GOLEZ. Sir, what is your full name?
DE GUZMAN. My name is Cornelio Reyes de Guzman.

Q. And your date and place of birth?
A. I was born on February 2, 1936. Ang tanda na…

Q. Here in Manila?
A. In Bulacan.

Q. Sir, are you married?
A. Yes, very much married.

Q. By any chance, do you have a son or a daughter who are also journalists?
A. One, the eldest, Ronniel de Guzman who covers the NAIA.

Q. He also writes for the Manila…?
A. Yes, for the Manila Bulletin.

Q. Sir, how did you get into journalism? When did it start?
A. I started as a Tagalog writer way back in 1956-57…when I was 18-19 (years old) first year college. Then there was a vacancy because a group of reporters were pirated by Radyo Relo, yung by the hour at that time, from this broadcasting company. So there were vacancies. Nadinig namin, mga young students, students lang-student writers. So we decided to apply, a group of us, there were three of us, four actually. Maybe there were four or five. Yung isa judge na rin dito sa Manila…sa Manila…district judge yung isa. And then yon while I was a student I was working already, writing professionally. Ganun.

Q. Sir, can you still remember the very first article that you wrote?
A. Actually I started as a short story writer. Then, my first short story won top prize in 1957. And then my second short story won a top prize again in UST in an annual short story writing contest. Even before, I'm not bragging (laughs), even before I took up short story writing kasi third year yon eh…I was first year.

Q. Where did you take it up?
A. No, I did not. It was inborn!

Q. It was there…
A. I told a story and they liked it so I won a prize. I did not even know how to write a short story.

Q. How did you become a short story writer?
A. Seguro nature yan eh. Inherent in you-meron kang talent for story telling. Wala namang form iyan, wala namang rules iyan eh. You just tell a story that's all…it comes from the heart…write passionately. Ayun, it will come out. And then yung mga criticism I was surprised na it was a new type of short story according to Cerilio Panginiban. Because it was plotless but there is conflict also. Parang atmosphere short story.

Q. Among the short stories you've written what is yung pinaka-favorite mo?
A. Seguro yung my first short story. It's about my father -his struggle against the forces of nature. Because my father was a farmer-merong flood, you know…and then the second seguro yung collection ko ng essays, 25 social, political, and cultural commentaries. It won Republic Award in 1967 during the Balagtas Memorial Award Competition covering the past 50 years. It's sponsored by the Republic of the Philippines.

Q. Sir, mga ilang newspapers na have you worked with before you got into Manila Bulletin?
A. With the Bagong Buhay then owned by the former Senator Manuel Manahan- the late Manuel Manahan the senator. That was established right after the war where Lacson wrote. Kasi Liberty News, Bagong Buhay-ganun yon eh…chain of newspaper. One of the writers was Lacson-you know the former mayor of Manila was also a journalist. And when the Bagong Buhay was sold to the Manila Times in 1957 kasama kami sa contract that we'll be hired. Anyway wala naman silang staff so we joined the Manila Times Publishing Company- Times, Mirror, Taliba. They revived that kasi the Taliba was used by the Japanese noong giera. Before the war, Taliba was the major Tagalog paper and during those times maraming nagbabasa ng Tagalog at Spanish paper like El Debate. English? Hindi pa masyado. Mga tao noon-mga lolo natin either spoke Spanish or Tagalog kaya very influential ang Tagalog paper noon. Eh yon hanggang liberation, Tagalog pa rin. Pero ngayon narerevive. Kumonti na yung sumusulat ngayon sa Tagalog at nagbabasa ng Tagalog. English na tayo eh. Marunong na mag-Ingles ang mga Pilipino eh.

Q. But what do you think is better? Tagalog or English…?
A. Na better in what sense?

Q. The language you're gonna use for the newspapers.
A. Better? Well, you cannot say better kasi kanya-kanyang panahon yon eh. Panahon ngayon ng English kaya kahit na ano gawin mo ngayon siempre yung mga lolo, lola, namatay na yon eh- mga non-English speaking Filipinos, although educated in Spanish or little knowledge of English. So ang mga bata ngayon, I don't know seguro Ingles na rin ang binabasa nila ngayon. They're more inclined to read English newspapers. Meron diyan mga Taglish- mga tabloid, di ba may halong Tagalog-English…something like that.

Q. Sir, when did you exactly get into Manila Bulletin?
A. When Martial Law was declared, the Times publication was closed down. So I lost my job, si Ben Rodriguez, yung editor-in-chief was my friend. We were covering the senate during the time of Marcos so when I lost my job I called him up sabi ko "pare wala akong trabaho. " "Come over cos I'll give you a job." Yon, I came for the job. I became provincial editor, known at that time, as community news. And then I also edited the views, comments, and features, op-ed section at the same time for many years. And then six years ago nag-reshuffle kami naging editor ako ng air, land, sea transportation and tourism. Mas gusto ko yung assignment ko ngayon. I travel a lot because I'm always invited to travel and write about it and only recently I joined the Super Leo cruise in South China Sea. Meron pa nga akong series eh. Lalabas bukas yung second to the last part.

Q. Sir, what were your most exciting assignments as a journalist?
A. When I was covering the senate. Iba yung mga senador noon kaysa ngayon. Noon kahit sino tapikin mo sa balikat presidentiable. Talagang magagaling sila…they're very good. And they are tri-lingual. They spoke in English, in Spanish, and in Tagalog. Nagdedebate sila in Spanish during those times. Si Recto, sila Premicias, sila Roy, Spanish-speaking sila. Even Rogelio de la Rosa, the actor, was debating also in Spanish. Marunong siya mag-Kastila.

Q. Can you describe the newspapers before? In terms of the physical facilities, the people you work with, mga colleagues mo, your editors?
A. The people I work with…noon very professional ang mga writers atsaka hindi yung kakapakapa lang. They took their jobs seriously. They wrote with passion and then meron silang details na very accurate, hindi yung basta bira ng bira. Ngayon eh parang partisan journalism na eh. Pag nagalit sa 'yo from the time of the campaign hanggang sa maging mahalal ka tinitira ka parin. Parang hindi na objective. Noong panahon namin hindi. We gave both sides of the issue and then we are very careful of our facts. Ngayon may nadinig lang susulatin na eh. Palagi nadedeny. Very careless…atsaka noon halimbawa neophyte ka ano, you will be working with mga professionals, yung mga matatanda, so you learn from them. Halimbawa, I worked with Teddy Benigno, sila Salac , yung mga famous name at that time- Ben Rodriguez. So I was the youngest in the group. Syempre I learned from them. If we had interviews together, the next day babasahin mo ang kanilang articles, makikita mo how they wrote their interpretation of events. Iba-iba yan. Doon ako natuto- mga interpretative reporting, how careful they were in processing facts. Yung tsismis, sasabihin tsismis hindi sasabihing fact. Eh maski tsismis sasabihin nang facts. Ngayon hindi ganun eh. Atsaka mga writers ngayon walang nagtuturo sa kanila sa beat eh. Pare-pareho silang baguhan because of the Martial Law. Noong martial Law, puro old writers, walang makapasok na young writers kasi there were only few newspapers.

Q. So you mean to say the journalists now need to undergo more training…?
A. Oo atsaka they don't write with passion, may puso. Factual lang, basta bigay na lang sa'yo ang kopya parang computer. You know what I mean? Iinterviewhin ka, question and answer, yung mga ganun. Yung talagang tamad, yung give you a question and then you answer. Lalagay nya 'yon-exacto.

Q. Sir, what about the physical facilities of the offices before?
A. Ah syempre ngayon meron ng mga computer eh. Obsolete na yon yung mga copy paper, copy reading. Hindi na puwede yon dahil computer na ang gamit. Now you submit your stories through the computer. Just give the slug to the editor who edits, rewrite if needed, etc.

Q. How about deadlines. Are you strict? Since you're the editor, when it comes to deadlines-?
A. Deadline? Eh ngayon ang deadline ko ganito…tulad nito ina-apura namin eh by 6 o'clock I have to submit my page for printing. Kasi colored yan eh, pag hindi ko sinubmit ng ma-aga hindi magiging colored kung colored yung pahina ko kaya kailangan habulin ko yon kasi matagal ang proseso ng color eh. Ngayon kung black and white pwede mga bandang alas otso pwede na yon.

Q. What about like before yung mga editors mo? Like were they really strict in deadlines to the point na they would shout at you or mumurahin ka?
A. Ah hindi, hindi. Kasi paano nya akong mumurahin eh kalevel ko lang siya? Ibig sabihin…hindi naman sa pinagyayabang ko, kung wala naman siyang binabago sa aking article maski period, maski comma, ganun din noong panahon nila Ben Rodriguez dito. They don't copyread noon. Lahat sila, biro mo sila Ben Rodriguez, sila Begonia brothers, Francisco Tatad, sila Tony Zumel yung nag-underground. Lahat sila mga magagaling na writer yan hindi binabasa yan. Hindi binabasa ng editor yan kasi perfect. Yon ang pagkakaiba ng writer ngayon. Ang writer ngayon bibigay ang balita at bahala na ang editor minsan pangalan wala pang first name, walang designation, wala…no nothing. Bahala na yung editor. Noong panahon namin hindi puwede yon. Kailangan paulit-ulit mong binabasa yan. Perfect yan pag-binigay mo na sa kanya di ka masisigawan. Walang makikitang mali! (laughs)

Q. Sir, you have writers who contribute to the section di ba?
A. Oo...

Q. Are you really strict with them when it comes to deadlines?
A. I have my own deadlines. Inside lang yan eh. Eh syempre kung minsan ina-advance ko yan so hindi masyado ang pressure ng inside pages. Di masyado yan kasi advance eh. Eto ngayon di ko lang inadvance kasi isang pahina na man lang eh. I want to publish the latest.

Q. So far, what do you think are the best things you've experienced as a journalist?
A. Syempre yung applause. "Magaling ang pagkakasulat mo, uy nabasa ko ang article mo ang ganda." Even now, ganoon lang ang katuwaan ng writer. Si Ninoy Aquino noon madalas kong sinusulat. "Pare, puwede na akong mamatay. After reading your article!" Ganun mambola yon (laughs). At puwede na akong mamatay. Matutuwa na yung writer kasi ang yung writer parang artist yan, parang singer. Pag ang singer di pinalakpakan, eh depressed yon. Writer din ganun. Pero ngayon they don't care! Mga writers ngayon maski di mo palakpakan basta makita lang nila pangalan nila maski pagago-gago yung nasulat…they don't care. Ako hindi eh, sabi ko nga sa mga young writers, pangalan niyo ang nakalagay diyan eh, pagsumulat kayo, pangalan mo yan eh, kailangan mahalin mo pangalan mo. Ikaw ang sumulat, linagay mo ang pangalan mo dyan, eh yon, kailangan you always aspire for excellence. Always in all areas of your life even in love. (laughs) Di ba? Hindi yung mediocre. Mediocre boyfriend, mediocre writing…the best…always the best.

Q. What about the people you have covered? Most memorable people?
A. Ninoy Aquino, Marcos…I covered Marcos. I covered the power struggle in the senate when Marcos toppled Amang Rodriguez. Amang Rodriguez was the senate president for eleven years and then Marcos came, a young senator, and there was a senate revamp. My first assignment in the senate was the day the late senator Roseller Lim filibustered. Nagfilibuster siya ng 24 hours. Walang tigil ang pagsasalita niya kasi they wanted to frustrate the move of Marcos to topple Amang Rodriguez. Umalis si senator Almendras papunta ng States, nagpaopera ng goiter. So eleven-twelve na ngayon ang ratio. Twelve liberals, eleven nationalists So puwede nang itumba ni Marcos si Amang. Si Almendras barkada ni Marcos noon nung binata pa sila. Umalis si Almendras to give way to Marcos. Almendras belonged to the Nationalist party. Marcos was a liberal. Eh twelve-twelve pa sila doon so nagababagsakan silang ganun-very dramatic yun! Bumagsak si Amang Rodriguez and then Marcos was elected senate president. That was the start of his rise to power. Kumandidato siya...naging presidente. And then sila Serging Osmena...Ninoy Aquino was very close to me. I used to take my breakfast almost daily in his house with Cory around. Kasi kumpare ko siya. He was a good source of news kaya maaga pa nandoon na ako. Dalawang edition kami noon - - - sa afternoon atsaka morning. He was a good source...maski it did not pertain to him personally alam niya ang nangyayari- what's going around. Magaling ang intelligence network niya eh. Ano pa ba? Yon...when I was covering the foreign office before I was assigned to the senate...kinover ko sila Emperor Akihito of Japan and Princess Mitsiko sa honeymoon tour nila dito noong 1957. May train pa noon papuntang Baguio. And then the king of Spain, si Don Juan and si Sophia. Honeymoon din nila dito-nakamayan ko pa yon eh. Bagong kasal sila, they stayed in the Manila Hotel.

Q. So sir you can say that nagawa mo na lahat ng gusto mo as a journalist? Parang you have that sense of fulfillment already? Or like you want to do something more?
A. Wala namang katapusan yon eh pero ang prayer ko lang ay yung hanggang malakas ako gusto kong magsulat eh kasi mabobored ako kung wala...alam mo ang isang problema ng mga ganitong kagaya kong may edad na rin no? Na although I feel young and strong and healthy, I've not been hospitalized in my whole life, seguro lagnat lang ang sakit ko. Minsan may asthma na nacocontrol naman. Pero yung how to maintain yourself on the top ang problema. Kasi you have to compete with young people kaya ang advise ko sa mga kabataan syempre nagfoforma kayo ng mindset na relevant to your time and then as you grow older yung mindset na yon maiiwan yon eh. Kailangan idestroy mo yung mindset na yon, di ba? Noong unang panahon ang mga article mahahaba, essay na mahahaba kasi noon ang tiempo ng buhay mabagal pati ang upuan dango-dango ngayon hindi. Puro mabibilis ngayon. Kailangan you have to adjust to the needs of the time. Kaya ako ang problema ko is how to compete with the young people kasi kung hindi ako creative hindi na ako innovative. Irrelevant na ako, you see? Irrelevant ka na...kasi may mindset ka na..,yung mindset mo parang kabayo. Di ka na lumilingon sa kaliwat't kanan, derecho lang ang alam mo. Kailangan di ka ganun. Di ka kabayo. Kailangan you are creative, very creative. But how to be creative? Merong meditation. Isa din yon sa mga ano doon creativity. Hindi ka malalaos kasi pala you always top the source of creativity which is the deepest level of the mind where the mind is not thinking. I always top that level in deep meditation. Bigla na lang papasok sa isip mo parang merong umilaw na ito ang dapat mong gawin. Kasi pag hindi ko ginawa yon tatanggalin na ako. I have to maintain myself at the top, at least yung sub-top eh sub-editor lang naman tayo. Pero yan ang competition. Maraming mga bata ngayon with fresh ideas. I have to be innovative rin. Perpetual innovation. Kasi wala namang permanent na bagay. Ang gusto mo na bagay noon hindi mo na gusto ngayon. Kaya kung minsan yung boyfriend mo ngayon ayaw mo na. Kasi nagbabago ang taste mo, pananaw mo sa buhay. You find your boyfriend boring kasi noon okay lang kasi pogi-pogi ganun pero kung makausap mo na he has nothing between his ears so ayaw mo na. You will go for an intellectual boyfriend di ba? Parang ganun nagbabago, walang permanent. Palagi kang nage-experiment. Yon ang dapat gawin ng mga bata. And then allow to be criticized. Parang sa pananamit akala mo maganda ka doon sa suot mo pero kung tanungin mo sa mama mo "pangit ka riyan" di ba? Hindi mo nakikita eh. Kailangan ipapakita mong sinusulat mo sa ibang tao. Eh di kung di ka naniniwala di huwag mong sundin di ba? "Mali yan, di ko maiintindihan", "magulo" ganun. Tingnan mo what's wrong with your writing. From the beginning pinapakita ko sa kaibigan ko ang sinusulat ko. "What do you think?" "Have you read my article?" Tinintingnan ko kung tama sinasabi niya. Alam mo naman yon kung tama o hindi eh baka nainggit lang eh di ba? (laughs)

Q. So sir you could say that you're really happy with-?
A. I'm always happy. Happiness is state of mind. What is happiness to you may not be happiness to me. Eh nervous system lang naman yon. Pag nervous system mo stressed you are unhappy di ba? Yung mga bata palagi na lang ngumingiti, bakit? Kasi yung nervous system nila di pa stressed. Palaging nakatawa, childlike innocence. Mga batang sanggol, mga maliliit na bata...meron bang nakitang pinanganak na galit? Hindi eh di ba? Wala...di ba tumatawa? Because our nature is to be happy. So sa meditation you are always happy kasi you go back to your nature. Ganun.