DONE!

Thinking that I am already done with my 200 hours of on-the-job training in PNP Press Corps in Camp Crame make me sad and misses them so much, at the time that we first get there until we says goodbyes.

I have a lot of experience and learnings that I am going to tell to my mother and other friends that I know will make them proud of what I have done even though it's not that big.

Ate Zaida and Sir Jun always emphasize to us that it is important for as to read and read and read news papers since this was the track that we chose and also to have a common sense while writing because it is our duty to give accurate and balance news to the people.

Sir Noel becomes my inspiration during my OJT because he is very dedicated and serious and happy in doing his works despite the risks that a journalist is bringing when they are writing news. He put all his effort to serve Filipino people and in that matter I realize that willingness and dedication was important for us to become happy on what we are doing.

The press and media people there in PNP Press Corps were all nice and very approachable. They help us during our OJT because they give us advice on how we can gather information and come up in an article. They were all serious when they were doing their work in-a-sense that there is a hidden wall covering them but after they were all chatting and laughing one another.

Even though they always ask us if we’re really going to pursue this course after we graduate and discourage us I know deep inside their heart they I just welcoming and showing us the reality of life.

It motivates me to become more serious in all the things I do and enjoy it so that you will not regret in the end.

The whole OJT journey was a bit hard but a very challenging happy experience that I will never forget. I realize after that I am not for news writing because there is something that I still looking for the adventure of being a photo journalist and a dream of being a flight stewardess (which is far from the track that I chose but I still want it... Hehehe!).

I am really thankful that I spend my 200 hours of my OJT in Camp Crame because in here I saw and experience the reality of being a real journalist.

Words can't explained how thankful I am to them because they show and made me realize that in every thing that I do I have to be serious and do what I really want to do for me to enjoy.

Thank You Ate ZAIDA, Sir JUN, Sir Noel, and all the press and media people in PNP Press Corps.

GO TEAM CAMP CRAME!

Day after the Election...

May 11, 2010

I came first at the office though some of the press and media people sleep there or rather did not sleep and go home because some are still at the Multi-Purpose Center waiting for the next information that the PNP will give.

Before the election day we were joking that if we can sleep over the office during the election day to cover but I really don't think that some really sleep or did not sleep just to cover the election.

Yesterday was already a history that people will be talking about in the next few days. I am afraid of the results of the election but I am more afraid of what are going to happen if the election failed because of cheating no one will be elected as the new president and vice president.

Today we still join the conference that was being held in Multi-purpose after we finished doing our article from the journal.

According to some press and media people we knew there that the news that we have to looked at was about those candidates conceding.

We went home early as Ate Zaida said because we stayed late yesterday.

Tomorrow is our last day here in Camp Crame because Gaie and I already completed the 200 hours requirement of our OJT.

ELECTION DAY!

May 10, 2010

When I came to the office in Camp Crame at around 9:00 am all the press and media people we're not around, they were at th Multi-Purpose Center attending a press conference early in the morning because the PNP create a special task force in monitoring the election in different places most especially to those constrain areas like Maguindanao, Abra most likely in Mindanao area.

All the press and media people were all gather there while the PNP official were the one informing them on what were happening in a particular regarding the election.

PNP also reporting all the bombing, shooting and killings during election period and conclude that the Election Day this year 2010 was more quiet and safe compared to the other election happened here in the Philippines.

ERVIs reported were small compared to last election.

By using Skype the National Task Force HOPE 2010 personnel located from different area around the Philippines live conversation can be made between the PNP officials or the press/media people.

It was a tiring day though all we we do was sit and listened but the information overload. Almost continuous press con or discussion are being done but it was nice and fun knowing those information.

We decided to go home around 9:00 pm in the evening and all the press and media people are still there gathering information. In that sense I felt their concerned for our country.

I don't know how or what I feel knowing that this are the people who are willing to serve our country even though their lives are at risks. They are all serious and dedicated on what they are doing and at the same time enjoying.

BIR press con... NOSE BLEED AGAIN!

May 7, 2010

Sir Jun asked us to attend the press conference in BIR (again...) and then write an article about it. we divided the works Kleir and Gaie will work together and Camille and I so that we can make at least two article per pair.

As the same as the first press con held by the BIR, I still can't understand some words and discussion that they were saying. Their are so many jargons that rotating in my mind that I have to search it into the internet so that I can understand well of what they were saying.

Camille and I recorded the press con so that if theirs missing in the notes that we were jotting down it's easy for us to review it again later when we are writing our articles.

We did not finished the press con because we still have to work on our article and it's almost 12:00 noon and the press con was not yet done.

We went back to Camp Crame since we can't find any place where there's access to internet around the area and then work on our articles.

We find it difficult in locating what news or aspects are we going to write about the press con since their's too many information and all were talking about the statistics

When we decided on what aspects are we going to do, were having a hard time in creating our lead paragraph.

After we figure out what lead paragraph are we putting in our article it become easy because we already know what part of the story from the press con are we going to write about.

We finished it more or less 20 minutes before the deadline because we're doing it by pair it become easy for us because two heads is better than one.

http://mgaartikulo.blogspot.com/2010/06/050710.html

NO HOLIDAY! coz we're DEDICATED and DILIGENT

May 3, 2010

It's a non-working holiday and here we are working Gaie, Camille and I (sipag-sipagan lang kunyari...hehehehe).

It's holiday so the gate1 was close and we have to walked to the other gate. It took us about more or less 15 minutes before we arrived to the other gate (ganon kalayo...) that's how diligent and dedicated we are.

Our tasks for today was to checked out if theirs new in the journal and then write an article then send it to Ate Zaida (as always).

Since its holiday we only worked till 12:00 noon.

Serye in Quezon City Circle

April 29, 2010

Sir Jun asked as to attend the Usaping Balita Media Forum in Serye since Ate Zaida was still in Davao.

The forum will start at 9:30 am so we decided to eat our breakfast first since we arrived early and then at around 9:20 we went already to the location of the forum. The organizer/emcee, and some guest was already there when Senator Kit Tatad and Former Budget Secretary arrived.

The for of us where only the press who came.

The forum was about the challenge for the next president, on how he will handle the problem and matters about the budget of the Philippines.

After the forum we looked around the area for the place with access to internet were we can stay and work on our article so we just decided to go to Trinoma Starbucks.

We work on our article as one so the work was not that heavy but the access to internet was running out of time so we have to hurry and finished and submit it before the deadline.

After we finished the article, since we were already in trinoma we walked around and eat Dairy Queen ice cream (my favorite...hehehe...).

LTO, DILG and Camp Crame (haggardness...hehehe.)

April 28, 2010

Our instructor Ate Zaida went to Davao for some coverage together with some of the press people in Camp Crame so Sir Jun was the one that will going to handle us when ate Zaida was not around.

First we went to LTO main office to meet with Sir Jun since he was assigned there and then he leaved us to Atty. Alexander Verzosa for some briefing because he was with Assec Suansing. The people there was nice and approachable, they welcome us politely.

We had a chance to meet Assec Suansing and have a picture with him.

After, Sir Jun checked our article printed in front of us so that it will be easy for him to correct two of our articles. I learned a lot from that session because it is more easy to check and correct the article when it was printed.

And then after we were asked to go to DILG and fished our article their about the fixers.

Sir Jun turned us over to Arlene Posados, a friend of him and also a journalist in the DILG press office.

Ate Arlene welcome us warmly and treated us lunch and then after we finished our task given to us.

Ate Zaida texted us of we can send some article from the journal so we went back to Camp Crame and then work on our articles.

The day that made my wallet empty (hehehhe!) because of the fare and also walked under the sun makes me tan (heheheh!).

BIR Press Conference. (nose bleed)

April 21, 2010

Sir Jun ask us to attend the press conference in BIR (saan yun?). We don’t know where BIR located at but Sir Noel gave as the direction where we can find it place without taking a taxi, all we have to do is follow its direction riding a bus (wala din kasi kaming pera pang taxi… heheheh).

When we arrived at BIR the press con was not yet started but there are more than 10 press and media people.

We have no idea what will be discuss in the press con, we’re clue less, so when it started what I can only say was WHAAAATTT?

I really did not understand what Commissioner Tan Torres was talking because it was all statistics (nose bleed...). We came there without any background information on what was the press con about.

We have to submit the article by 2:00 pm and I submitted my article around 3:30 pm because the press con start late and we traveled back to Camp Crame and then make our article without haven't eaten lunch.

http://mgaartikulo.blogspot.com/2010/05/042110.html

We loved to walked... =)

April 17, 2010

We thought that the office was opened during Saturday because ate Zaida said so, so Kleir, Camille and I went to Camp Crame at around 8:00 am (wala si Gaie nagswimming… =)). I came first in Camp Crame and the gate 1 was close so I thought that the whole Camp was close so I texted Ate Zaida and waited for Kleir and Camille to arrived. She said that the gate 1 was close during weekends so we walked to gate 2 and then when we came in their were a platoon of PNP and having an assembly so we can’t walked over so we have to take another route and then when we finally arrived at the office it was close (pagkatapos naming libutin ang buong Crame ay sarado ang office).

Ate Zaida said that the press people there came late. We waited more or less 2:30 hours when one of the press people came and open the door. We just write one article from the journal and then we went home because there’s nothing new (mas matagal pa yung paghihintay namin kaysa sa pagstay naming dun…hahaha… nagpagod lng din kami).

T.S.I.P. (Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis)

April 16, 2010

Ate Zaida asked us to attend the taping of T.S.I.P aired in NBN channel 04. It started at around 10:00 am so before we attend the taping we work first on the journal or police reports which were given to us every morning.

T.S.I.P is a weekly program hosted by Chief Supt. Leonardo Espina with co-host Kathy San Gabriel which discusses current issue regarding the law enforcement agency and plans of the police authorities. It is held at the Multi-Purpose Center in Camp Crame.

In this episode they talked about the Civilian Volunteer (CV) wanted for Maguindanao Massacre arrested last April 15 by the authorities identified as Thong E. Guiamano, alias Ibrahim Kamal Tatak.

Press Conference!

April 15, 2010

Me, Gaie, Camille and Kleir went to Quezon City Circle and met with our instructor Sir Jun because he asked as to attend the press conference. Sir Jun said that we should be there before 8:00 so we same there at exactly 8:00 am and the press con were not yet starting and the guest where not yet around.

At first we thought that Noynoy Aquino will be coming because the press conference was about the last stretch campaign of the Liberal Party but only Risa Hontiveros, Ruffy Biazon and Yasmin Lao, all Senatorial candidates came and also some of the representatives and member of Yo! Noy!, Pinoy Power and SLAMAT LORRRD. Kiko Pangilinan also came and presents their ROCK THE VOTE – Road trip to change campaign.

It’s already 10:00 am when the press con start and before it starts Sir Jun left us because he has another appointment interview. When he left we don’t know what will we do but as a journalist we have to stayed and listen and come up in an article which was due before 2:30 pm.

The press con ended almost 12:00 noon and we don’t know where we’re going to stay and work on our article, so we decided to go back to Camp Crame. We arrived there at almost 1:00 pm and then work on our article immediately because we only have an hour and a half left before the deadline. (pagsakanya palaging my deadline... sinasanay niya daw kasi kami ng mabilisan eh.)

http://mgaartikulo.blogspot.com/2010/05/041510.html

The BEGINNING. Go TEAM CAMP CRAME!

April 12, 2010 was our first day and we did not know where and who to talked to, so we contacted Sir Mike the night before (super late na kami nakapagtext, masyadong nawili sa bakasyon) to confirmed where we should went straight at the office of Journal in Makati or in Camp Crame in Santolan. Sir Mike said it would be nice if we went straight to Camp Crame.

8:00 AM in the Morning we meet at MRT Santolan station, Gaie, Kleir, Camille and me (my OJTmates).Gaie, Kleir and I decided to go first in Camp Crame to find where the Press Office or Public Information Office (PIO) was because Camille was late.

When we reached Camp Crame, I was surprised because of its wide property (hindi na lang ako nagpahalata para hindi nakakahiya). We asked every personnel who came across us where PIO was. Wasked where we could find Sir Jun Legaspi, Ms. Tess, news editor of Peoples Journal Tonight, said he will be the one handling us.

The people there were so nice they contacted Sir Jun because he was not there; they said he was now in LTO. Sir Jun said on the phone when he called that we have to go there so he can orient us on what we have to do.

We went there without knowing where LTO was, Sir Jun said we just have to ride a bus going to Fairview. It was my first time travelling without knowing where the place was.

Sir Jun was nice, he introduced us to the head officer of LTO, I forgot his name. After, he orients us on what we had to do. He gave us contact numbers of important persons that we can reached if we have follow up question regarding the story of our article that we were going to make. He also introduced Atty. Alex Verzosa and interviewed him. Atty. Verzosa was so nice; he gave us tips, examples and other information that will help us in gathering information.

At around 11:30 AM, after meeting Atty. Verzosa, we went back to Camp Crame because we had an appointment with Colonel Edwin Rey Butacan at about 1:00 PM. Sir Jun gave us the contact number of Col. Butacan and asked him news that we can write about and then write an article and send it to his email, 3:00 PM was the deadline of the article.

Col. Butacan was nice also the personnel we came across in his office was also nice one of which gave us Royal soft drinks.

We finished the interview quickly because of the deadline time of the article Sir Jun gave. We run outside the Camp Crame and asked where we could found an internet shop because we did not bring our laptop because we didn’t knew.

We were walking under the sun without umbrella (tagaktak na ang mga pawis namin at uhaw na uhaw na). We were all exhausted and at the same time hungry but we have to finish our articles by 3:00 PM (super init pa nung araw na yun).

We all worked under pressured (grabe, super nagmamadali kami), and we all didn’t know where to start (buti nalang pede tagalong nung una). After finishing and sending our articles, we went back inside the Camp Crame to find their canteen (lakad nanaman) we were all hungry and tired.

We ate at around 3:30 PM for our lunch and mirienda (solve din). After we ate we went to PIO to meet Ate Zaida because Sir Jun said after we finished our article we have to contact Ate Zaida our second mentor.

Ate Zaida was nice and very approachable; she explained well what we have to do when we were with her.

5:30 PM our first day has ended, I was so happy though my head aches and I’m a bit dizzy because of too much expose under the sun.

Where am I going to spend my 200 hours of OJT?

First week of March I started choosing where I will spend my 200 hours of on-the-job training, I ask almost ten companies, six of them replied, namely CMFR, PCIJ, Vera Files, Sidetrip travel Magazine, Bulatlat.com and Journal Group of Publications.

I was interviewed by the Sidetrip Magazine unexpectedly when I was accompanying Marie Gaie on her interview. I am very nervous that time because I knew to myself that it will not turn out fine because I am not used of being interviewed (pinangungunahan ako ng kaba agad) and I am not good at speaking English continuously in front of people, but I’m happy that it turns well but they did not called back after that. I knew that they already choose one of my classmates as their intern when Marie Gaie told me after calling her.

Back then I don’t know what will I do after being rejected but I kept thinking that maybe that was not meant for me. Waiting for the other companies that I applied for my OJT was the only thing that I think I can do back then. I realize that patience is really a virtue.

When CMFR, PCIJ and Bulatlat.com invited me to attend their orientation I was already accepted in the Journal Group of Publications. Some of my classmates, Issa Romeral, Karen Pastor and Carmela Quidoles were the first batch of interns there. My OJTmates are Gaie Nolledo, Kleir Pineda and Camille Ponce (TEAM CAMP CRAME).

At first, I am not yet decided whether I will spend my 200 hours or only half and then I half will be on the bulatlat.com but Mr. Michael Mosqueda, HR of the Journal Group of Publication said that it might be difficult for me to transfer in the middle of my internship.

Mr. Mosqueda assigned us in Camp Crame PNP Press Corps and introduced us to Ms. Ma. Teresa L. Lardizabal, News Editor of Peoples Tonight.