Lim: Week #1 at Peace Works

“The worldwide economic recession brings an increasing number of unemployed individuals despite the growing population”. This is how I started my article on the livelihood program of the City Social welfare and Development (CSWD) office and indeed I experienced economic recession in doing this article, my first OJT article. Having the number six intern’s agreement on the internship contract that the intern will cover all travel, accomodation, and other expenses incurred for the internship and being a student who is definnitely unemployed, I experienced financial crisis as I had to go to different places to gather the informations considering the tricycle fare here in Zamboanga is quite expensive.

April 14, Tuesday, pass ten in the morning, we had an overview of what peaceworks is and how it works. Sir Darwin made it clear to us the difference of peace journalism from any other form of journalisms and that we are not only to talk of positive things as to portray peace in the vicinity. He went on refreshing our minds with the basic concepts, values of journalism which we learned during our basic journalism class. Then Sir Rey came in giving us our assigned articles. And so I spent the day asking on the places where I could go and gather the informations I need for my article.

Fiirst thing the following morning I went to Petite Barracks to look for the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) office. I asked the sidewalk vendors until I arrived at my destination. From there, the guard told me that the people I need is out of town so he told me to go to the City Social welfare and Development (CSWD) Office located at the back of the City Health. At the CSWD office, the secretary told me to make an authorization letter before I can interview people in their office. Right away, I told Sir Rey about it via txt message and he told me to pick the letter at the peaceworks office in the afternoon. When I recieved the letter, Francel’s name was written instead of mine so I had to wait for Sir Rey. He then texted me to get the corrected letter the next day. I was hoping to get all the informations that day and even cancelled my Gawad Kalinga appoinment still, I failed. I had to wait for tomorrow. I was then worried. I don’t want to write articles the last minute.

Thursday, my article is to be submitted before the day ends. Early this morning, I picked up the letter and went to the CSWD office. I had to wait for the people in the office to arrive. To my disappointment, they told me to return next week since the person to approve the letter is not around. When I texted Sir Rey about it, he told me to reserve the article for next week and submit two articles instead, to catch up.

I didn’t like the idea of submitting late articles so I looked for ways and told the people that my article is due today. Then I had the chance to talk to their chief of welfare and development office, Uldarico S. Fabian, who told me to return at one in the afternoon. Fifteen minutes before 1pm, I was already at the CSWD office putting in mind my learning during my interview experiences in advanced journalism: Don’t keep your interviewee waiting; you are the one who is given the favor. I recalled being late in our interviews back then and I wouldn’t want it to happen again. I then waited for 30minutes before Sir Fabian arrived. I wanted to record our conversation but when I asked him if I could, he refused so I had to write as fast as I could. He wasn’t quite answering my questions but he was nice. He referred me to their field officer at Sta. Barbara, Carolina Angga, to help me find the beneficiaries of their program.

I was then starting to regain my hope of submitting my article on time but unfortunately, Mrs. Angga told me to return tomorrow. She had to finish other things accordingly, so she can’t bring me to their clients. All I could do then was to ask for the addresses of their clients and find those people on my own. She hesitated thinking that it would be dangerous for me to go alone. Still, I insisted so she just assured me that if ever I fail, I could still go to their office tomorrow. Indeed Mrs. Angga was right. I got lost. I experienced being scolded by the driver and asked various people in a place I am not familiar at all for persons I haven’t even seen once.

Worst comes to worst, I wasn’t able to submit my article on time and got depressed. My first article will be my boss’s first impression and I am not able to meet the deadline. Good thing, chocolates and donuts are there to comfort me and so does my sketch pad and pencil.

Life must go on. Even if I wasn’t able to meet the deadline of my article, I was determined to submit it as soon as possible. Friday morning, I called Mrs. Angga. She then told me she could bring me to their clients and so she did. The places we went were quite confusing, no wonder I got lost.

Finally, the informations and pictures I need are with me. I was able to submit the article a day after the deadline. Well, the optimists would say, “Better late than never”.

Throughout the task, I learned to be aggressive in a way yet, I know my limitations. I still kept in mind what our OJT orientation speakers told us; “always be courteous”. I was also able to apply the proper way of shaking hands which helped me portray a positive and respectful image as I interviewed different people and applied the interviewing skills that was taught to us. There are just some unfortunate instances that hinder me to finish my task on time and I guess I’ll have to do a way with it. Connections really matters.