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.