Querubin: Week 4 at PeaceWorks

May 4
Today I got Sir Rey’s mail at almost four in the afternoon already. I was tasked to write two articles. His mail goes:

1. Millennium Development Goals (United Nations) - interview and gather data from the National Economic and Development Authority regional office (Veterans Avenue, near office of DOLE-9) – status in terms of accomplishments of the different Devt. Goals in Western Mindanao region; background on what MDG is; what problems are encountered in pursuit of the goals?

2. Climate change/anti-global warming measures being taken by government agencies, NGOs in Western Mindanao – interview Nazrullah Manzur, director of Dept. of Trade and Industry regional office (Gov. Ramos Avenue) – he is chairman of the Regional Development Council’s special committee on climate change, which is tasked to study and recommend measures for local implementation. Basically, what has the committee done/recommended regarding climate change, what are its plans.

Since I barely have an hour and a half before offices close, I decided to set interviews tomorrow and make use of the time searching for information regarding the topics assigned to me.

I googled and gathered an overview of the matter. However, none of which provided me with information essential for use in the articles. There where no information on the regional level online.

I did not feel productive today but at least I get to have an idea of what my topics are although all are in vague forms. I also proved today that Google or the internet answers a lot of questions but not everything.

May 5
I’m supposed to conduct interviews today but none happened because my dad got admitted in the hospital. I went with him for a supposed check up but the doctor said he needs to confine and so he did and I stayed with him overnight.

May 6
I went to the NEDA office today and inquired about the MDG status report for Region IX, to my disappointment one of the employees who entertained me informed that the division heading the MDG has already transferred to Pagadian and only a few employees of the office are left here in Zamboanga. I was caught off guard and dismayed and so I asked for people including her whom I can turn to regarding the matter. She then explained that they work by division and she is not credible to speak of the matter because she is from another division.

I came into a split second thought of going to Pagadian (that is a crazy thing to do at that moment by the way) just for the article but before deeper thought seeped in, the kind employee shed a light in my dark day as she informed that office employees will have a meeting on Monday and that the head of the MDG Division will be coming to Zamboanga for it.

With this, I told my boss about the matter and he agreed to move the article for next week.

I did not feel good knowing that I will not be able to accomplish the article this week but to be honest I feel it was better off that way because I have to go the hospital and watch over my dad.

At the end of the day I learned that it is not always as simple as getting your assignment, conducting an interview and writing your article then you’re done with work. In times like this, hindrances and complications are waiting at the window. And so I have to be prepared.

May 7
Today I resume my work on the article about climate change. I went to the office of Dir. Manzur (DTI). The guard told me that he is in Manila and will be back on the 15th but will report on the 18th. I told him about my purpose for being there and he seemed puzzled with the thought that there was a special committee on climate change. This was also mutual with the reaction of the Officer in Charge (OIC) I was forwarded to see regarding the matter.

The OIC then made a kind gesture and texted the Director regarding my query and fortunately Dir. Manzur replied with a call. He then, unfortunately informed that he is unaware of the existence of such committee which made me feel awkward for a moment. But then I recomposed myself and thanked them for the time and went out as gracefully fast as I can.

Next stop is DOST. I went to ask regarding the mitigating measures that the agency implements regarding climate change. I was forwarded to the Director and she clarified that there was no centralized measures being done regarding the matter. The agencies have their own means in coping climate change. Their office however, has suggested creating a special committee that will monitor the actions done by members of the Agri Industrial Development Committee (AID Comm) under the Regional Development Council (RDC).

I was then cleared that Dir. Manzur was the head of the AID Comm under RDC. I was dumbfounded to know that Manzur, over the telephone seemed to be puzzled about the special committee even though it is under his jurisdiction. Having this situation at hand, I made a quick decision to go on with the article leaving out Dir Manzur and focusing on the reports of various offices for the story.

I requested a copy of the report from the DOST Director’s department and she forwarded me to the Assistant Regional Director.

The person was unavailable and I was asked to call the next day to update. Before leaving I was also informed that NEDA has a copy of the reports by various agencies that are members of the RDC’s AID Comm.

This week certainly is not the best week of my life; having misinterpretations over questions, people out of town, regional offices in Pagadian, plus family emergencies and a billion other things to be pessimistic about.

I’m supposed to do the article about climate change tonight, but I’m certainly going nowhere at this point.

The most difficult learning to comprehend is that things don’t always go as planned. You can hope for the best but you have to expect for the worst. I’m running out of time for my article and I still don’t have sufficient amount of information.

May 8
Today I started off with calling NEDA, Zamboanga Office regarding the reports on climate change and yet again, the people where as clueless as I was in saying that it was not under their office and I should contact other offices regarding climate change and certainly not NEDA for that. It seems like they are unaware that the AID COMM secretariat is under NEDA.

I also made a call at NEDA Office in Pagadian regarding my article on MDG so that I can get a head start with my interview on Monday. But I was informed that Miss Carion is in this City. How confusing to know that she is in Zamboanga when I was earlier informed that she is in Pagadian.

Having too much of unsuccessful phone calls, I was yet to be given another one when I called the DOST Office and looked for the Asst. Regional Director for the report on climate change. Accordingly he was in a meeting with the director. When I asked how long it would take, “quite a while” was a reply aching to my ears.

I had to go back to the hospital and so I made a decision and told my boss that I won’t be able to do the climate change article too. This leaves me with no article to submit this week.

I’m not proud of this, and most certainly unhappy about the turn out of events this week. I feel like I don’t know what to do anymore. My mind is pre-occupied by my father’s condition and these people I interview for the articles are unsupportive.

I am drowned in an unlikely disposition this week. Now I know how it feels for professionals to be caught in between their job and family. Now I know that getting information is not as easy as it sounds. There will always be impediments and I should be ready for all of these.

Today I’m reminded that life doesn’t always go my way. I just have to be strong and be focused on my priorities.