JUSAY. We are here today, to interview Mr. Aldrin Cardona, the sportsman himself.
CARDONA. Good afternoon.

Q. For our first question: Sir, at what point in your life did you feel that writing would be your cup of tea?
A. That’s a tough question. I really didn’t want to become a writer. My first choice was to become a priest. It didn’t happen because when I was in grade one, I already had a crush. So, it took me years before I really decided on what to take up. When I was in high school, I really wanted to become an engineer. It was not until 1986, I think, during the EDSA revolt, that I really had this fascination on reporting. But, I was not sure yet if that would be on print or whatever medium, until I made up my mind to become a war correspondent, but we don’t have such correspondent here. So, when I was in college, I took up journalism without any specific decision upon what to do after. But when I was in third year, I was introduced to sports. That’s it. I used to be a college activist. Actually, I really wanted to become a political writer, but maybe that was not my fate.

Q. So, reporting was your first love?
A. I don’t know. Yeah, maybe, maybe. In sports writing kasi, we have this kind of certain attitude. We belong to a very small circle. Like let’s say, you’re writing for a, you start with a police medium. Along the way you become a political writer, but it’s a very big environment for them. While us, we maintain a very close circle, and within that circle, there are different groups that make up the whole circle. Some of us specialize on golf, some of us specialize on other events. But there are some, like us, who are considered well-rounded in sports and that makes us a little bit lucky because we could write the other news, and become part of the other news, and still be part of the whole circle.

Q. So, it was really sports writing that interested you in the past?
A. Later on.

Q. So, after college what were your initial plans?
A. I started working while I was in college. I joined a tabloid, it’s the defunct Headline for two months. And then I moved to the Philippine Sports Daily. It’s a daily, but it’s all related to sports. It’s actually a sister paper of the Manila Standard. It was doing well for six, eight months, I think. So when the Manila Standard reached number 3 after Bulletin and the Inquirer, the management decided to put it on for a while, well, that’s indefinitely they said, until we were absorbed by the major paper.

Q. So, that was really your first main job?
A. Yeah, yeah.

Q. So, can you narrate to us what exactly you did for that paper?
A. Oh, I was the sweeper, because I was the newest member of the family. I was basically the ‘Atchoy.’ So, I covered the smallest events. I covered so many events, chess, college basketball, which is not the UAAP, not even the NCAA. I covered almost everything. I used to gather scores, just scores, and not minding the story, until I got the chance to cover the bigger events. I covered NCAA for one season, the UAAP for one season, then after that the PBL, then after that the PBA. All of them for one season until I became one of the main core.

Q. So, before writing in sports, did you have the opportunity to write for other topics like in politics other events?
A. I used to write for another paper. It’s a different thing, but I started off from there and after that, I became features editor of our school paper. But my life actually evolved around newspaper since 1989, so that makes me 10 ½ years as a sports writer, yeah.

Q. Sir, what led you to focus your interest mainly in sports?
A. Oh, I have so many interests. This is just a job. It’s just a job.

Q. So, can you say that you’re really a sports fanatic?
A. No. I wasn’t into sports when I was young. My first introduction to sports was when I was tapped to become a volleyball player, when I was in 1st year in high school, but I really didn’t do well. I despised it because I was not even put in one game. Yeah, I was just a practice player. I only played basketball when I was in third year high school, and I was the butt of jokes then. In college, I really didn’t have the chance to play anything in sports. Now, I play golf, I don’t play chess, but I do know how. I used to play basketball with the other sports writers. When age catches up you, you really start thinking so that I really can’t get the chance to play anymore.

Q. So, can you describe the newspaper before when you started - the location, the office, the facilities you’ve had back then?
A. It is quite interesting that when I joined the Manila Standard, I began to see the development especially in the equipment that we used. Before, well, I managed to come in at the advent of the computers. But I started out using the big Olympia typewriters even at the office. We have the worst computers then. From there, we just create a story, then we re-type it again, at the computer room, but its actually the Mackintosh computer they’re using. From there, they print it, they strip to pages, paste it on the main page then they do the camera. Then from there, they transfer the film to the plate and they make the paper from those previous products. Now, that’s no longer the practice. After you type it in the computer, use the Pagemaker, put it on the plate, and then they print it. Now, it’s really easier to make a paper unlike five, ten years ago. It’s the same process. It’s just a development which makes things easier for us. I don’t know ten years from now, maybe we no longer need a newspaper. Yeah, you just log on the computer and there your paper is.

Q. So, you can say that the time spent at the offices before were longer?
A. Yeah, I remember in 1991, when we hosted the South East Asian games. My job kasi noon was just to opt everything - all the results from the first events up to the last events. If the games will start at 7 a.m., I have a two hour break to wait. So, I start gathering results from 9 then we finish it, let’s say only at 11 p. m. I work from 9 to 11, and then from there, I fax most of the results from 11 p. m. If I was assigned at this event, I travel to Port Area, report to the office, get the job, everything, I get the job done until 2 o’clock. And then at 6 o’clock, we will have a meeting until 2. And then pagdating nang 3 we have other extra-curricular activities pa, like we would drink, or you know, boys’ thing. We would have mga two, three hours sleep lang and then go back to same process again. That’s for two weeks. That was the longest working hours we have to spend.

Q. In terms of the ventilation, the physical facilities you have around, did it improve?
A. Yeah. This is a nice, cramped office. There’s no comparison if you stay. When I worked for the Standard, it was bigger. We have two floors of office space so there’s no comparison. Kasi sometimes if you work, let’s say for The Journal, they have three papers and all of them are cramped together. They have a bigger space, but there are so many employees there, so parang you cannot even move. It’s upon us to be at home doon sa surrounding mo. Eh this is a natural surrounding for us, so okay lang ‘yon. And if you’re a writer, you don’t really work, because you just joke around eh. Here, you just joke around eh. You entertain visitors. ‘Yung mga darating na mga P. R., ayun minsan nagpapa-cute sila. That’s their job para magamit ninyo din naman, you just play along. So, everyday you get to meet a lot of people. Sometimes you get invited to events, sometimes related to sports, sometimes you get a ticket to Miss Saigon and that. So, parang you don’t really work. So, pagdating mo dito, you relax. Like ngayon, I had a meeting with somebody that’s why I’m late. So parang pagdating mo dito, it relaxes you. You won’t even feel that you only have a single space to work on, and you only have this little table to work on It’s really not much of a problem for us.

Q. Sir, during the early years, how were the people around you - the publishers, editors?
A. Oh, I don’t get noticed, until now. Before of course, when your starting, I didn’t even have my chair or a table. I just stand there in the corner, and let them finish their job. Before, I just phone-in my story. When you say phone-in, you call them up, and they type whatever you say. For three years, all my stories were rewritten by the editors.

Q. You don’t get credit?
A. Ah, my former boss was Mr. Tony Sidayao. He was considered as the Dean of Philippine sports writing. So, if you get a tag line or a by line, you must be proud because you were able to have one. Let’s say if 100 stories, I only get 1 tag line. Well, that’s how hard working for Mr. Sidayao is, really hard.

Q. What do you consider the peak hours?
A. Maybe now, right now.

Q. This time of the afternoon. So how long?
A. Sa sports, maybe 3 p. m. up to the last basket of the PBA.

Q. How about the salaries and the deadlines during the early years?
A. The early years? There was a time when I wasn’t even paid for two pay days, because when I started as a correspondent, as a correspondent, you get paid by the story that you give. They have this measurement of paying you around P30-40 pesos, and then you spend the same amount for a taxi. I started just for the fun of it lang. I didn’t have a job and my girlfriend then, who is now my wife, wanted me to work so ‘pag nag-date kami, I spend my own money. I didn’t want to work sa Jollibee, but sabi ko it would be hard if I get paid by the hour, so why don’t I write. When I applied, I was taken in, and it was my first start. I don’t know, maybe luck was with me. I became a regular writer three years after I joined the Standard.

Q. That was in?
A. 1992. Yeah, it pays well. Kasi depende eh. If you work for the Inquirer, they can afford to pay you that much. Here, okay naman kami dito. Honestly, okay naman kami. But there are other papers that will not really pay their writers and editors well. So, that’s where corruption comes in. Because if you don’t get paid well, you tend to move on your own.

Q. Did you experience that ever?
A. Yeah, I did, I did. There was a time, it was my second week as a writer, that we got invited to a press conference. I was so naïve. Hindi ko alam na they gave us something, it was an envelope. It had a P150 bill. It was P150. Ako naman, I thought it was a press release or something. The problem was, I really didn’t even know who the guy was. I really didn’t even know what tournament that was. As far as I recall, it was bowling. Well, I spent it. Yeah, but that’s part of the experience eh. I didn’t ask for it naman. I didn’t even have to haggle for it, or even command it. It was just given to me, and I didn’t even know what it was for. So, parang ano na lang, okay, fine, take it. It’s a small amount naman, so no big deal. No big deal.

Q. How about holidays, do you have to sacrifice your time?
A. Yeah. We have to even sacrifice our family time. Even if it’s signal # 6 you have to come, and you have to be physically present here. But sometimes naman, you can’t help if there’s baha or lindol, patay na yung kamag-anak mo and ‘di ba? Pero kasi you’re a writer, ‘yung heart mo is there eh. Sometimes divided ka, between your job and your family. It happened to me. The only real vacation I had was when my wife gave birth to my daughter, that was 7 days. That was the only vacation I had ever, after 10 and a half years.

Q. Now what about deadlines?
A. Okay naman. Nami-meet naman namin. Sometimes most papers have 2 editions. One is for the provincial edition which comes out around 8 a. m. in most places, or 7, 6. ‘Yung mga malalapit, 5. Sa provinces mga 10 a. m. yan. Most of the planes deliver it, and then right after that, mostly it would cover hanggang 1st game ng PBA lang. I’m talking about sports. I don’t know about others. Then after that, we don’t go home eh. You have to wait for the late events, late, late. Like with me, sometimes ‘pag may Olympics, SEA Games, us we can’t afford to print a second edition right now. I have experienced with the Standard, we wait until 11 so we print other events.

Q. Can you talk about the 1st beat? What was that beat?
A. Ah yeah, okay. It was not with the Standard. It was with the Headline. I applied November 29, 1989. It was an afternoon paper, so I was there at 12 midnight to talk to the editor. And I wait, and wait, until 3. I didn’t go home. Okay naman, tinanggap niya ko sabi niya, "Okay, you cover the scoop session." It’s a group of sports writers. They call the weekly, the Forum, at Kamayan West. So, sabi ko, "What will I do?" So,November 30, that was November 29 then 30 ‘di ba? They even joined the rally. That was Bonifacio Day. So, after that sideline na lang, we went to Malabon, I slept there then 5 o’clock, went home sa Cavite, changed clothes, and then I went straight to Quezon City ulit. I didn’t have time to rest. So, pagdating ko sa Quezon City, doon sa tambayan sa Kamayan sa may Delta, I told the guard "Ba’t sarado ‘yung Kamayan?" Sabi niya "Postponed ‘yung Forum." I got my camera kasi ‘yung guest doon si Jaworski, si Allan Caidic. Eh sabi ko, "Wow, mga idol ko ‘yan." So, sabi ko "Bakit naman ganoon ang nangyari?" And he was listening to this AM radio, sabing ganoon that there was this tora-tora, and it was going to drop a bomb sa channel 4. And then I heard, I looked up, there was that tora-tora and it dropped a bomb doon sa channel 4. Sabi ko, "What are we going to do now?" Wala na yung sundo ko. Wala ng jeep, walang anything. Kahit taxi walang dumadaan, tapos nag-gigiyera. So sabi ko, "Shit!" (ay sorry). "What am I going to do," sabi kong ganyan. Since I have my camera, I took shots of what was going on. It was a coup. That was the 1st coup d’etat by Gringo and company. So, I walked, I reached EDSA, and then I saw, this Pajero. It was gunned down by a plane small plane, and the passenger pala of that Pajero was the son of Speaker Mitra. He was not yet Colonel. He was no longer there, but there was this guy na may dalang push cart. They took everything, the car stereo, the wheel - I took shots and then hinabol namin, brought him to the police station. Sabi ko, "Exciting!" Then I was really planning to give that film para ma-print kasi I called up the office and I said, "I’m the new guy, and I took shots" sabi kong ganoon. Okay sabi, "Dalhin mo dito after." But unluckily, there siguro was this, snatcher siya or what, hinatak niya ‘yung camera, and it got rammed by a truck. Sabi ko "Shit!" Again, malas lang talaga. So, from EDSA, I walked to Welcome Rotonda, there I got the chance makasakay. My prints were damaged. I didn’t have the story. I waited almost, I was awake mga 48 hours. Sabi, "Okay, ganito ‘yung application." They told my boss, and I told him everything. "Just cover the next Forum." So then, after only one week that I really got to start that job. It was unforgettable, that’s why I still remember that dates.

Q. So, can you say that, that was really the highlight of your career?
A. Well, highlight of my start. I had so many highlights. I could say like, when I got promoted in 1990. That was the start of a new career for me. It was parang rites of passage, na nalagpasan ko lahat eh. Then, when I covered my very first South East Asian Games na talagang ako lang. Kasi before, it was for the results lang eh. I was not the major writer, parang alalay lang kami. That was in 1997. But I got banned by Cristy Jalasco, she was still the President of the Philippine Olympic Committee. There were 2 of us, Jun Lomitao and ako, for what she perceived as our critical writing against her rule as POC President. The following year, I thought I was not going to make it again. I covered the Asian games in Bangkok, in 1998. I got banned again and then ako lang ‘yon. So, parang sabi ko, "I think I’m not lucky," although I was able to manage to cover both through lakas ng loob lang and kapal ng mukha. Sabi ko, "Parang ito na ‘yung pinaka-ultimate ko." But in 1999, that was another turning point in my career, when I left the Standard. It was a hard decision, pero I was offered the editorship of The Philippine Post. So, I moved there, but I had to sacrifice my trip to Brunei. So, I sent a reporter there na lang para lang sa Philippines. Sabi ko nalang, "I was not sure if the paper would last." It folded up last month. So, sabi ko, "Okay, I won’t have my luck here, maybe I’ll settle for being a writer again." Sabi ko noon, "I won’t be able to cover the Olympics." But God was with me and luck was with me. When we joined this paper, I talked to Ma’am Ninez (Olivares). She made a commitment that she was going to send me, and for a sportswriter, you’re peak would be the Olympics, because not most of us would cover it. There are around 60, 70 sportswriters in Manila, and maybe only 10 were able to cover what the Olympics. Well, I did. So sabi ko, "This is it." That was the my peak, I should say.

Q. So, how did it feel to be finally there?
A. I almost cried. Parang you’re entering priesthood, and then you’re finally a priest. Parang ganoon ‘yan. Kami ganoon din. When I was about to enter the main venue for the opening ceremony, tumatayo yung balahibo ko, tapos had I blinked, I know mayroong luha doon. That’s true. That’s true. Had I blinked, sabi ko "Ang tagal noon eh." Nahihiya ako eh. Ang mga kasama ko noon, they were only 8, actually 6 ang invited from the Philippines. I was lucky enough na I was the youngest. I am the youngest editor kasi na ma-invite. Sabi ko, "Okay ‘to kasi may funding." And the office naman took care of everything. So, ‘yun nga papasok ako when the Philippine contingent marched. Ako kasi ‘yung heart ko as an activist parang malambot pa rin pag nakikita ko, like yung East Timor. When the East Timor’s athletes, four of them marched, I almost cried. When the Unified Korea marched, I almost cried. Parang ano ‘yan, so many things, na parang na fulfill eh, on my part. Parang fulfilled na fulfilled ako. Then sabi ko, "One last fulfillment is to see one Filipino to win the gold medal." Since there were 20, talagang binantayan ko all the Filipino athletes na nag-compete. So, each athlete pupuntahan ko ‘yan, ico-cover ko ‘yan kahit ang layo niyan. Like we have to cover boxing, from here, we have to go to Batangas for rowing. Kino-cover naman yun. ‘Di ako na-fulfill sa bandang ‘yun, so maybe I could dream of covering my 2nd Olympics siguro.

Q. Can you describe your job here at the Tribune?
A. Fun!

Q. Does it still challenge you?
A. Honestly, hindi na. Ano na siya eh, parang, I managed to cover kasi almost everything at a very young age. ‘Yun ‘yung drawback. Parang I don’t have to dream anymore. I don’t have to go that far to achieve. While yung mga kaibigan ko, are dreaming of covering the SEA Games. Ako, ‘di na kami nag-uusap ‘pag ganoon. Ang iniisip ko nalang, someday I would write a book, ganoon na lang. Kasi right now, there is not one book written about a great Filipino athlete. Jaworski retired without having his biography written. Si Flash Elorde died without seeing his life written in a book. Same with Elma Muros, same with Lydia de Vega. Paeng Nepomuceno is getting old and two years from now, five years at the most, he’s going to retire without having his life written, immortalized in a book. Even in the Marlboro Tour, wala siyang written form except the newspaper accounts, pero ang daming human drama doon eh. That is what is lacking in Philippine sports writing. I don’t know if I can do that, I’m not here to change the world, but if I can help, who knows, why not?

Q. Going to the people that you’ve worked with, who can you recall some of the memorable people who’ve helped you, editors did you admire?
A. ‘Yung age group ko kasi, we were among those na pagkapasok namin, we were really maligned, parang nage-exam. Majority passed, kasi ganoon ‘yung character nila. That’s why I said, there’s a circle, there are several groups within that circle. Like ‘yung inabutan namin, sila Rocky Nazareno. They’re really suplado, they won’t talk to you. I remember my first PBA coverage, I don’t know who Dante Gonzalgo was. He was playing for Ginebra. He took a lay-up and it went in. I didn’t know his name, I didn’t see his number. Sabi ko, "Sino ‘yun?" Tinanong ko yung nandito sa kanan ko, ‘di talaga siya sumagot. Tumingin ako sa kaliwa ko, "Sino ‘yun?" Tiningnan niya ako from head to foot, he didn’t even bother to answer. Sabi ko na lang, "Okay, fine." I learned from there. Pero there are other events pa na almost made me quit. Like when I had my first out of town coverage, which was the National Collegiate Basketball Championship, won by FEU over La Salle. Sila Limpot ‘yon. They made me sleep near the CR’s door. Isang suite kami, they occupied all the beds. I was on a small thin mattress, and they made me sleep there and then pagpapasok sila sa CR, lalabas pa. Sabi ko, "Okay." But when I saw my earlier stories being rewritten, sabi ko parang, "I don’t know ba how to write, am I that bad?" sabi kong ganyan. Wala na yata akong chance. So, there came a friend, siya si Edwin Gabutina. Siya ‘yung sports editor ngayon ng Today. He was the youngest staffer, regular staffer. Sabi ko, the first time nagmeet kami, sabi ko, "Sir." Sabi niya, "Don’t call me sir." So, we developed this friendship. So, sabi ko, "Pare, I want to quit, wala na akong chance." He pulled me over and said "You know how to write." Ganoon pala ‘yun, you learn by the mistakes you make. You gain experience along the way. Ganoon, na parang it’s not just like me, sometimes it’s the substance of what you write. When I was on my 3rd year, okay, that was it. Aside from Edwin, I developed friendship with my editor. My editors assist and teach. If you want to learn, basahin mo ‘yung ni-write nila. Ganoon kahirap. Unlike other papers edit lang ‘yan. Kasi depende kung gaano kasipag ‘yung editor. Sometimes, edit lang ng edit, without really putting the future of the writer in front of his priorities. Dapat you just don’t do your stories eh. You also think of what happens to your subordinates after you retire, or 5 years from now. Siguro kasi, if ngayon, let’s say I have two staffers. If 3 years from now, a new paper will come in and get them as editors, who will be proud? Sila lang ba? Of course me. So ‘yun, I realized then na naging strict siya, but I’m still thankful to him eh. Because I learned so many things, without him telling me what to do, what to learn. Two great influences: one was so friendly, the other was so snobbish. But I still love them. I’m really thankful.

Q. So, it depends who the editor is, some may be strict, some may be lenient?
A. Yeah, oo, some will not even talk to you.

Q. But do they correct your work?
A. Yeah, a lot! Sometimes correct na nga, may bago pa.

Q. But as a sports editor yourself now, you try to help the new ones?
A. Yeah as much as possible. Trina Ibarle, I think you know her. She writes for La Salle’s paper. She’s young - 2nd, 3rd year. Sometimes I see myself sa kanya, ganito rin ako nag-start. She writes well for a newcomer, like for chess. You just give others a chance. Kasi if you’re not going to develop new breeds of writers, wala ng future ang Philippine sports writing. You just have to focus on development of younger batch. Tinanggal na namin on our batch ‘yung suplado, ‘di naman kami ganoon. Unlike noong inabutan namin. We treat new ones well.

Q. What were the down moments in your career?
A. That was it, what I’ve mentioned earlier. ‘Yun nga, you don’t get your salary on pay days. That was before.

Q. Can you say that your a strict sports editor when it comes to deadlines?
A. Yeah, we should be strict. Pero after all this, parang I’m just one of them. Office hours, I’m one of them, before office hours, I’m one of them. But when we get to work, it’s a different matter. Don’t mess with me, parang ganoon.

Q. Do you have any memorable colleagues that you had worked with, you really can’t forget because they taught you a lot in the past?
A. All of them.

Q. What significant events did you cover during the EDSA Revolution?
A. I was in school. 3rd year high school ako noon, but I was there kasi my family was involved in politics. My father is an activist, my aunts were activists too. Kami we were really not for Marcos. I don’t know if they were reds. I was once a red, that was my younger foolish days. ‘Yun nga, it opened my eyes to the world na, its what I’m going to do. Tingin ko, it started my thirst for knowledge. But also for my thirst to give others the chance to know what’s happening. Kaya lang ako ngayon nasa sports na, wala na sa politics.

Q. So, it’s your big break, pero you’ve had a chance before to cover politics?
A. No. My specialty ngayon is sports politics, if you could see my earlier stories and column ko.

Q. How did it differ? So, what is sports politics?
A. It’s just the personality. Ganoon din kagulo ang sports, like just recently, there was this squabble between the PBA board and the commissioner. Sa sports, I got banned because of write-ups regarding the POC. The POC’s going to hold this election tomorrow. Medyo clean ngayon ang politics nila. Ang PSC, I’m very critical, because of graft and corruption. It’s the same thing, different breed nga lang ang politicians dito sa politicians we see sa Senate.

Q. Are there any members of your family that’s into writing and editing?
A. I’m a distant relative of Lualhati Bautista. I don’t know if she knows me. Maybe bata pa kasi ako eh. ‘Yung husband niya wala na, she’s now Lualhati Bautista. She’s among my idols. I really wanted to write like her before, kaya nga I think fate would lead you to the right direction.

Q. So, what advice can you give to the future writers of today?
A. Just try, learn, gain experience - that’s about it. Parang you don’t excel kaagad, you learn. Along the way ‘yung mistakes mo, ii-input mo lang - this is not the right thing, this is the right thing. I made mistakes here, so I won’t have to do it again, lots and lots and lots of perseverance, kailangan malakas loob mo. Kami ‘yung batch namin, ‘di ganoon ka exciting ang ginalawan naming world. Like before, the Malaya pre-EDSA Malaya, they were really doing the paper underground, even the sports, nagtatago sila sa isang building just to have a paper. We were not able to experience that, sometimes I have dreams of being part of it. Iba-iba ang ibibigay sa’yo ng time, iba-ibang experiences din makukuha mo along the way. So, basta tandaan lang kung ano ang mali and don’t do it again.

Q. Sir, you’re relatively young, so how do you see yourself in the future? Will you still continue writing years from now?
A. I really wanted to become a haciendero, haha! If I could become a relative of Lucio Tan, why not? Haha! Hindi siguro kasi, na-infuse ko na ‘yan sa blood ko. But this is not my life. Well, sa totoo lang ang dami ko pang ‘di nagagawa, like have a record. Hindi, marami pa eh, maybe magsusulat pa rin ako, pero di na sports, on other aspects. Sabi ko nga maybe book writing, I already did it, but its not me to, I hope for somebody to.

Q. Sir, do you still get writers block?
A. Yeah, on column. Sa regular reports, hindi eh. Facts kasi ‘yan lagay ka lang ng lagay, kunin mo lang dito, para kang nagluluto ng something. Sa column kasi, you don’t write everything that you know, and then you put in something not supposedly there. If you’re just writing a regular news column, and then kahit gaano ka ka-hard mag-think sometimes mayroong, there are people you don’t want to get hurt so you have to weigh, in balance. Pero ang mahirap kasi diyan, if you’re going to read between the lines, you should know what you’re throwing out. So, if you’re not gonna change, I’m gonna give you a harder time next time.

Q. Did you experience being a cub reporter?
A. Yeah, that was it, ‘yung start ko.

Q. What can you say about the present political situation?
A. It’s crazy! Ba’t tayo napunta sa politics? We’re not politically mature enough to have a matured government. Marami tayong hindi pinapayagan na tanggapin natin, like the communists are there, but they don’t have a chance to work in government. The military is there, but they despise everything na military. We still vote for actors, and actors dream of becoming politicians. It’s really a crazy world, ‘pag pinag-usapan natin ‘yung present political situation of the Philippines. We don’t tend to learn. We should have learned from 1940. Then 1950-60, nagakaroon na ng problem sa peasants and workers. Hindi pa rin, ‘yung sinasabing peninsulares, insulares, that’s true, before. Ngayon na kasi iba na ‘yung rich families na humahawak ng businesses. Ang gusto nila controlled. Well, it happens, like in the States, ganoon din naman eh. But if you choose the right leader, and he stands for what he believes in, iba na ‘yung usapan dun. Maybe we would have a better government. Like we had a chance in 1986 - with Cory, she didn’t do well. Ramos did good pero he wanted to do better, he wanted to extend his term, ‘di naman puwede ‘yun. So, Erap was given his chance and is doing badly. So, it’s a very fickle situation. We don’t know what will happen. We don’t trust Gloria that much. Problem is, who are we going to put there? Maybe you, the other batch or me, kayo na ang mago-open ng better future for the Philippines, not them, not us.

Q. Sir, what can you say about those sports athletes that are now in the political arena like Jaworski, Freddie Webb?
A. Freddie Webb did a little better than what Jaworski’s doing now. I can’t blame Jaworski because it’s his first term now. Most of what he’s doing is related just sa grandstanding. Maybe he needs it because, first of all, he loves showmanship. When he was still an athlete, I remember him tripping, then he did push-ups, just to prove that his legs are younger than 50 years old. But as a senator, he’s lucky enough to have very good advisers, regarding sports. Mayroong siyang adviser na magaling, matalino siya, pero hindi siya good implementor. And some of his ideas are wild. Jaworski’s problem is how he would weigh all the advises that he’s getting. Athlete naman siya, pero ang mind niya kasi is closed sa basketball, sa isang very small area. Like when we got no medal sa Sydney, he was asking all those sports officials to resign. It’s awkward, you don’t solve things by destroying it, so siya parang ganoon pa rin ang mind set niya. I hope he learns along the way na rin eh, para pare-pareho nalang tayong mag-improve and not breaking things up.

Q. For the last question, do you believe that the newspaper is still a powerful medium?
A. Yes.

Q. Compared to radio and television?
A. Ah no. The most powerful medium is the radio. ‘Yung radio could reach even the farthest point of the Philippines. Hanggang Tawi-Tawi, hanggang doon sa northest part may radio. Sa radio, most people could listen. Isang radio lang sa isang family, 10 people. Sa newspaper, iba. Here sa Philippines, marami pa ring illiterate, ‘di nakakaintindi ng English. Sa radio, if you’ll put, let’s say, Noli de Castro, Jay Sonza, lagay mo na rin si Rod Navarro. Maraming nakikinig ng program ni Noli. So, ‘yung mga ideas niya naa-absorb let’s say, sa 100 people bigay mo na sa kanya yung 50. Si Jay 30, si Rod would be 20, but still na-absorb ng 100 people. Unlike sa newspaper, if I read the Inquirer and then I understand what were written, so, I absorbed it. But what if I had a driver, he read the Inquirer, ‘di naman niya na-absorb. So, he bought Bulgar, Abante. Iba ‘yung istorya doon. So at least ‘yung 3 broadcasters, they talk about the same topic, iba-iba ‘yung ideas, na-absorb pa rin. In my case, ako lang naka-absorb, ‘yung driver ko iba, kasi na-twist. And ‘yun nga, ‘yung area of coverage nila malaki. You don’t need to buy 15 pesos of paper para lang makabasa ka. ‘Yung TV naman is becoming a very powerful medium dahil most of us could afford na makabili ng TV nowadays. Pero nage-evolve ‘yung TV to something better ngayon. Mayroong mga satellite dish, cable, iba naman can afford pa rin bumili ng cable and satellite. But we’re getting there. It started in 1991, nagkaroon nung sa Iraq, Gulf War, nagsimula na ‘yung CNN dito, Reuters dito, so, gumaganda yung media. Ang newspaper, personally, I think it’s going to die, because of another advent of technology which is the computer. Now, you can download the newspaper from the computer but still, they are spending to print the paper. Let’s say if we print 100,000, distribute 70,000 what’s going to happen to the 30,000? You just download nga, you buy, ido-download mo na lang, you don’t need paper. And then someday were going to lose all the trees we have now, what are we gonna do, where will we get the paper? I don’t know, I’m talking from an environmentalist point of view. So, there’s no future here. The future here is for us go to the computer. The Inquirer is doing it now, they’re having this partnership with GMA, and they are including on their E-address. And I heard from somebody there, for 5 years now they are gonna have this downloadable newspapers from e-mail. They just have to pay 17 cents. 17 cents against 15 pesos. There will be no competition, kanila na ‘yon.

Q. So, that’s your opinion Sir. Well, thank you very much Sir! Indeed, it was a very memorable day and it was nice getting to know you and meeting you finally. Before we go, we would like to thank you. My partner here Ruth and I would like to give you, as a token of our appreciation, a box of pastries for you and your staff to enjoy.