OJT Journal 8

OJT Journal 8 (May 30 – June 3)

By Yeye Ignacio

            This would be very short, my last OJT week. These last 5 articles were like the articles that will complete the number of required article production. Unfortunately, we were also scheduled for a 4-day-stay in Zambales for our thesis, so I immediately asked for my trainer’s permission if she can allow me to just have the 5 articles next week when I come back. My trainer said it was okay, so I submitted 5 articles the week after.

 And that was how my OJT ended. The things to do now are to meet with Ms. Brago tomorrow for my evaluation and give it to my practicum coordinator Professor Abella, to submit the time card to the office and to get the internship certificate. I am thankful to Star for giving me the opportunity to do my training with them and to my trainer for helping me learn and for giving me the trust. I feel blessed. :)

OJT Journal 7

OJT Journal 7 (May 23 – May 27)

By Yeye Ignacio

            This week was originally scheduled for a one-week-conference of the FBI for the FBI training sessions at the Sofitel Hotel. Aside from the FBI officers and delegates, Vice President Jejomar Binay and US Ambassador Harry Thomas were also part of the event. Ms. Brago informed me that we were going to meet at the hotel lobby before the opening ceremony at 8:00 am. But when I arrived, she texted me saying that she will not come and will let me learn and experience again covering an event by my own. I felt nervous but excited. I went in alone to cover the event and to attend the press conference. Unfortunately, they revealed that the sessions were not allowed to be published because they said the terrorists might learn the agendas of the FBI against them. So the covering of this one-week-conference was cancelled by Ms. Brago.

            I was about to go home when Ms. Brago sent me a message again asking to go to Diamond Hotel for another interview with Usec Basilio and some people from the UK embassy. Still, I went there alone because Ms. Brago had another scheduled interview to attend at the British Embassy in Makati. Like before, I recorded the interview, give my trainer a copy then write the news story. I submitted it to her at 6 pm.

            On Thursday, during the enrolment, she asked me to be at the DFA Auditorium for an event about HIV/AIDS cases in the Philippines. Luckily, I was already done enrolling when she texted. The event lasted for about 3 to 4 hours; but somehow, I felt like being at ease covering an event alone since she had brought me into the same situation for the fourth time already. Deadline for that article was morning of the next day. I had four articles for this week.

OJT Journal 6

OJT Journal 6 (May 16 – May 20)

By Yeye Ignacio

This week was my happiest OJT week. On Monday, for some reason my trainer could not attend an interview at the DFA. She sent me a message asking if I am willing to accept the challenge of doing the job alone. Without further elaboration on the instruction, I immediately replied “YES”. My trainer said she no longer asked my co-intern to go since one Star reporter will do for a short interview.

I promised myself to maximize my training, grab any opportunity, accept all challenges and do every instruction. Without a second thought, I prepared my voice recorder, notebook and ballpen. It was a media interview with DFA Undersecretary Erlinda Basilio and the Ambassador for ASEAN. My trainer asked me to record the interview then send her a copy for her own story, and then submit to her my own story at 6 pm, for her to combine the two. The interview started late at around 3:30 pm, so I rushed the story for about an hour. It was really a challenge creating a news story under time pressure. Ms. Brago once told us that their work in actual is not an easy job. That time I really proved that it was really not, I realized how hard it was. Nevertheless, just to accomplish your news is such a worthy reward.

On Wednesday, our news article was published: ‘Worsening of South China Sea dispute farfetched’. I saw my name under the byline of my trainer. Just the name itself relieved all the stress and hardship of working. I felt so blessed and thankful to my trainer for helping and trusting me. I had 5 articles for this week.

OJT Journal 5

OJT Journal 5 (May 9 – May 13)

By Yeye Ignacio

This week started a bit unfortunate because of the heavy rain. We were supposed to be at the Sofitel Hotel on Monday for a conference and at Mandarin Hotel in the evening for European Union event. But since the rain was continuous, our trainer decided to cancel the scheduled activities. Instead, I made an article about OFW at home. On Tuesday, aside from writing an article about ASEAN as part of the daily requirement, we met at the DFA to give us short discussion and instruction for one particular task: to make our own news story out of the Philippine United Nations Development Program. She gave us two days to accomplish and wanted us to submit the article before Friday. 

There were two stories that caught my interest, the United Nations Volunteerism in Mindanao and the UNV with its action plan for the 8 Millennium Development Goals. I was not sure that time if I could finish them both so I started with the UNV Mindanao first, I went to UNV office on Wednesday to at least gather helpful information. They also gave me the contact number of their program officer to provide me updates on the organization’s programs in Mindanao. Through her, together with the UNDP communication officer, I got the information I needed for the story. I used some of my International Year of Volunteers materials for my supporting details. On the same day, I wrote my daily article requirement.

With a little time left before the deadline, I tried writing the second story. I was able to finish the story; though it was not that detailed and informative as the one I prioritized, I still submitted it. I felt happy after all. I experienced doing an article without an event, without my trainer, without a basis; but, a story focus that was being conceptualized by my own. The experience itself made me happy. I had 6 articles for this week.

OJT Journal 4

OJT Journal 4 (May 2 – May 6)
By Yeye Ignacio

             This fourth week completes my first training month at Star. We are asked to do a research about the ASEAN Connectivity to support a story regarding ASEAN Briefing and proposal of initiatives at Malacanang. Then on Wednesday, we went to New World Hotel in Makati for the coverage of the 10^th anniversary of the United Nations Volunteers. It was a volunteering program by the United Nations Development Programme that aims to achieve the eight Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

We were already there when Ms. Brago informed us that she was called by the office. So we are commanded to cover the event by ourselves; nonetheless, Star assigned another reporter to accompany us there. But since he arrived a bit late, he gave us go signal to do the job even without his presence. We interviewed first the Communication Officer of the UNV to get the background of the story. After the interview, we joined the press conference by UNV, UNDP, Philippine Red Cross and PNVSCA. After the press conference I got the chance to have another interview with the PNVSCA Executive Director to ask for specific elaboration on the case of Mindanao’s peace and development. Deadline of article for that event was 5 pm of the same day. I submitted two news stories from that event.

We were supposed to attend Vice President Jejomar Binay’s 32^nd ECoP event on Thursday, but we were not able to come because of some miscommunication between our trainer and the OVP beat reporter. Likewise, we were scheduled to attend Binay’s forum on Friday but he confirmed his absence for the said forum on the day itself. It was an unfortunate OVP week for us. I submitted 5 articles for this week.

OJT Journal 3

OJT Journal 3 (April 25 – April 29)

By Yeye Ignacio

            On Tuesday, we met at the DFA to have a short discussion about the submitted articles and the schedule for that week. It was more of deskwork. Since we have no event to cover, we stayed there to exchange articles with Jen, my co-intern, and to read and also compare news from different broadsheets and tabloids. Our trainer also spent time to give us piece of advice based on her own experiences. “Ask the stupidest questions and you will learn,” they’re just the words that I would never forget from her.

            The next day, we went to US Embassy to cover the official opening of its new annex building. It was attended by quite numerous media people. I guess they considered the event big not really because the happening was crucial, but because of the mere fact that US Embassy is considered as a prominent embassy here in the country. We had a tour inside the new annex building and then a press conference after. This time, as what I’ve promised, I already have a voice recorder for easier transcription. The ribbon cutting-ceremony was participated by US Ambassador Harry Thomas, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno and construction leader Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala. Deadline of article for that event was 7 pm of the same day.

            My trainer moved our Thursday meeting to Saturday because of some personal appointment. Even so, we are still required to pass an article for our daily submission. On Friday, our trainer was invited to the residence of the British Ambassador for the Royal Wedding. Sadly, the invitation indicated one reserved seat. While Ms. Brago was there, we were at home covering the wedding on TV and researching some information regarding the event. I wasn’t able to attend our Saturday meeting at the DFA because we went to Ilocos for a family gathering. My trainer allowed me to go there after I asked for her permission two days in advance. 

OJT Journal 2

OJT Journal 2 (April 18 - April 22)

By Yeye Ignacio

Week two of OJT journal would be very short since we had 3-day holy week break. Interns were not expected to write and pass their articles. On Monday, we were asked to do a research and a story about the growing issue of drug trafficking. Drug syndicates are using the Filipino workers in bringing illegal drugs abroad in exchange for money. To start the research, I first familiarized myself with the news articles regarding the most controversial issue of drug trafficking which was the one in China. I found myself reading a GMA News article which provided me numerous information on the issue, and to my surprise, the article carries a byline of JA.

On Tuesday we went to EDSA Shangri-La for the weekly Tuesday Club of journalists. They had former Chinese diplomats as their guests for the forum. We did not stay there for a long time since Star’s Associate Editor informed our trainer that she was already on her way to attend and cover the event. Instead, we went back to DFA Media Corps to check some articles and to have a lecture. During the lecture, DFA spokesman Eduardo Malaya came in to look for our trainer.

During the Holy Week, as what Ms. Brago said, I read some pages from the European Commission Evaluation guidelines. I also passed one extra article to make it three for that week, so that my time card will credit additional hours.

OJT Journal 1

OJT Journal (April 8 – April 15)

By Yeye Ignacio

Hello my OJT diary! It is my first entry for my first internship week so let me introduce to you first the basic information pertaining to my work. I am currently doing my training at The Philippine STAR with my assigned beats: Office of the Vice President, Department of Foreign Affairs and Embassies. With the company’s instruction, I am guided by my trainer, Ms. Pia Lee-Brago, STAR’s assigned reporter to DFA. Under her supervision, I have my co-trainee from the University of Santo Tomas, and her name is Jen. We will go with Ms. Brago Mondays to Fridays depending on her fieldwork schedule.

STAR allowed its trainees to choose the date on when they would wish to start their work, and I chose to begin on April 8, Friday. Ms. Brago asked me and Jen to be at the DFA press lobby at 10:00 am. That is our regular meeting place. The guard instead, requested us to just wait for our trainer inside the media corps room, and there I saw the area where the press conferences of Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario are being held.

            When Ms. Brago arrived, we rode a cab going to Mandarin Hotel in Makati. We covered an event by the European Union (Cultural Group) called Viva Europa 2011, where the organization officially opened this year’s European Union festival. It is a three-month-celebration of European culture in arts, music, dance, films, languages and poetry. The EU delegates, with its member states, presented in the event their different activities and plans. The event also had Storyline’s KINSE, presented by Patricia Evangelista. With that, Ms. Brago asked us to write a news article, to be submitted evening of the same day. We are also commanded to do a research about the organization for the article’s supporting details.

            After the event, we went to the Australian Embassy in Makati. My trainer borrowed one recorded press conference which I assumed she missed because of a conflict in her schedule. Since we did not witness the interview and the press conference itself, Ms. Brago no longer commanded us to write a news story about it.

            Our trainer wants us to write at least one article per day from the DFA press releases, public advisories or news from Philippine Embassies. She said every production will credit some hours for our time card. The articles will be checked by her weekly for comments, and be sent back to us for rewritings and improvement. After the rewritings, she will give us our articles that are already edited by her for comparison.

            The next day that we met was on Tuesday. We covered the first Philippine Retirement and Healthcare Summit at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati. It was organized by the Retirement and Healthcare Coalition and the Philippine Retirement Authority that will promote the Philippines as a haven and second home destination for foreign retirees. The event was also participated by Department of Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim and the proxy of President Aquino, Executive Secretary Pacquito Ochoa.

            During the first session, the media people were called for an interview outside the event hall. My trainer asked me to observe and do what the press people will do. Jen was absent that day. Standing outside the hall was the chairman of the RHC. It was my first time to experience actual interview with the press. I think, based on my realization, voice recorder is needed when having an interview. Everybody has it, except for me. I find it hard to write the exact words that the interviewee was saying. I think it is most crucial if you are going to quote him/her concerning one critical issue.

            After the RHC chairman was the general manager of PRA. My trainer challenged me to do the job by myself. She was observing me while standing steps away from us. During the interview, I wrote the press’ questions and his answers. It was a bit hard to transcribe on the spot. I also noticed the exchange of calling cards between the press and the interviewee for further questions and future announcements.

            We no longer finished the event since it was a whole day summit and she said we still have to write the story. My deadline for that event was 2:00 pm so I have to go home straight and write the story to meet the deadline. On my way home, I was already reading my notes and looking for my focus. I started the article right after reaching our home.

            On Friday, we went to EDSA Sangri-la to cover the European Commission Evaluation.  The evaluation covered the EU’s cooperation relations with the Philippines for the past 2002-2009, and to evaluate its aid program regarding poverty reduction. My trainer said that the evaluation event of the organization is important since it talks about the budget and improvement.

            After the presentation, many personalities from different organizations and embassies gave their comments, suggestions and questions regarding the accountability of the program. I realized that the program has different issues. After the open forum, the press went to the EC’s evaluation leader for a short interview and clarification regarding the program.

            Ms. Brago asked us to write an article that will be submitted evening of the same day. She also told us to read a 70-page-evaluation book containing the 6 projects of EC to aid the Philippines. We are expected to find another story from there and be passed to her during the holy week. This is the summary of my first week. I wrote 7 news articles for that week.

            Barely 2 months ago, this was when everybody’s still undecided and still looking for an organization, our professor and practicum coordinator differentiated the distinctions between alternative media and mainstream media for us to know the training style that we really want. One distinction he mentioned was the time. In an alternative media, we are given longer time to research and write our articles, while in a mainstream media we are expected to produce articles in a given limited time. It seemed like we could improve more our writing skills in an alternative media where our articles are longer and detailed, while our writing ability under time pressure is the one being developed in mainstream media. That very moment, I felt confused on whether or not I should go for The Philippine Star, the internship organization I wished to pursue since 2^nd year.

            After all, I still tried to apply and blessed to be accepted in the company. I can now see the difference between the two in terms of training styles. My trainer told me that timeliness is one very important element in a broadsheet like Star. I also learned that Star, in avoidance to libel case, is discouraging a trainee by-liner in critical news stories.

            Others may think that I am lucky with my training organization; but I do believe that alternative media and mainstream media have their own advantages and style. Even before I made my decision, I am already aware of their distinctions. I promised myself to maximize my time and give my best to learn more and improve my writing skills.