Miranda: Week #2 at Manila Times

A. List down all the tasks that you performed during this period. Describe each in detail.

• April 13 was a task-to-remember day. After the holy week break, I was back to interviewing heads of the Pasay, Makati and Quezon City Health Offices. I went to Pasay City Health Office for updates of my news-feature story about the food contamination incident of Sen. Nikki Coseteng. Mr. Rosendo Cabanayan, Sanitation Inspector V gave me the details of what they did for inspection of the restaurant. He willingly shared information and even gave me a copy of their findings. That was a help for information gathering. Immediately after the Health Office, I went to Pancake House, Pasay Branch to get their side of the story. I asked around for jeepneys which head to that food establishment. I arrived around noon time only to find out that the restaurant manager was not around so I asked for their landline number. I went home (in Cubao, Quezon City) for lunch break.

• My next stop was Makati City Hall. I rode the MRT heading to Guadalupe. I was able to reach the city hall by jeepney. Their city hall is approximately a 27-storey building. I used the elevator to reach the 7th floor where the city health office is located. I had to still look good with my hair blown away by the wind felt when riding jeepneys. I talked to the secretary who told me to write a formal letter signed by my editor before I could talk to the head since she was having meetings and conferences.

There is always this first-time experience. After the Makati City Hall Office, my next stop was supposedly Quezon City Hall. I rode in a jeepney which I got assured of that I would be in MRT station in Guadalupe after I asked the driver to get me there. He headed to the opposite direction. He dropped me in an LRT station in Pedro Gil which I think was already in Manila. I asked around for direction help. People are just willing to help if one approaches them nicely. That was one thing I learned during my no-sense-of-direction experiences. So, I rode the LRT from Pedro Gil and got off at EDSA where I had to ride in an MRT which heads to Araneta Center-Cubao station. The time I spared for Quezon City Hall was all consumed up by travelling around. It was already late 5 p.m. so offices were already closed. I decided to continue it the next day. It was all in a day’s work.

• April 14 was not a very good day for me. With all those stress of getting lost and making my way around these huge cities, I got sick. I had rashes all over my skin and fever on this day. My stomach got upset and I disgorged every now and then. My titas here decided to let me have my rest. I informed my editor and supervisor.

• April 15 was interviewing time again. I felt well already though my tummy was still upset. I went to Quezon City Hall and was told to come back some other time for the head was in a conference meeting. I reported to the office in the afternoon. I drafted a letter for Makati City Hall. Sir Dante “Klink” Ang, the editor, taught me how to write an endorsement letter for offices. After the final hardcopy of the edited letter, he decided to do away with Quezon and Makati City Health Offices. He might think that the information I got from Pasay and Manila offices is already enough. I went back to my proofreading work until evening.

• In the evening, I received a text message from the PR Person of Sen. Nikki Coseteng. He told me that the Pasay City Health Office is closing the Pancake Restaurant. I reacted because it was just on Monday that I knew that the health office is still observing seven-working days before they decide to have the restaurant closed. There may be discrepancies of the information I gathered and the information relayed to me by the PR Person. The PR Person told me that it was even the head of the city health who told them that they would have it closed the moment they received the formal complaint filed by the senator on Tuesday, April 14. I texted my editor for an update.

• The following day, April 16, I called the Pasay City Health Office and confirmed what I learned. The head told me that they did not say it and they are still observing the seven working days they cited to the restaurant before further actions would be done. He invited me to pass by the office to see the formal complaint. I went back to the office in the afternoon. It was a suggestion of Sen. Nikki Coseteng to have the restaurant closed for a month to ensure sanitation and sterilizing of their equipment and the entire outlet. So I updated my story and passed it to my editor. I hope it gets published. I hope. I am very willing to do anything more for my story. I am willing to go the extra mile.

• Last week’s headlines were mostly about Ted Failon and his wife’s incident. April 16 in the evening, Sir Klink gave me another assignment. I like it when I am being sent to the outside world. He told me to go to Pegasus Club in Quezon Avenue, Quezon City on the 17th. This is a club for executives, elite and well-known personalities. He wanted me to verify if indeed Ted Failon has been going to that club. He wanted me to get background information which he thinks could be a help to the story. He wanted me to interview the manager, and some guest entertainers who happened to meet Ted in that club. He told me to have somebody to accompany me and gave me the photographer and The Manila Times driver. Personally, I think this is a very interesting task. I accepted it with enthusiasm.

• April 17 was the day. Mr. Rene Dilan, the photographer, though we knew we would not take any pictures, the kind driver, Mr. Greg, and I went to Pegasus Club at 7 p.m. I was having mixed emotions for this was the first time that I would be in a club like this. I did not know what to see, what to hear, what to know. My mama reminded me of precautionary measures in case whatever happens. I am just grateful for this experience. So, we arrived there. Everything just went normally. I looked for the manager, introduced ourselves, stayed in the lounge and verified everything. The senior manager, Josie, who has been working in the club for three years told us that they never had Ted Failon as a customer. She shared that most media men do not go there for they may be afraid of media publicity. There. Everything went fine and I was not able to see what I expected to see. We went home.

• April 18 was a Saturday. I went to the office. Some of the editors were not present during this day for this serves as their break. I did the editing of lifestyle section for Sunday issue. On Sundays, the lifestyle section has a magazine. I did all the reading and editing. That was for the day.

• April 19, there is not much work. I still did the editing for lifestyle and sports. I got to ask the writers and editors around if the changes I made were already ok for them. That was all in a day’s work.

B. Describe new skills you learned, or skills you improved upon as a result of these tasks. Be specific.

• Last week was all about mobility and mental work. It has been a week of stamina and strong will. I learned that it does not have to be a “try”, it should be either “to do” or “not to do” choice. Nothing will be lost in me if I do go to offices and inquire. If I get rejected, I ask another source. If I get entertained, I make use of what I gather. I learned that asking is a very essential tool to gaining information. Asking by actually going to the source, asking by phone or text, and asking by using the technology. I used to be shy when asking questions that are bothering in me. I tend to keep them inside and lose the chance of asking forever. Now that I have been doing a lot of interview which requires so much asking, nothing is really embarrassing and wrong in asking when one has the itch to know everything.

• I got a compliment from Manila City Health Office Sanitary Inspector. He said that my approach is so kind that he was very willing to share the information with me. He added that my listening skills are very attentive and I seem to understand everything that he was saying. I am not really sure, but I know even before, that interviewing is a balance. One has to know when to talk and when to listen. It is inquiring that does not purely depend on the guide questions one has prepared. It is listening through the heart and talking from the mind.

• I also learned that some people try to manipulate amateurs to get what they want. I am referring to the PR person of the former senator who texted me saying that he requested a copy of my write-up regarding the food contamination incident. What I know is that I do not have a responsibility of letting him see what I wrote before it gets published for he is not my editor. He waits until it gets the chance to be published. I learned to say “no.” Do you think I just did the right thing?

C. Other thoughts regarding the OJT experience.
• I just have to be strong physically, mentally and emotionally. There are times when my mind and heart are very willing to cross borders and finish everything before the sun sets. It is only that my physical endurance can no longer contain the pressure and has to rest. What happened to me this week was a reminder that I should slow down too. Health is still wealth no matter how cliché it may sound. For whatever I do, wherever I go, whoever I meet, if I get sick, everything is useless. I just have to relax and do things one step at a time. Everything will fall in its rightful places. As of now, I still hope that my story gets published. I still have to ask my editor this afternoon for updates.