Gandoza. I'm with Mrs. Crispina Martinez Belen right now, she's the Entertainment Editor of Manila Bulletin. So, ma'am how long have you been working with the Bulletin?
Belen. 30 long years.

Q. That's quite long!
A. Baka hindi ka pa pinanganak noon.

Q. You started writing since you're in high school?
A. No, when I was in College.

Q. You were part of your school organ?
A. No because I was a working student so I have no time for that, but during my spare time I contributed to various newspapers, magazines, pati 'yung komiks noon nagsulat ako, in the vernacular in Tagalog, in Liwayway, and then the Ilocano Magazine, kasi Ilocano ako, that's where I started.

Q. So, you've been working for 30 years in the Bulletin, so how do you find working here?
A. Good! I wouldn't want to work anywhere else, I love it here. For the rest I wouldn't have to stay for 30 years. I think the working condition is very good, very conducive to my lifestyle.

Q. Are the facilities the "best of the best"?
A. I think we have the best facilities here and also the most beautiful building, I think.

Q. Yeah, okay. Is Manila Bulletin originally located here, in this area?
A. No, do you know where the Department of Labor is? That's the Shurdot Bldg. we were just printing on 2 floors before the ground floor and the second floor. The ground floor was where the machines were. That time 1960, I joined the Bulletin. 1968, very crude pa 'yong mga machines namin, mga luma.

Q. Are you still using those machines?
A. No, not anymore.

Q. Even for emergency?
A. Wala na updated na 'yong mga machines.

Q. How about the equipment?
A. Right now? They are the most modern. Did you see the building beside this building, iyong mataas na maganda? That's where our new machines are, state of the art.

Q. Can you tell me the name of the publisher of the Manila Bulletin?
A. Before it was Gen. Hans Menzi, but it was taken over by Don Emilio Yap, who used to be the second biggest stockholder of the Bulletin during Gen. Menzi's time.

Q. Do you meet directly or do you often see each other? How was your relationship with him?
A. The publisher?

Q. Yes, the publisher.
A. He comes here during Wednesday, during his birthdays. He doesn't usually mingle with us. He deals with the editors.

Q. How about your relationship with Mr. Ben Rodriguez, your editor in chief?
A. Very good, he's a very good Boss. No complaint whatsoever.

Q. Is he really strict in terms of your grammar.
A. Yeah, that thing you have to do it yourself now. He doesn't really do and check your write ups. He doesn't have time for that, ang dami namin, eh. Kanya kanyang censorship, kanya-kanyang self regulation.

Q. How about your colleagues? How would you describe them like your co-editors?
A. We don't really deal much with each other, because we have our own jobs except for ... we usually held weekly meetings. But now each is on its own because we have more jobs to do now. Otherwise we are on a friendly relationship all of us. Just like one, big family. 'Yon lang.

Q. Ma'am let's now talk about your early years in journalism. First, if I may ask you, how much is your starting salary.
A. 1968? We were only receiving P250 yes, P250. Maliit lang noon but we also have transportation allowance pero maliit lang minimal.

Q. During that time, was it enough?
A. Yes. It was enough already. Because at that time, ang value ng peso natin mataas not like now. Enough na rin.

Q. Right now you're still receiving sufficient?
A. Yeah, just enough.

Q. Ma'am, in terms of deadlines, do you usually beat deadlines?
A. Not so much with my section because we prepare it two days in advance. Unlike before we have to beat a deadline like five o'clock or the most is eight o'clock. Like now, the deadline is 8:00 PM but we are not affected because the section is normally prepared in advance. Kasi kung magsabay sila sa front page, our machine cannot do any work. So some sections are prepared in advance.

Q. In your section, you are two days in advance. So ma'am how many hours do you work a day?
A. Here? Normally I work six hours. But most of the bulk of our work are done outside because we need to interview people, attend press conferences. So dito, ano lang itatype na lang namin, ilelay-out, saka konting editing na lang. To sum it all, pagsama-samahin mo, mahaba na rin.

Q. So how many days in a week do you work?
A. Six (6).

Q. Sunday exception?
A. I used to work on Sundays, too, but ngayon advance na kami , so I work, I do my job, my Monday and Tuesday issued on a Saturday. So, I don't have to work . I don't have to come here on Sundays, kasi wala nang pahinga.

Q. What for you is the most important assignment that you have ever done? Any memories?
A. I think it was an interview with Sammy Davies before Charleston Heston.

Q. Why do you consider your memories of them important?
A. Siyempre Hollywood actors and only a few of our entertainment writers were invited to interview them especially Charleston Heston. He was very popular then as the star of several classic films like Benhur. I think it was for that movie that he came over to promote. I don't know if you have heard about it, it's so a classic film.

Q. You've been working here for 30 long years and you've had several editors-in-chief.
A. We only had two, Mr. Rodriguez and Mr. Pat Gonzales.

Q. Between the two, who do you consider closer to your heart?
A. Actually both of them are close to me but mostly Mr. Rodriguez because he was the one who hired me, the one who believed in me. But when Mr. Gonzales became the editor-in-chief. I also liked him because he was very strict and he made you draw the line. Talagang he was so strict with grammar. Then he came up with a book, 'yung parang style book ng Bulletin, you have to stick to that.

Q. You need to follow that?
A. Oo, saka if... he praise us when we do good.

Q. It's like an ego-booster?
A. Oo, pagkatapos pag may mali ka naman, he is to call your attention, I liked that because it was a way of improving yourself otherwise eh... Si Mr. Rodriguez is very lenient. Opposite 'yan sila. He makes you do all write-ups. You have to be clear in the message otherwise pagagalitan ka.

Q. What are your memories as a journalist of the Martial Law?
A. Martial Law ng?

Q. Under, of course Marcos.
A. We didn't know that may Martial Law na pala. So, I said to my husband, wala na naman tayong diyaryo. Nagsumbong na 'ko to the management that late na naman Kasi 'yung newsboy namin late na naman nagdeliver, because all the employees were given... newspapers in their own home. There was a time na na-late siya, nagalit kami. Tapos, this time talagang late siyang nagdeliver. Sabi ko bakit wala na naman, talagang galit na ako. Papaano ko na ba, isusumbong ko na sa management. We did not listen to the radio, to the T.V. Kasi wala na. So we came to the Bulletin, nakapadlock 'yung Bulletin. Sabi ko bakit, and then may mga guwardiya na, mga sundalo . Martial Law na pala. That was the first time I find out that there's Martial Law. Pagkatapos umuwi na kami. Two months yata kaming naano eh, two months nagsara ang diyaryo And after that only 3 were allowed to open up. Bulletin, Daily Express I don't know the other one. That time I was busy raising my children hindi ko masyadong naano ang Martial Law, eh. Saka wala kaming pinapanigan. We were not affected so I don't have special memory of Martial Law.

Q. How about the EDSA Revolution, during Cory's time?
A. The same, I wasn't involve in any way, eh. Although nag-aaway kami ng neighbor ko, my friend, she was a Corista,, eh. Magdamag sila doon sa Edsa, then she would come to the house and tell me Manang , you should also come nandoon sila Apo Hiking, andoon sila, ang dami ng mga artista roon. Sabi ko kayo nalang kasi ano, eh, I'd rather take care of my children.

Q. Did you ever regret entering journalism?
A. No, never, When I was young I knew that I wanted to be a writer, so sabi ko I want to be a journalist. Pag tinatanong nila sa akin ano ang gusto mong maging, gusto kong maging journalist. Di ko alam, I didn't even know the real meaning of that word. But I just wanted to be one and I just wanted to write, but when I was in high school I was very shy pag nagsusulat ako tinatago ko, ayaw ko nang may nakakakita. Although when I was in high school, I was the editor ng Tagalog organ namin. Tapos as assistant editor ng English Organ namin. So that gave me training, somehow. So noong matapos ako ng high school, my parents were poor naman they could not afford to send me to college. So sabi ko, maself-supporting nalang ako. So I came to Manila, naghanap ako ng trabaho then sa gabi nag-aral na ako. So the mean time nagtatrabaho ako habang full-time job yon, sa banko ako eh. Pero maliit din ang suweldo. So halos hindi magkasya. I was also sending my brothers to school. So high school, college ang ginagawa ko nagsusulat ako, I wrote for comics.

Q. You were paid for that?
A. Yah, sa comics P25.00 ang story, short story. The Bulleten was paying me P15.00 lang per article. So I was also writing for Banawag and Liwayway. They paid me per story P 25.00 or P 30.00. So I was earning actually more than my salary. Sabi nila wala raw pera sa writer, sabi ko kung hardworking naman kung ano ka meron din, eh, masipag ka.

Q. What can you tell us, or what can you advise us - students of ComArts and or Journalism? What are we supposed to do?
A. Kailangan lang mag-train, you have to train yourself and you have you read. You read because it's reading that makes you perfect in your chosen field. You really have to be hardworking. And don't be discouraged. When I started sending out my articles gustong-gusto ko maka-publish sa Free Press. Padala ako nang padala, balik naman nang balik. Ayaw ko na, gusto ko nang mag-give-up. Tapos yong first kong lumabas doon sa Free Press ay yung one short essay lang pero ang daming nakabasa kaya tuwang-tuwa ako. Binayaran ako ako, P 15.00 din. Nilaminate ko nga eh, hindi ko na matandaan kung saan ko inilagay. Keep on writing.

Q. What the title of the article?
A. "My Prayers for Christmas." I pray for peace.

Q. So that's the article that you really consider the best that you've done?
A. Not really the best naman but something that really satisfied my ano……. That gave me fulfillment. Dahil nga it was my dream to be published at the Free Press. Kasi ang Free Press ang pinakasikat na newspaper noon, eh. Ang hirap pumasok doon…… Don't be discouraged.

Q. So all we need to do is to be well-read persons and we should strive harder. Thank you very much Mrs. Crispina.
A. Yes, good luck ha!!