Miranda: Final Week at Manila Times

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

•I thought April 27 was just another of my usual days in the office doing the proofreading of the different sections of the Manila Times newspapers, until our editor, Sir Klink approached me and gave me my next assignment. He received a press release about the 2nd year of enforced disappearance of the activist Jonas Burgos. Sir Klink told me to attend the celebratory mass the family would hold the following day in front of Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. He gave me the deadline on the 28th in the afternoon. First things first. I asked for contacts. I browsed through the net, looked for archives that could help me have my background of the abduction story. I called the family of Jonas Burgos to confirm the details of the mass the following day. After doing the first step of gathering information, I went back to my work as a proofreader. I got excited for my task the following day.

• April 28 made me witness just some of the harsh realities of life. One—people get kidnapped and attain no justice even after a decade or two. Two—the government chooses whom to respect with its own reasons. I went to Camp Aguinaldo, where it was just a 10-minute away from my relatives’ place, and asked around for the exact location of the mass. I was able to get inside the Camp Aguinaldo. So that was the very place I usually see on TV. The Manila Times photographers also came. The mass was held just outside the gate one of the camp. There I met the teary-eyed yet hopeful Edita Burgos, the mother of the two-year missing activist, the siblings and other families of other missing activists. The mass began with offering palay to the relatives and friends of Jonas Burgos. Accordingly, the palay symbolizes Jonas as a living thing that needs to be planted in order to grow. Before proceeding with the mass, the military officers inside the Camp Aguinaldo played “loud disco noise” outside the gate to disrupt the on-going mass. Fr. Robert Reyes, the officiating priest, humbly approached the officers guarding the gate and requested to tone down the noise. The response was cruel. I could really say that what I see on TV, when people having a rally or a peaceful rally mass and military officers driving them away in an unjust manner, is really happening right before my eyes. The media men and reporters were challenged by these officers by bumping the latter’s helmets to the cameras of the former. The priest continued the mass with the very loud noise. After the mass, press releases were distributed to the media. I got the chance to interview the family, friends and supporters of Jonas Burgos. I asked about any developments of the cases filed, any signs of the missing activists, plans, and feelings. I finished witnessing the whole activity around noontime. I went home to do my story. I started writing at 1:30 p.m. and ended at 3. I was able to beat the deadline. After submitting it through e-mail, I reported to the office and did my work as a proofreader.

• April 29 was another great day for me. A goal attained. The story I made about the missing activist got published on the front page. The articles can actually be read online. The site is www.manilatimes.net. I reported to the office and did my work as a proofreader of Life and Times, Business page 3, World and partly on Sports sections.

• April 30, May 1, 2, 3 and 4 were just some of the days that made me a better me. I got used to my work as a proofreader. I like it very much when I have lots of editing to do. My mind eagerly works. I approached editors, let them check the final output before the sections would be put to bed, and I received “thank yous” at the end of the day., sometimes even snacks. Well, I just did my job. The only difference is, I have been putting my heart on it so I feel grateful having helped them in the making of the newspapers. I do not call it my job. It is a lifetime training for me.


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

• The experience of getting involved in prayer rallies like the one of Jonas Burgos is worth treasuring for a lifetime. I am simply grateful for being sent there. Lessons keep coming my way. One, it made me witness the reality of realities. Abductions are happening all over the country with reasons yet unclear. Justice is not an easy word. Or it is only a word, a dead word, never a reality in the eyes of the oppressed. The government pays no respect to the plea of the exploited, hurt and abandoned. The playing of the loud noise says it all. Two, I may appear professional when doing my work, but my heart really feels for them and my eyes could never hide my share of sorrow for the family. It was kind of awkward when I did the interview with the mother and I shed a tear or two in front of her. She gave me a hug! The siblings of the missing activist also shared their angst to the government’s system and delayed justice. They shared how still fortunate they are to raise their voices to the public for justices. Some families would remain quiet. When the interview became lighter, I told them I am a student trainee from Ateneo de Zamboanga University. One of the siblings even jokingly told me that she indeed recognized that I am just new in this field for I still shed tears. This experience made me realize that I should be strong, appear strong and sound strong when working in the field with these kinds of situation. There may be this what I call “biases of a reporter” when emotions are visible, but keeping them to myself during work would also help me focus more on the story’s story and not on the personal feelings I feel for them. It may take time and experience to overcome this. But this chance made me realize this early.

• My role in the office as a proofreader made me think more technically when reading newspapers or any reading materials. The stylebook given to me, the training I received from my supervisor and colleagues, and the constant reading made me discover flaws easily. As I have been doing my job for the last four weeks, I realized I am more equipped with knowledge about the technicalities of words, facts, placements of text in newspapers. It may also include the speed of spotting errors. I know my world would not just end in proofreading, but I realized that starting out from the very basic is the steppingstone to the next level of bigger opportunities.


C. Other thoughts regarding the OJT experience.
• I will never forget this. I will never forget here, the people, the paper, the training, and the lessons which in one way or another, made me a better masscom student trainee and hopefully will make me a promising professional someday. This on-the-job training was both easy and hard for me. It was hard because I started with great adjustments. Since I am not from here, I adjusted with the place, the stress of travelling far, the fast-paced lifestyle, the people, and the work. As I lived each day one step at a time, keeping my goals in mind, I never lost track. I managed to cope with all those adjustments. My flexibility helps me win smiles and the people’s trust. On the other hand, it was easy because everything I did, I did it with dedication and enthusiasm. For me, everything that was given to me—sections to be edited, assignments outside the field, stories to be passed on time—was an opportunity for me to grow maturely in the field which I love most—journalism. This has been a very life-enriching experience. I would go home with a success spelled in my heart. I thank the people who believe in me. And I thank myself for having survived this.