MOJADO. How did you gain interest in sports?
ANTONIO. (When I was in grade school)..., medyo malayo yung eskwelahan namin from the highway, siguro around 500 meters, nagkakating classes ako to catch a glimpse of passing participants of the Tour of Luzon cycling marathon.

Q. When you were in college did you focus only on sports editing?
A. No, no! Actually, it was by accident. Meron tayong tinatawag na "Accidental hero", di ba movie yon? I was an accidental reporter because dumadaan ako sa office ng school organ, I saw an announcement inviting students to take the exam and join as staff (of the weekly Dawn). May allowance daw kapag pumasa. I took the exams, in Filipino and English and fortunately I passed both exams.

Q. That exam was for?
A. To be able to join the staff of the organ.

Q. So, that organ is concerned with news writing?
A. Ah, Oo! Talagang parang isang daily newspaper.

Q. Paano na yun course niyo? Nawala ba yun focus niyo sa course niyo?
A. Oo, that was the saddest part of it. Nawala na yun attention ko sa pag-aaral. Masyado akong na-engross sa trabaho ko as a reporter. Sabi ko baka dito na talaga ang buhay ko, may mga allowance pa. Pati kapag staff ka ng Dawn may scholarship ka. Kung natapos ko yun BA Marketing siguro mas ok pero no regrets.

Q. Nakapagtrabaho na po ba kayo kaagad after college?
A. Experience? When I was appointed as the managing editor of the Weekly Dawn in 1975 siguro, I stayed for one more semester tapos a friend of mind told me that there was a vacancy for Times Journal. That was a major paper noon araw, The Times Journal. Nag-TNT iyong isang sports writer. He was assigned to cover a tournament in America pero di na bumalik. So binalita sa akin noon friend kong nasa business section ng Times Journal. "Jo, may slot na available sa Times Journal." Nagbaka-sakali ako. I went to the Journal offices sa may Pasig. Ayun, I introduced myself to the sports editor si Gus Villanueva, kinuha niya ako, sabi niya; "You can stay with me for a while. Makipag-compete ka doon sa tatlo." Meron pa kasing tatlong probationary reporters, mga sports writers, plus me. So naging apat kami. Kumuha kami ng mga examinations, we covered different tournaments like basketball tournaments. Then after two months, ultimately I was chosen, beating the three others.

Q. What was your positon then?
A. Reporter in Times Journal. Sportswriter one, iyon ang tawag sa amin. I was a junior sportswriter, pinaka-junior, an addition to the sports section.

Q. So you were also a cub reporter.
A. Oo, in my case I underwent a three month probationary period. "Proby" ang tawag nila doon. After three months and passing the test with flying colors ginawa nila akong permanent employee ng sports section ng Times Journal.

Q. How long did you stay in Times Journal?
A. 1976 upto 1986.

Q. How was the treatment of your superiors when you were still a cub?
A. Kasi noong araw, unlike today, the old news writer, mga snobbish iyan; tsaka talagang matataas ang ere, pero being a Tagalog marunong akong makipaglaro. Marunong akong makipag-kapwa tao. So I was easily admitted sa corps ng old sports writers. Wala namang discrimination kasi nakipagkaibigan kaagad ako. Tsaka noong araw kasi, bihira ang mga sportswriter, unlike today na maraming mga dyaryo so maraming mga sportswriter. Dahil kokonti kami before, naging closely linked kami to one another. Q. How do you handle deadlines? Nape-pressure ba kayo?
A. Of course, iyon ang one of the perennial problems, iyong beating the deadline. In sports naman, sa hapon ginagawa iyong mga event so you have plenty of time to write the story. Except basketball, usually ang basketball kasi sa gabi ginagawa. Sa newspaper naman may tinatawag na provincial and city edition. Sa city edition iyong mga basketball played at night usually maki-carry iyan sa city edition na, not in the provincial edition anymore. So kung para sa city edition ang iko-cover mo ng gabi, marami ka pa rin oras to write it.

Q. So kung baga may allowance naman sa time?
A. Oo, although may mga events din talagang close sa deadline so kailangan mabilis ka rin sumulat.

Q. What did you learn from being a "cub" in journalism?
A. Noong araw kasi mahirap ang maging rookie sa profession. Kasi ang mga kasama mo medyo mababagsik na superiors. Kapag baguhan ka, they will surely put you in your proper place. Di ka pwedeng makihalubilo sa kanila. Ang magandang gawin doon, like me I did my best not to be an outcast. Nagtrabaho ako regularly tsaka I worked hard para ma-apprciate nila yung ginagawa ko. Kasi sa newspaper, lahat naman dito is about iyon mga write-ups mo. Kung hindi ka talaga ma-ano (mahusay), di ka nila papansinin. Paano ka nila mapapansin? You write a good story, mapapansin ka nila. Sa newspaper kasi, di naman sa pagmamamayabang, pasiklaban dito in terms of writing.

Q. What were the most significant events that you covered?
A. I covered a lot of big local and international events. As young sports writer, the most memorable for me was when I covered the Marlboro Tour Cycling Marathon for ten consecutive years. The Marlboro Tour was the most highly awaited and biggest sports event. Iyong karera ng bisikleta. I covered that for ten straight years. I think that was a record of sort. Bata pa ko noon so kayang kaya ko pa ang katawan ko. When it comes to international events I think the Hiroshima Asian Games in 1994 was the most memorable. According to other sportswriters, I came up with a good coverage. Kaya memorable sa akin yon.

Q. Aside from being a journalist, may naging ibang trabaho po ba kayo noon?
A. Yeah! Nagtrabaho ako sa Puyat Undergarments, gumagawa ng bra noong araw. I was a master-cutter. I stayed there for only three months. Working student kasi ako, mga 1974 iyon. After becoming a permanent employee nag-retire ako, nagkasakit yata ako. After that iyon nga, iyon Dawn (Weekly Dawn) ang focus ko.

Q. How did you become an editor? Where did you start?
A. Actually, another accidental sports editor na naman ako. In 1986 during the EDSA Revolution, I resigned as sportswriter at Times Journal. Nakikita mo ba yun sequence?

Q. Opo.
A. 1986, during the EDSA Revolution, I resigned as sportswriter at the Times Journal. Times Journal, ha! I joined the Manila Times but after staying for only one month, I joined the... nag-boycott kami, anong tawag doon? Ah hindi! Nag-walk out kami in protest of certain management policy. So I joined the walk-out. Natanggal kami. So I was jobless for a couple of weeks. I was a reporter then. So after staying jobless for two weeks I called up the sports editor of Tempo. His name was Rudy Navarro. Sabi ko sa kanya; "Pare, jobless ako. Nagwalk-out kami. Tinanggal kami. May bakante ba diyan?" Sabi nya "Sige, kukunin kita." He took me in as a corespondent parang iyon sinasabi mong cub reporter. I stayed there for two months. Ngayon, iyong sports editor ng People Journal, si Gus Vilalanueva who is my ninong sa kasal, pupunta ng Amerika. Wala siyang assistant, so nobody would handle the sports section ng People Jounal. He called me up, sabi niya; "Joe, dito ka muna for one month pupunta kami ng ninang mo at mga kinakapatid mo sa Amerika. Walang magtatrabaho dito sa sports section ng People's. Pumayag naman ako and pumunta na nga ako dito and the rest is history. Ang nangyayari parang hiniram lang ako Tempo. Eh, noong pagbalik niya ang sabi niya; "Joe, dito ka na lang, wala akong assistant." Ok naman ako. Ninong ko sa kasal, and another thing matagal akong nag-stay dito being a reporter in the Times Journal. Iyong Times Journal kasi and People's Journal sister company iyan, one owner lang yan kaya di na ako naka-alis.

Q. What year did you transfer in People's Journal?
A. It was 1986 or 87 and hangang ngayon sports editor na nga ako ng People's Journal. Puro aksidente nga ang pagiging journalist ko. Sa school nga napadaan lang ako tapos nakita ko lang yun announcement ng Weekly Dawn. Kung di ako napadaan doon siguro di ko nabasa iyon.

Q. How long have you been in journalism profession?
A. Sa newspaper siguro since 1975, hanggang ngayon. Pero ngayon for about five years, hindi na ako nagsusulat because I have the most reliable and competent staff. They make things easier for me. Wala na akong masyadong ginagawa, magagaling sila. Iyon ang gusto ko dito especially when it comes to sports writing.

Q. What was your first assignment as a reporter?
A. My first assignment was to interview the national tennis team who would compete in the Davis Cup. It was in 1970s. My first big assignment. Sa may Rizal Memorial (ginanap).

Q. How did you gain interest in writing, then being a journalist?
A. I'll give you a little background. When I was in High School, most of my friends were members of the Nueva Ecija baseball team, competing in inter-provincial leagues. Ang ginagawa ko noon, di naman ako player, parang ginagawan ko ng istorya, kasama kasi ako sa mga games nila. Gumagawa ako ng report just for my own satisfaction. For example, Nueva Ecija will meet Pampanga today in a the finals of inter-provincial baseball tournament. I'll give you another background. Eversince I was in grade six, nagbabasa na ako ng diyaryo, Manila Times, the most popular paper during the Martial Law. Nagbabasa na ako. Kasi, noong araw kasi iisa lang ang may dyaryo sa amin, ang (nasa) mayor. Iyon mayor kasi uncle ko. Kaya pag dating ng diyaryo binabasa ko kaagad. The first section na binabasa ko ay iyon sport section. Ngayon naaalala ko iyon mga ganoon. Doon ko nakita na talagang may hilig na ako talaga.

Q. Do you consider writing as an inborn talent or something that must be developed?
A. In my case, siguro na-develop lang, kasi hindi naman ako nagsasalit ng Ingles sa bahay noong araw, either Kapangpangan o Tagalog pero I read a lot. I read a lot of books, of papers, I read a lot of magazines. Doon na-develop ng konti kahit papaano. When you read a lot you will develop good writing skills. Iyong mga famous writers natin mga voracious readers iyan. Paano ka matututo kung di ka magbabasa? You read the writings of your fellow writers para magkakaroon ka ng idea, ganoon lang naman iyon.

Q. Were there other journalists in your family?
A. Wala ako lang. Pero marami akong pamangkin ngayon na parang nagkakahilig sa journalism.

Q. Do you think you influenced them?
A. Yeah, I can say that.

Q. Aside from writing about sports, did you ever try to write or to focuse to other subjects?
A. Yeah, noong pumasok ako sa newspaer puro sports pero when I was a managing editor of the "Weekly Dawn" nagre-review ako ng mga pelikula. I was asked to critic but I did not pursue with it. The "Weekly Dawn" was the school organ of the University of the East that was like a real newspaper.

Q. Was it really a training for those who aspire to write in newspapers?
A. Ah oo! When I joined the Times Journal, iyon style ko sa Weekly Dawn katulad na rin noong style ko (sa Times Journal). Iyon style kasi namin noon straight news pero iba na ngayon ang style. I can say that sports writers today are better that during our times. Ngayon, high tech na.

Q. Do you have any personal habits before starting to write?
A. Ah oo! In my case I drink coffee muna, tapos paikot-ikot muna ako, thinking about what to write kasi sa sports wirting just like to any other beat ang pinakamahirap sa lahat ay iyon first paragraph or what we call as "lead paragraph". Pero kapag nakuha mo na iyan, tuloy-tuloy na naman.

Q. Were there times that you are about to write but you just can't start it?
A. Ah oo, especially kapag pagod na pagod ka, o hirap na hirap ka just like iyon pag-cover ng Marlboro Tour. Bibiyahe ka ng a minimum of 100 kms a day. Mapapagod ka talaga. So, it will take time before you come with a lead paragraph pero once na may first two paragraphs ka na tuloy-tuloy na iyon, madali na!

Q. You mentioned a while ago the word "Beat". What is the first beat?
A. Wala naman first beat. Actually iyon beat sa newspaper, assignment iyon. Meron tayong tinatawag na sports beat then you cover sports. Meron din tayong tinatawag na Malacaņang beat so you cover the president. In other words, beat, assignment lang iyon. Parang sa college, yun "course" lang iyon.

Q. Who do you look up to in the field of journalism?
A. You know di na ako magbabanggit ng mga foreign writers. Although most of my favorites are American writers, Jim Murray, (Los Angeles Times) and Will Grimsley (Associated Press). Dito sa atin one of my favorites is Benigno Aquino. Sorry, what I mean is Teddy Benigno pala, iyong columnist sa Philippine Star. He was dammed good sportswriter. Although, ang paborito ko iyong dalawang staffs ko si Dodo Catacutan and Gabby Alvarado. Talagang mahusay sila. Ako talaga ang kumuha sa kanila. The first time I read their stories, sabi ko may "promise" ito. Di ba nga sabi ko sa iyo mas magagaling na ang writers ngayon. Others would not admit that pero ako ina-admit ko na mas magagaling sila ngayon and it shows naman sa mga copies nila. And I am proud to say na nagdaan sila sa akin.

Q. Describe a good journalist.
A. Pagdating sa newpaper, pagalingan dito, if you are a "so, so" writer hindi kita ia-admire. I admire them because they write well. They perform well and they do their job well and nagkoko-cooperate sila. I would describe them as as the future of Philippinized sports writing, may mga promise sila to become "big" someday in the field of sports writing.

Q. Who were them again?
A. They were Dodo Catacutan and Gabby Alvarado. Gabby is my assistant and si Dodo iyon ang third man ko. We are five in the group, yun dalawa nasa field, nasa assignment. Doon sa dalawa medyo sumasakit pa ang ulo ko. Ito, (referring to Catacutan and Alvarado) di ko na binabasa ang mga kopya nito. Yun dalawa medyo kailangan mo pang i-edit iyong mga stories nila pero mga mahuhusay rin kaya lang minsan careless. Yun dalawa (Dodo and Gabby) mga beterano na ito pero mga nasa early 30's pa lang sila. Itong dalawang ito pwede nga sa ibang beat. Sabi ko nga sa management; "We should keep this two people." Kinikuha na nga sila ng ibang papers.

Q. Were there any memorable colleagues?
A. Sa sports beat, we are closely intact. Talagang magkakaibigan kami. Before, iilan lang kami. Siyempre di mo makakalimutan yun mga contemporaries mo, like Ding Marcelo who is the sports editor of Bulletin Today, Al Mendoza, the sports editor of the Inquirer and Lito Tacujan, the sports editor of the Philippine Star. Kami ang magkakasama niyan, dito and in abroad. Marami na akong assignment sa abroad. Siguro mga 25 times na akong nag-abroad. I've been to Europe. I've been to US. Marami na talaga akong experience.

Q. Are you saying that your bind as sports reporters, made them memorable to you?
A. Siyempre, kasi ang pinakamahirap sa buhay ng tao, iyon makasama mo ang ayaw mo pa! Di ba, kapag nag-iinuman, tapos yun kasama mo ayaw mong makasama? Walang mangyayari!

Q. Describe People's Journal as a journalism company?
A. Actually, this company is sequestered. Alam mo ba kung ano ang sequestered? We are under government control. When you are sequestered, to attack the first family is a big "no, no" dito. Kami we are not supposed to attack the first family, Pres. Erap, Jinggoy Estrada. If you will attack them, it will cause you headache.

Q. Have you ever write anything about the government?
A. Sa sports wala naman ganyan and I am proud to say that puro positive dito sa sports. Sabi ko magiging principle ko dito sa sports section is to write about the achievements of athletes and officials, rather than contraversies. I'll rather write about the accomplishments and victories of athletes.

Q. If you are given a chance to write or to comment about government policies, will you consider doing it?
A. You can not do that when you are working under sequestered paper. Maybe, in other paper. Halimbawa, nag-resign ako dito and I join the other paper na hindi sequestered and they ask me to write negative about the government. Siguro, why not? Pero sa tingin ko I'll stay as a sportswriter. I love this beat! This is the beat closes to my heart. Sabi ko nga; "medyo nagkaroon ako ng long-sleeve because I became a sport-writer" (referring to his achievements). Tsaka dito puro positive. May mga controversies pero bihira.

Q. Are there also limitations in sports writing?
A. Kapag libelous na. Halimbawa, sinabi mong pangit si Juan dela Cruz, e guapo naman pala. Siguro base na rin sa principle of being objective or subjective.

Q. Why do you think people should read your paper?
A. Personally, sa tingin ko maraming kulang pa (referring to People's Journal). To tell you the truth, I've been ask three times to handle the top position, but each time I declined because iyon sitwasyon sa gobyerno baka magbago na naman ang administrasyon, babaguhin na naman dito. So, marami pa talagang kulang ang People's Journal. Malas yata sa magagaling na editor but I have nothing against them pero iyon ang pakiramdam ko. Kasi I studied in London for two weeks pinag-aralan ko iyon... Sa London sa England, sa Britain, iyon mga broadsheets wala doon...di nabibili. Ang mga tabloids (ang binibili). If you will compare iyon mga tabloids natin dito sa England, malayong malayo. Kasi ang taste ko sa tabloids masyadong mataas.

Q. Most of your papers are tabloids, why?
A. Meron din naman kaming broadsheet. Iyon Times Journal kaya lang isinara dahil nalugi.

Q. Was it because of economic factor?
A. Yes. It's one of the reasons.

Q. Why do people read a certain newspaper?
A. Depende na siyempre sa content. Kasi ikaw, reader ka, meron kang binabalik-balikan. Iyong nakaugailan mo nang basain. Ako binabasa ko yun Inquirer because of the opinion pages. May nagbabasa dahil sa cartoons, may nagbabasa dahil sa maganda yun frontpage nila. Each paper may mga kanya-kanyang big (qualities). It depends na rin sa viewers preference. Kaya mo nga prine-prefer ang isang paper dahil may nagugustuhan ka. Sa dami ng papers ngayon, siyempre mamimili ka. Ang Bulletin (referring to Manila Bulletin) bakit binibili...dahil sa Classified Ads section nila, mga advertisements. Pero iyon content... the worst paper in town is Philippine Today kaya lang binibili dahil sa classified ads at tsaka makapal. Sad to say dito sa Philippine newspapering, iyon mga magagandang dyaryo like Manila Times, Today, di bumibenta, di mabili. Today ni Teddy "Boy" Locsin magaganda iyan. Iyon Manila Times na bagong labas maganda rin.

Q. Why do most of the newpaper companies are located along the port area just like the People's Journal?
A. Naku, di ko masasagot iyan! Although...noon talaga lahat nandito pero ngayon marami na ang nasa ibang lugar, marami na rin, nasa EDSA ang Manila Time, yun Inquirer nasa Makati pero di ko alam kung bakit nandito pa rin sa may port area ang ilan. Mamaya..., itatanong natin. Baka siguro mura ang renta dito o palgay ko pati itong building na ito sequestered.

Q. How are the fascillities of the People's Journal?
A. Nag-iimprove naman. At least, meron na kaming mga computers. Although our fascilities are (left) behind. Sa pagiging top-of-the-line siguro iyon Bulletin at tsaka Inquirer, iyon (advance na pero iyon sa) amin hindi pa. Pero kahit papaano wala nang nagmamakinilya. Ako na nga lang yata ang nagmamakinilya sa paggawa ko ng "heads" (referring to headilnes). Pangit ang penmanship ko. Kapag isinulat ko baka hindi maintindihan. Kaya may typewriter ako sa mesa ko.

Q. In general, what are to be improved in Prople's Journal?
A. Iyon nga, iyon fascillities and the building itself. Ang pangit kasi ng building namin. Nakita mo naman. Pero noong araw kasi ang dyaryo talagang magulo, masukal. Masarap magtrabaho sa magulo kapag nasa newspaper ka. Kapag newspaperman ka noong araw sanay ka sa magulo. Itong ganito (refering to the present working environment) malinis na ito. Noong early 70's talagang magulo, puro makinilya kasi, maingay; iyon mga Telex, associateds press, ang iingay noon, mga wire agencies. Kaya noong araw mas mararamdaman mo kapag nasa newspaper (ka nagtatrabaho). It is a status symbol. I can say na status symbol kapag nasa newspaper ka noong araw. Ngayon, hindi na. Well, of course meron pa talagang ibang magagaling pero di na masyado. That's the sad part of it. Kung tatanungin mo ako kung mas gusto ko ngayon kaysa noong araw, maski na noong araw mababa ang sweldo, I still prefer the old days.

Q. How much was your first monthly salary?
A. My monthly salary when I became a permanent staff was P800 lang. I was covering a basketball tournament in Cebu. I think it was Crispa versus Toyota. Noong araw naman kasi walang fax. Itatawag mo from Cebu. Dito nila sa Manila ita-type through the phone, long-distance call. After dictating my story, ang sabi ng boss ko, si Gus Villanueva; "Jo, I have good news for you. Na-aprove na yun pagiging regular staff mo. Ang starting salary is P800."

Q. Were you contented?
A. Oo naman. Noong araw malaking pera na iyan. Siguro sa ngayon mga P8,000 na iyon. Kung iku-compare mo sa ngayon, talagang malaki ang deperensiya.

Q. Do you consider income in journalism is enough to support one's family?
A. I'll ask you a question....gusto mo bang maging jourmalist?

Q. Personally po...hindi po.
A. "Hindi!", that's the best decision you've ever made. Huwag kang kumuha ng journalism.

Q. Bakit po?
A. We are underpaid and controversial pa ang buhay, sa mga issues, sa mga "bribes"; in any newspaper nangyayari yan. Maski naman sa church may naghihingi ng lagay; iyon mga sakristan---biro lang!!! I mean sa newspaper mas rampant daw (ang bribery). "Envelopmental journalism" ang tawag nila doon pero hindi naman lahat. Kung baga sa isang basket ng prutas hindi naman lahat bulok. Meron din naman di bulok (may prinsipyo). Okay iyan desisyon mo. Huwag ka nang kumuha ng journalism.

Q. If you were given a chance to search for another job, anong pipiliin niyo?
A. Starting from scratch again? Siguro ito na rin, as a sportswriter na rin. I will die as a sportswriter. Sportswriter forever ako. You know once a sportswriter, always a sportswriter.

Q. Do you consider to be working as a sportswriter and sports editor for another 10 more years?
A. Are you asking mo if I'm willing to work...? I'll spend my last 14 years in this company as a sportswriter kung papayagan ako ng management. Kasi, siyempre kapag last fewyears mo na before you retire, siyempre, dadalhin ka sa higher position. Pero given a chance, I'll still stay in sports writing.

Q. Do you consider your job as highly competitive?
A. Ah oo! Especially now, maraming diyaryo. Ilan dyaryo ang nakikita mo? Di naman lahat ng tao bumbili ng dyaryo araw-araw. Para nga kaming doughnut ngayon. Siyempre kung pipili ka, iyon pinakamasarap na doughnut. So, paano ka bebenta kung hindi mo pagagandahin iyon dyaryo. Kailangan mo talagang pagandahin iyong dyaryo to become competitive.

Q. Were there times na may nanira sa dyaryo niyo?
A. Of course. You destroy the enemy. It's part of the game. Any business... kasama iyong intriga. Even a small sarisari store, pag galit sa iyo...(iyon katapat na kalaban), sisiraan ka. Sarisari store lang iyon. What more, ang lalalking kumpanya nito! Things like that, you will expect that.

Q. Paano po kung may nagsulat po tungkol sa inyo na hindi naman totoo?
A. Well, of course, sasagutin mo. You have to write din...pero sa akin naman wala pang nangyari.

Q. Have you ever been sued?
A. Sa sports kasi, palibhasa puro...90% of our coverage are factual kaya di pa naman kami nala-libel. Sa ibang beat marami niyan (libel cases) pero sa sports, I'm proud to say na di pa kami nala-libel because we write nothing but true. Paano mo...let say...we wrote something about Tnduay beating Mobiline. Paano ka naman mala-libel noon?! (Factual!) Iyan ang sinasabi kong we are prepare to write something about the achievements, the victories and defeats rather than controversial and scams. Kasi ang gusto ko, early in the morning ang mababasa ng readers ko ay something positive. Para mapasarap iyon kinakain (nila sa almusal).

Q. Is that what you like most about your job?
A. Oo, especially in sports (jourmalism). Iyon mga entertainment, yun mga showbiz marami pang ano iyan... 50% hindi totoo diyan. Di ba yun sa mga artista?

Q. What is the most stressful part of your job?
A. Iyon problema?! Kamukha ngayon we have an early deadline. Ang deadline ko is 4:30 (pm) for the provincial edition. Mahirap, facing an early deadline. You have to beat the deadline or otherwise the deadline will beat you.

Q. Describe your work as n sports editor?
A. As a sports editor, I evaluate the stories kung ano dapat ang top story. I do the lay-outing. Ako ang ang nagli-lay-out then ibibigay ko sa mga magta-type. I do, iyon pag-aasayn ng mga assignments for the coverages. Ako din ang gumagawa noon.

Q. As an editor, are you strict when it comes to deadlines?
A. Ako din naman ang maapektuhan (kung di ako magiging strict) kaya nagiging strict ako diyan.

Q. Were there times when some of your reporters don't meet the deadline?
A. Bihira naman iyan kasi alam ko naman iyon (schedule) sa sports. Let's say ang first game ng PBA is 5:50, alam mo na matatapos ng... unless they go for an overtime, alam mo na kaagad na by 7:30 matatapos na iyon. So they write the story for 30 minutes. By 8, dapat na-computer na iyon. So wala tagang problema sa akin ang deadline.

Q. Are there sanction for not meeting the deadline? Penalties?
A. Ah wala naman. I just talk to them. I tell them na I'm very strict when it comes to deadline. Mga professional naman sila tsaka lalo na sa sports may schedule naman diyan. Pag sinabihan mo na minsan sila, di na naman umuulit.

Q. Do you consider your coverage in the Marlboro Tour and in the Asean games as the most significant assignments up to this time?
A. Oo, Yun dalawa na iyon because I covered the Marlboro Tour for ten straight years and covering the Hiroshima Asean games in 1987. Sa dami na rin ng na-cover ko di ko na rin matandaan ano talaga ang nagustuhan ko. Since 1974, nagta-travel na ako. Maski na dito na sa mga local tournament (marami na akong na-cover). Pero ngayon ina-aasign ko na lang. Hindi ko na kaya medyo ma-ano (umi-edad) na ang katawan natin.

Q. How was Philippine Journalism during the Martial Law?
A. Ah, it was very "tame". Tame talaga kasi tatlo lang ang newspaper during (that time), Times Journal, Bulletin Today and Daily Express. Ewan ko kung naabutan mo iyong Daily Express. Iyon lang naman tatlo ang pinapayagan noon. Kung ano lang ang sinabi ng Malacanang, (iyon lang ang masusulat). Walang opinionated. Sa sports section lang medyo maluwag kasi wala naman masyadong controversies. (Sports section was not affected too much). Iyon lang mga national news ang apektado.

Q. You've been in journalism from 1976 up to the present, can you please evaluate (the evolution) of Philippine Journalism? A. It has improved by "leaps and bounds". Unang-una, with the the computer age, tingnan mo mas magaganda na ang mga design nila, mga lay-out ibang iba. Noong araw hawakan mo ang diyayo mangingitim iyan (ang mga kamay mo). Tsaka when it comes to style nag-i-improve din tayo, in terms of style in writing. Most of the papers ngayon nagpi-picturize na sila. Hindi na straight news na (sinasagot lang ang) 5 W's--- who, what, where, when, which. Yun 5 basic W's. Iyon ang style noong araw. HalimbawA. Sino ang pumatay? Bakit pinatay? Saan pinatay? Anong pangalan ng pinatay? Ngayon iba na. Picturized, hindi na straight news. Teka ikukuha kita ng examples. We talk about sports ha, bibigyan kita ng example: "Mobiline goes for the final 8". Yun eight kasi iyon ang tawag sa quarter. Noong araw ang gagawin diyan "Tanduay meets Mobile and San Miguel plays Sta. Lucia at the star of the Governor Cup quarter final round". Iyan ang magiging first paragraph. Ngayon iba na. We are only talking about sports, although in other beats ganoon na rin, picturized na. Picturized na ang style ngayon. Maski na sa abroad, bihirang bihira na ang straight news. Sa picture writing mas lenient, parang pang magazine ang style. Ang kainaman ngayon sa sports writing, maski na you have little time to write your story, especially sa PBA because of time constraint, magagawa mo pa rin mag-picturized. Kasi sa sport writing bakya na iyong ganoon style (referring to the straight news).

Q. As an editor, how do relate with your staff?
A. In my case, I treat them as my student. Pinapagalitan ko sila. Tinuturuan ko sila. I act as a.... I played the role of a father. Kapag nagkakamali sila, sinasbihan ko sila kung ano ang dapat gawin na dapat (o nararapat)" Ganoon lang naman iyon. I would say na we are one big happy family.

Q. How's their work ethics and accuracy?
A. Iyon acccuracy, number one iyan sa akin. Kapag hindi ka accurate, sasabihin mong tatlo ang talo, eh apat na pala, sa akin mag-rereflect iyon. (Bad impression).

Q. ...How about their work ethics?
A. OK lang! So far so good. Wala naman problema. Kasi early worker naman ako. Maaga ako pumapasok. Nahihiya din naman sila.

Q. How about the grammar aspects?
A. Hindi mo maiiwasan iyan (to commit grammatical errors). Maski na sino nagkakaroon din ng lapses (sa grammar). Sa amin maraming nakakalusot (na error), pero dapat di masyadong halata.

Q. What message can you give to those who aspire to be in journalism?
A. Magbasa muna sila nang magbasa. Read articles, read the pages of the great sportswriters, para magkaroon ng idea on how to write sports news. Maski na local lang. Kung sinong nakikita nilang magagaling na local sports writers, basahin nila (iyon column) and that will help a lot. Reading the stories of well-known sports wirters--- makakatulong ng malaki sa kanila. Kasi ano lang naman iyan... kapag nakuha mo iyong style ng magaling, eh di... OK! Sa constant reading, made-develop mo iyon style.

Q. What sports do you cover most of the time?
A. Dito sa Philippines, 70% ng mga coverages natin dito is basketball and basketball is the easiest sports to learn. As a sportswriter, kailangan marunong kang magsulat about basketball kasi "in" ka na kapag mahusay kang magsulat (about basketball). (Ang rule sa sports writing), you have to learn the rules of certain events para maisulat mo. Paano mo maisusulat ang basketball kung hindi mo alam laruin iyan. Hindi mo alam travelling violation pala! In sports, kailangan alam mo iyong mga rules to come up with a good story.

Q. How do you want to be known as a journalist?
A. Hindi naman sa pagmamayabang. As a sports editor of the People's Journal, ang legacy kong maiiwan, I would say legacy, is iyong ginagaya ng ibang tabloids. Inamin naman nila na ginagaya nila ang style ko sa pagle-lay-out, sa "pag-uulo", iyon headline- making. At least three sports editors of tabloids, sinabi nila sa akin na "Sir, pasensiya na kayo ginagaya namin ang style ninyo sa pagle-lay-out." I think according to my two journalists, iyon daw ang legacy ko sa tabloid journalism, ang pagle-lay-out at pag-uulo. Minsan kasi medyo bastos na maginoo ako eh! Ganoon naman talaga dapat ang tabloid. As long as lay-outing and headline-making is concerned, (masasabi ko) naiangat ko ito to a certain level. You can ask my two assisstants and that is my legacy.