GUANZON. I'm Marcelle Guanzon and I'm here to interview the editor of the lifestyle section of the Philippine Star for an oral history project for Introduction to Print Journalism at De La Salle University. She is Millet Martinez Mananquil. Good evening ma'am.
MANANQUIL. Hi!

Q. So I'm here basically to collect your personal comments in journalism. Let's talk about you first. So how did it all begin -- your journalistic experiences?
A. Originally, I was enrolled in Foreign Service in UP. And it so happened that in the freshman year we have, what you call, the adviser and my adviser happened to be my English teacher as well. And then she asked me what course I was in. I said I was taking up Foreign Service. And then she said "You should shift to Journalism"... AB English. Well actually I was really fond of writing, since grade school and high school. I had been writing poems, I would read a lot, I would win competitions in writing in school and I was the high school editor of our paper. The reason I took up Foreign Service was just to please my father who wanted me to take up law but I said, "How about a compromise?" so I'll just take Foreign Service.

Q. So your first writing experience was in... since grade school?
A. Grade school... high school.

Q. And then you wrote for...What college ma'am?
A. U.P.

Q. U. P. Diliman?
A. (nods) A.B. Journalism at the UP Institute of Mass Communication.

Q. And High School was in?
A. High school....U.S.T., grade school at St. Theresa's College. My mother transferred me to U.S.T. because my older sister had graduated from high school at STC and was to transfer to UST for Med Tech and then my mother said it would be more convenient if my sister and I were in the same school. But I didn't really relish the way of teaching at U.S.T. because they didn't even allow us to read Noli and Fili in high school. I realized how inadequate my high school education was when I couldn't even answer questions on the Noli and Fili in the UP entrance exams. Then in freshman college, I enjoyed reading and discussing Noli and Fili in our Rizal subject.

Q. After graduation, ma'am, you instantly decided to enter the newspaper business?
A. Yes. In fourth year, all journalism students were required to have an apprenticeship for one semester with a media outfit. I chose to work at the Sunday Times Magazine of the original Manila Times and after my apprenticeship I was hired right away. So while I was in fourth year, I was already working -- and earning . They would give me a salary.

Q. That's great! So, let's just talk about your early job. Could you please describe the circumstances which led you to your employment with a newspaper?
A. As I said, I was an apprentice first then they hired me. I was then editorial assistant. They would give me assignments, interviews, features... mostly on personalities. The so-called lifestyle beat like fashion shows, food, trends... that stuff.

Q. After Manila Times, what were the newspapers you got into?
A. I was at The Manila Times for two years. When I was there I thought my future was already made because, you know, they were the number one newspaper. Until Marcos declared Martial Law in 1972, so all the newspapers were closed. A new set of papers controlled by the government opened. I had no choice but to join the Daily Express because my former boss went there and we decided to move in as well.

Q. You started during the years... What year did you graduate, ma'am?
A. '70. Class '70. You weren't born yet (laughs).

Q. Okay! Yeah I pity myself. (laughs) So, how was Manila Times then in terms of physical location, like where was it located?
A. Ah it was in downtown Manila.

Q. Manila? What are the advantages of it being in Manila?
A. Well I like it because at that time we were all busy attending rallies because as I said I was still a student then. It was the height of student activism, the so-called First Quarter Storm. So from U.P. it was convenient for us to go to Plaza Miranda and attend rallies, then I would go to office to work. But my boss... they didn't know.

Q. How about the physical facilities? How was the building or the offices?
A. Ah it was an antique building! Very old.

Q. And the printing equipment were really okay?
A. It was the old-fashioned type -- the letterpress where you could still touch the letters -- all antique compared to the very high-tech system we have now.

Q. So how were the people? Who was your publisher back then?
A. The publisher then was Chino Roces, a very highly respected media person.

Q. And your editor was?
A. Ah Rodolfo Tupas, who later became our ambassador to Tripoli, Libya.

Q. And your other colleagues -- how were they?
A. That time... At that time when I was starting? Well the... I couldn't... My peers then were... I don't know if you know them, like Abe Florendo... Well Ricky Lo and I met there first. Actually Ricky Lo and I met at the U.P. campus because he was already working with Manila Times. He was with the Variety magazine. They were looking for campus "beauties" to feature so that's how we met. They featured me on the cover of their special issue on Campus Journalism.

Q. Wow really?!
A. (nods and smiles)

Q. The salaries were high?
A. Manila Times was the highest-paying newspaper then. It was okay.

Q. And did you have any... What was your favorite or first major assignment?
A. When you apply as a reporter, the first thing they'll send you to is the police beat. Well that's for a newspaper but since I was working for a magazine the editor asked me to go to Malabon around 3 A.M. to catch the hauling of fish brought in from the sea. I guess they sort of break you in. Your baptism.

Q. You worked alone?
A. Well with the photographer.

Q. Did you learn anything from it --- Was it significant to you?
A. Well yeah. It was more of a test of physical endurance because... and you know with all the stink. And then you had to mingle with all the tindera. And the environment there. You had to wear boots 'cause it was more than just a wet market.

Q. So your editor. How was he in terms of accuracy and ethics? Did he scold you if you had any wrong information?
A. Oh yes. But since we were in a magazine, we weren't really involved in news-gathering. It was more of features, interviews, and behind-the-news stuff.

Q. What was your writing style?
A. Well at first I was very idealistic eh. I wanted to write about activism. I was at that stage. And then I realized -- the real world was different from student life. So I had to take other assignments which I didn't necessarily like. I had to do some. That was my initiation into the lifestyle beat.

Q. So were they strict when it came to deadlines?
A. Oh yeah. Since we were a weekly magazine, deadlines weren't that rigid.

Q. And how did they talk to you? Were you really close with them?
A. Oh yes. We were like a family.

Q. So how did you get in Philippine Star?
A. From Manila Times we went to the Daily Express magazine. At first it was called Expressweek Magazine . Later it was reinvented to be Weekend Magazine. I was there from 1973 to 1986. And then after the 1986 revolution, Philippine Star was set up by Max Soliven, Betty Go Belmonte, Art Borjal... and so I was recruited to be the Lifestyle editor.

Q. Already?
A. (nods) I've held this position from '86 up to the present.

Q. That's pretty long. So what were your best memories as a young reporter?
A. A lot. What I actually enjoyed were my young years of travel.

Q. Traveling?
A. It was a very educational thing.

Q. So, like, what countries did you visit?
A. All the countries I would probably want to see. So now as editor, I, in turn, I make sure all my staffers travel and I distribute all the trips equally. An ordinary staffer of mine would have at least 3 to 4 trips a year.

Q. Just to cover news and information?
A. Yeah. For me travel is not just a junket. It's educational. You open a writer's eyes to a bigger world, you're enriching his perspectives.

Q. So among all the countries that you went to, saan po 'yung pinaka- memorable?
A. Well I really appreciated Europe. Especially since we Filipinos have the tendency to look up to the States. European culture is so rich and so interesting.

Q. So okay that was Europe. And what other significant events that you covered, I mean, lifestyle-wise?
A. Wow! I can't remember anymore! Too many.

Q. (laughs) Sige. Eto na lang po. During the Martial Law, did you stop writing?
A. Ah no. During the Martial Law years, there was the time when I would sort of quitting 'coz Journalism wasn't all that fulfilling. It was a very restricted environment. In fact, I took up a real-estate course at that time cause I said I'd probably just shift to a more money-making thing. So I took up the real-estate board exam and I passed. Since then, I've been a licensed broker. And that has been a very useful, profitable thing for me all these years. It has actually become my bread and butter.

Q. How about the coup d' etat attempts? Did you cover anything?
A. Ah no! That was usually assigned to the news reporters.

Q. So during... How about the EDSA revolution, did you do features on people?
A. At that time, I was still with Express which, of course as you know was Marcos owned. Star was opened in July. In the lifestyle section, we have a different theme per day. Every Monday it's Art and Culture, Tuesday it's Shoppers' Guide, Wednesday is Leisure... food, Thursday it's Beauty and Fashion, Friday is YoungStar, Saturday is Modern Living, Sunday it's Sunday Life.

Q. So you basically don't have a break. It's like the whole... (makes arm-circling gestures)
A. Yeah. Maybe you have a greater recall for YoungStar.

Q. (in unison) Because that's what we want to read.
A. Because that's what you want to read. Good!

Q. Yeah.
A. Okay.

Q. How are you as an editor? Were you like any other editor before or do you have your own style? I mean, are you pretty okay with your staffers right now?
A. Well, some staffers may think I'm sort of a slave-driver but in a positive way, like, you know, sometimes I joke Bawal jumingle, you know. Bawal magkasakit...You have to work well to be able to reach the deadline.

Q. Did you ever regret your job? Did you ever regret shifting to Journalism?
A. In college? No I love it here.

Q. So okay for the last question, what's the greatest thing about Journalism or being an editor for that matter?
A. I find it very fulfilling to be able to not only impart knowledge but to make young minds think, to stir the consciousness of the young. We're talking about YoungStar, ha? To encourage debate and thinking. That would be nice...And to instill values among the youth. That would be great -- to do be able to do that. And to give young people a newspaper of their own where they can express their ideas.