by the People's Choice Awards Committee.Profile, WCT Academe of Speech and Personality. 2002.]
Hosting
Tapalla served as a guest speaker in the People to People Organization, a non-profit group established by former U.S. President
Dwight Eisenhower in Royal Oak, Michigan. She was also the Master of Ceremonies in "The Eleventh Filipino-American Holiday Cruise".Profile, WCT Academe of Speech and Personality. 2002.]Media
Tapalla was selected by IBC-13 Broadcasting Network to host an educational show entitled "Communicating with Wilma". She also runs a column at the "Woman's Home Companion" magazine.Profile, WCT Academe of Speech and Personality. 2002.]
Government
Tapalla was appointed as a member of the Movies and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), the official government agency regulating the film and television industry in the country.She was also chosen by the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW) as one of the "Women Experts in the Philippines".Profile, WCT Academe of Speech and Personality. 2002.]
Organizational affiliations
Tapalla is a member of the
Speech Communication Association of America , and the International Platform Association, also based in the United States.Profile, WCT Academe of Speech and Personality. 2002.]Awards
Tapalla was proclaimed "International Woman of the Year" from 1991 to 1992 in Cambridge, England; and from 1992 to 1993 in North Carolina, USA. She was proclaimed one of the "Ten Best Speakers" in Speech by
Wayne State University in2000 . She was also listed in the "World's Who's Who of Women" and in the "World's Who's Who of Intellectuals" by IBC England.Profile, WCT Academe of Speech and Personality. 2002.]She was the first recipient of the "Most Outstanding Overseas Filipino Female Speech, Poise and Personality Educator" award from the PINES Universal in Los Angeles, California. She was adjudged as "Most Outstanding Educator" and "Leading Speech Instructress" by the Citizens Civic Association of the Philippines.Profile, WCT Academe of Speech and Personality. 2002.]
She received the "Celebrity Mother of the Year" award in 1991 and 1995. She also received the "Most Outstanding Alumna" award from La Consolacion College and the
Lyceum of the Philippines University .Profile, WCT Academe of Speech and Personality. 2002.]She received the "Year's Outstanding Women of the Nation" (YOYWN) award, as well as the "Ten Outstanding Women of the New Society" (TOWNS) award.Profile, WCT Academe of Speech and Personality. 2002.]
Private life
Tapalla's daughter, Valerie Tapalla, attended the
University of California at Berkeley and theInstitute of Hospitality Management and English Studies in the Isle of Man, United Kingdom. She is now teaching Personality Development at the WCT Academy.Profile, WCT Academe of Speech and Personality. 2002.]Tapalla's son, Vernon Tapalla, attended the
College of Notre Dame . He has established his own language school, Vernon Tapalla's Communication Specialists and the Writing Institute.Profile, WCT Academe of Speech and Personality. 2002.]External links
* [http://www.wct-academy.com.ph Wilma Cruz-Tapalla Academe of Speech and Personality]
References
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.