THE LAST STRETCH
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
I wasn’t aware that my site’s down for days until RG called me up from Manila. I was in Baguio covering President Arroyo for a good part of this week, the last week of 2005. In the other days of this week, I wasn’t in touch with the blogosphere because I was “imprisoned” in one of the editing bays of the ABC newsroom finishing up my year ender segments. That meant hours and hours and even days of sleepless nights…of not seeing the outside world…that’s the reality for us who are in the news, not being in touch with the real world for a brief time before the year ends for our year ender.
But my last week for this year was also filled with events that warmed my heart, my body and my spirit with emotions that reflect the best and the not so best stuff that happened this year, 2005.
Dizzying, but really satisfying. Nahirapan lang sa pagiging hectic, pero buti na lang naganap ang lahat ng ito. Napagbigyan lahat, nagawa lahat. Naihabol, natapos.
What a year (!!!) and I can’t believe it is all over and that a new year will start to roll tonight!
‘SANG TAON SA ‘SANG ORAS
Which brings me to my station’s year end report:
“2005: ‘Sang Taon sa ‘Sang Oras”. It will be shown 9:00 tonight over ABC. We will literally remind everyone of the stories that made us all busy in the newsroom, news that affected the nation and the whole world.
Our simple year ender’s hosted by Cheri Mercado and all the reporters of ABC News: Abby Gonzales, Theresa Andrada, Sherie Anne Torres, Jason Torres, Chino Gaston, Karen Lim, Heidi Santos, Arlene Lim Farol, Hazel Recheta, Gean Pineda, Naomi Dayrit and ako po, si Jove hehehe.
I was tasked to do segments about … PINOY BIG BROTHER and SEA GAMES 2005 : JOKEEEEE! …. about politics, and you guessed it: the segments were dominated by Gloriagate. And you know what made this year easier for me? BLOGS! I used the entries in my blog BY JOVE! as timeline reference. Napadali niya ang paghanap ko file footage, it reminded me of the facts and the reports I filed on specific dates. The other news blogs in the blogosphere were also visited to get some context. This truly was a year for PINOY BLOGS.
Special thanks to my VTR editor: Nonoy Solero for keeping up with my editing demands. Kudos to all those who toiled for endless hours para sa year ender na ito. Reporters, editors, cameramen, production assistants. Ed Lingao and Anne Torres mastered (tinahi nila lahat segments) the whole thing for three nights, we are all excited to see the finished cut.
News and Public Affairs year enders usually serve as news people’s “personal reminiscing”, a way to cap our work year…
Pero din po ito sa inyong lahat!
Sana po magustuhan ninyo.
A SPANKING NEW PGMA?
A new President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo?
I have been covering PGMA’s yearly Baguio City “holiday break” and so far, this year’s the best. Ate Glo’s interaction with the media up in the cold mountains of the north was warm enough to merit acknowledgment.
THE MANSION IN BAGUIO CITY (View From Inside)
Let me count the changes.
Events open for media coverage?
Why even the President’s taping of her New Year message was open for coverage. She was seen doing it despite the drizzle. Cameras caught her memorizing and practicing with the teleprompter.
Ambush interviews allowed?
She wanted the Rizal Day event “non political”, so she didn’t deliver a speech. Why remind everyone of her “I’m not running” speech delivered on the same day years ago, di ba? But she gladly answered some questions during an ambush interview after the event.
In one of her daily briefings for the media, she was even receptive of a question thrown at her by TV reporters, just as she was walking away after the opening statement. We chorised: “ma’am yun pong Time Magazine issue…”, she smiled and told all of us , that Toting Bunye will deal with it.
She was everywhere and we were allowed to be there with her?
She went around Baguio, surfed in La Union then went back to baguio, went to Isabela to check on the flooding victims then went back to Baguio. Etc etc. Media access: allowed. Wow.
DINNERS Cheech & Chongs The Corsican Brothers buy 3:10 to Yuma hd
Dinner at The Mansion is open for the media nightly. Mind you, not only for dinner but for chances to interact with cabinet officials and the first family for story leads and actual interviews. These events are chances for us to get more contexts for our stories. Hard news and lighter side, included. We talked about eVAT and other energy issues with Sec. Fabila and Sec Lotilla over dessert. From hard facts to practical ones like how SM Baguio should ask for less taxes kasi di sila aircon hehehehe, sabi ni Sec. Lotilla, in fact mas mababa ang singil ng SM Baguio. We all talked about the new PGMA with ES Ermita Sec. Bunye and Sec. Mike Defensor. From the serious topic of governance, like the cabinet revamp… to her new hair do. Especially because official hair and make up artist Gener’s around every dinner time.
Last Thursday night, PGMA even graced the media bonfire at the PIA Media Cottage in front of THE MANSION. BTW, thanks to whoever for timing the appearance of PGMA sa bonfire around 9:30pm that night. Sakto sa live report ko for THE BIG NEWS. Ang ganda ng video. Salamat. PGMA sang with the group (a mix of local and national news pipol), she even made chitchat about how her “surfer dude” surfing instructor’s single and perfect for one of the Malacanang TV reporters. Yiheee! She toured the media cottage. Kakahiya nga kasi, mejo magulo that time dahil siksikan na kami ngayon duon. Dati kasi, sleeping cottage talaga ito for the media. Ngayon andun na rin ang PIA office. Na kapag andun si Presidente, saka lang ginagawang cottage ulit for the media. Mukhang gusto ipaayos PGMA, lalu at sabi niya, idea daw yun ng mom niya dati.
Mo' Better Blues divx
THE BONFIRE live
INFO ASAP
Interview transcripts were released ASAP, mas mabilis pa kesa sa PWA sa Manila. For TV reporters, RTVM supply us with the footage ASAP. Mainit init pa. They also feed the videos to Manila right away. Our MPC fellows who were left behind in Manila were not out of the action. They also get the info. Kasali pa sila sa PRESSCONS thru satt feed technology. That Ermita Presscon held last Wednesday was “precious”. We were all “happy” looking on cam. Hahahaha.
Are these changes only good when we are in Yong Afable’s turf? Hope not.
Imagine, she just criticized the media months ago in a KBP affair held in Baguio. Seeing her now doing all these stuff, is completely: nakakapanibago.
A new persona agreed upon by this administration’s COMMUNICATION GROUP? (which she met for hours a few days ago… nakansela nga isang street kids feeding event dahil sa meeting)
Gimmick or ploy, I will let the public judge her. But for me, this is definitely good news for the news people covering her. We have been asking for improved access to our main subject for months and even years. We have been getting it lately. It doesn’t mean that “only the good news” will come out now that this is happening, it means that the president and her administration will be heard by the nation just as loud when the other side (or the kalabans) shout out their calls and their exposes.
She doesn’t have to be chummy with all of us, she just needs to accept the fact that the media is here to cover her. Good news or bad news man.
What’s so refreshing to me is the fact that the president seems less conscious when the media is around her. She doesn’t have to plaster a smile if she doesn’t feel like it. A lot of precious off cam moments were also seen by mediamen inside the Mansion. The president seemed “babaw” gushing over the soup for the night “Sukiyakiiii!!!!”. She’s oblivious about the fact that people are around when she LOL’s or loudly disagrees with a certain topic. She showed genuine excitement when her yaya (Baguio based nanny na nag alaga sa kaniya nung bata pa siya) arrived for dinner.
Sabi nga ng ilan sa mga OB Van crew ng tatlong major channels na invited din for dinners sa Mansions… na hindi naman lagi nag ko-cover sa Pangulo at nakita siya harapan for the first time: “Eh parang okay naman pala ang Presidente, bakit laging pangit nasa balita?”. Hmmmmmmm. Teka.
Changes?
May all of these remain the same in 2006.
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Other events that occupied my time this week…
A WEDDING
I am so happy for you Marilen… congratulations Rene!
A REUNION
A yuletide reunion of the Aquarium Gang.
ANOTHER REUNION
Friends since college, we are pals forever.
A DINNER
A CHRISTENING
PAHABOL CHRISTMAS PARTY AND A GOODBYE
To my favorite Cameraman: Isagani “JONJON” Tolentino Jr. GOODLUCK! We will definitely miss you.
OTHER GOODBYES….
DR APOL MAGSINO
You have always been headstrong. Gagawin ang gustong gawin. After the reunion, almost all our pals asked me to ask you not to go to Congo for the UN thing. But like in the past, I knew when not to stop you from doing something. You seemed determined naman. And after you called days ago from Congo, I knew you’ll be fine there.
Goodluck and have a safe mission. Kayang kaya!
YAM (Diana and Tess)
O, wag na magalit na hindi ako nakasama sa Tagaytay for the “last hurrah!” enumerated na dito ang lahat ng dahilan. I hope you had a swell vacation YUPKI! I’m sure you’ll be fine in Bangkok Thailand. Naku di ko man lang nakita sina Tess and Diana. Naku ang GIGANTIC GIFT ko for you pano na?
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TO FRIENDSHIPS! a friendship ring.
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(officemates: i will post and link the Baguio Photos tomorrow, i’m too tired, just visit again soon)
THE BAGUIO PICS are IN THIS ALBUM and IN THIS ALBUM TOO . just click the link. Enjoy!
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again… HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE! (you are all TOPS on my list)
