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Subject: Clyde MarianoDate of Interview: Nov. 22, 2005 Interviewers: Raymond Alba, Kayci Pineda
A: My first semester, I took up foreign service. Suddenly I shifted to journalism. I enjoy, I enjoyed… I enjoyed being a journalist because this is the profession I like most and I travel wide covering big international competitions for Manila Bulletin and Tempo. I went to the United States, Australia twice, Saudi Arabia for PBA and all the major cities in Asia. Ah, last two months ago I covered three ASEAN games softball tournament in Kuala Lumpur, where our girls sweeped the tournament and our boys unfortunately lost to Indonesia 5-3 and slated for second place. And after that I covered the South Asian Games in Vietnam two years ago. And then last August I covered the Vietnam International Tournament. And to cut the long story short, I become a sportswriter for 25 years. Q: So sir nabanggit niyo nga, newsboy kayo dati. A: Yes.
Q: Yun ba yung nag-influence sa inyo? A: Yes, precisely. You know, we are nine children of a poor family in Bicol. So I, right after I finished my elementary, I left my beloved town and then I became a stow-away in Mandaluyong. I studied high school five years, I took up five years high school st Jose Rizal University. My classmates include Ramon Salvador, Allona Alegre, Ross Raval and Don Rosauro Salvador, a movie actor. Q: Sa school po, mayroon po ba kayong experience ng journalism? A: No, no. I have no experience. No experience because you know at that time, the Lycean school organ had already staff of its own. So I’m a working student. You know, up to 1975, I deliver newspaper. So I never had the chance to become a staff member of the school organ. So I refined my writing when I joined Manila Bulletin. Kasi if you are a member of the staff or the school organ, you have the age, you have the experience and I believe but when I joined the PNA (Philippine News Agency) they corrected my grammar. It’s atrocious and fractured. So I refined my grammar through reading materials because it is a continuing process e. I read, read and read. Up to this time, I used to read newspapers, magazines and other English related materials. That’s the sacrifice of being a sports reporter. Question? Q: Mula po noong nagsimula kayo sa journalism, Manila Bulletin po ba agad? A: No, no. PNA, Philippine News Agency. It’s a government agency under the office of Department of Public Information. A that time, Kit Tatad, the former senator was the head, our boss. Q: Ah, noong mga panahon pong iyon, ano po yung mga facilities na present sa Manila Bulletin? A: Ah, that time you know, no fax machine, all typewriters, no Internet, we have no computers of our own, we used to use telephone and then we write stories on a piece of paper and the call our boss—this is our story, my story. Even at that time I cover the PBA, telephone lang. Wala pang mga ano nung araw. Kaya nga ngayon, journalists nowadays are very lucky. Pero noong dati, wala kami. Hirap na hirap kami. Q: Ano po iyon, maghahagilap lang kayo ng pay phones? A: Oo. “Clyde Mariano, you cover the PBA.” After the game so I have to write the story. I’ll prepare the news plan and then I look for a restaurant. I ask the owner, “Sir/Ma’am, I will pay the duration of the story.” Babayaran ko, hahanap agad ako ng telepono niyan. Kanya-kanya kaming takbuhan noon. Nag-uunahan kami sa telepono niyan. At that time, napakahirap. Ngayon it’s easy. Diyan lang sa La Salle ang dami-daming Internet doon e. Type ka na. Q: Sir, naaalala niyo po ba iyong ano, yung pinakaunang naasign sa inyo na article? A: Well, I have so many. Iyung narerecall ko, my first assignment, ito history ito. My first assignment as a sportswriter is football. BOFA—Boy’s Football Association. In that time the president of the Boys’ Football Association, no other than Leo Prieto, an alumni, a distinguished alumnus from La Salle, the first president of PBA, or first commissioner of PBA. And Leo Prieto and Bobong Velez, I covered them at La Loma, La Loma Hall, near La Loma Cemetery. That was my first sports coverage. Q: Sir yung ano po, kasi po dati sinabi niyo po yung sa typewriters kayo noong una. Paano iyong naging transition niyo from typewriters to computers? A: Well, ah, with the introduction of computers, we are required of course, to use because you know the management, because of the computer age, so the management then took out all the typewriters and replaced it with computers so we were forced to use, to learn how to use computers. Kaya nga napilitan akong gumamit eh kasi kapag hindi ko ginamit iyang computer, no less than my editor will not use my story if I use typewriter. Q: Yung mga typesetters po? A: Oo, ganyan talaga ang buhay. Talagang ganyan eh. We have to face reality hindi ba? Ganoon lang iyan eh. Q: Sir, sino po iyong mga naaalala ninyong mga boss nung mga first years? And colleagues? A: Well, my first boss was Joe Pavia. He was the chief of Philippine News Agency. He was a newsman. Larry Cruz, former ano, in the Bureau of National Information, and then Kit Tatad. But I worked with PNA for two years, then I joined Evening Post owned by Kerima Polotan. Her husband is Johnny Tuviera, the Executive Secretary of President Marcos at that time, oo. And then I joined Tempo in 1982 with General Menzi, and Pat Gonzales was the big boss. Then Ben Rodriguez, who just retired yesterday. Now Mr. Andrew Gonzales, our boss, your boss. Q: Sir, kamusta iyong working conditions noon? A: Well, here, I enjoyed... Q: Noong dati po? A: Noong araw noon, napakahirap... Q: Like yung working hours po? A: Ah, then you know, kami kasi ganito iyan eh. Reporters assigned in the field, wala kami noong tinatawag na Bundi clock, we have no regular time. Basta kailangan once you’re assigned to cover a particular event, you have to deliver it, you have to write no matter where you are. Kung nasaan ka man, you have to. Maski na kung ano man ang mangyari, you have to go to your coverage. You have to cover that event because you were assigned that. Maski umuulan yan. Iyong ginagawa ko noong araw, I have to brave the flood just to cover it. And then after that, “Sir, nahirapan ako kasi sa sobrang baha.” At least, kasi may kasabihan na “Obey first before you complain. You have to be a responsible journalist eh. Q: Sir sa deadlines, nagbago ba iyong deadlines ngayon tsaka yung dati? A: Ah, deadlines, kailangan sa deadlines talagang deadline writer ka. Kasi my deadline is at five o’clock, so you have to submit your story before 5:00. Q: Sir, may times po ba na hindi kayo nakakasubit ng story tapos napapagalitan kayo ng editor niyo? A: Oo, siyempre. Hindi naman mawawala iyon eh. One time narerecall ko I was in Puerto Princesa. I covered the Batang Pinoy, so because of the computer malfunction, LAN malfunction, so I cannot deliver my story on time so my editor got mad at me. There are several times minsan, when I cover the PBA<, ah because you know, the PBA, maraming seremonyas iyan, maraming ‘chechebureche’ yan. So sinabi ko eto, “The game finished at 7:00” so kailangan sulatin ko pa ito so my editor extended the deadline just to submit my story because my editor is waiting for my story kasi kailangan pang ihabol iyon eh. Kailangang ilabas iyon, hindi nga lang dumating sa provincial issue so city edition na. Ganoon iyan eh. Kasi there are tow editions—provincial and city edition. Q: Sir, how do you feel that you have to sacrifice iyong family life ninyo? Personal life? A: Well, my ultimate goal is to succeed in life, that’s why I left my hometown.. Because of hunger and poverty, sabi ko I will leave my parents whether they like it or not, I have to go. Kasi gusto ko talaga, I want to attend education eh. Q: May asawa po ba kayo? A: Oo, may asawa ako. Q: Ilan po ang anak ninyo? A: Well, I have three kids. All professionals. My daughter, the only thorn in the family, graduated recently last March sa Philippine Women’s University with a degree in Hotel and Restaurant management. Q: Sir iyong salary niyo po, kaya namang sustentuhan po sila? A: Ah oo, depende naman. Kasi ako marunong ako humawak ng pera. I know how to value my money. Q: Kung ikukumpara niyo po dati? A: Ah, mas maganda ngayon kaysa noon. Pero noong araw if you earn not so much, kasi the price of commodities is much cheaper unlike ngayon. Hindi ka na makakabili kasi mahirap magbudget eh. Q: Sir naging cub reporter po ba kayo? A: Cub reporter? Oo. Ano lang kasi eh, nag-uumpisa talaga sa ganyan. Kasi ang pinaka-ABC ng reporting, pag pumasok ka sa dyaryo, mag-uumpisa ka as a reporter. Kasi iyan ang pinaka-training ground. The most difficult in journalism today is sportswriting. Napakahirap niyan. Kasi iyong term ng basketball, you cannot use it in volleyball. Iyong term ng volleyball you cannot use it in golf. And so on. Q: Sir, anong experience niyo sa pagiging cub reporter? A: Well, I’m writing police stories. My area of coverage is Mandaluyong, San Juan, Pasig. Q: Sir, may times po ba na iyong pagiging cub reporten niyo, lumalabas na sa bounds ng occupation niyo? Kunwari, inuutusan po ba kayo na patimplahin kayo ng coffee ng editor niyo, or... A: Ah, hindi. Hindi ako nakaranas niyan. Meron kasi kami noong araw, when I joined PNA, mayroon kaming tinatawag na boy—copy boy. Iyong copyboy namin talagang directly responsible in giving coffee to the editors, sportswriters, to the editors, section editors. Ayun, iyon ang copy boy namin. Q: Sir tingin niyo po, ano pong mas magandang naging experience niyo, iyong pagiging police reporter o sportswriter? A: Well, if you ask me, I prefer as a sportswriter. Ang damio kong natutunan dito. Because imagine, I’m only a poor guy. I covered more than twenty international competitions abroad representing Manila Bulletin. I covered the World Softball Championship in Sydney, Australia; I covered the Arafora Games; I covered the Asian Athletic Championship in India, I covered six Southeast Asian Games; I covered the World Softball Championship in Beijing, Nanjing. I covered the Asian Baseball Championship in Korea. I covered the Asian Athletic Championship thrice—Malaysia, and India. I covered the Asian Baseball Cup in India. I covered the Dunhill Cup World Tournament in Guandong, China. I covered the Asian Basketball Championship in Malaysia. Those are some of my biggest covered competitions. Dati pag mababasa mo pangalan sa ano, ok na. Pero ngayon wala na. Wala na. Wala na, hindi ko na kailangan mabasa pangalan ko eh. Noong araw ang hilig ko diyan eh. Alam mo noong araw noong young ako, aggressive ako. I write five stories a day. Kasi noong araw e ganoon. E ngayon wala. Dumarating ang panahon na tumatanda na, iyon bang nagla-lie low ka na. Q: Iyong sa editor niyo po, ano po iyong attitude ng mga editors sa inyo A: Ano? Q: Regarding doon sa mga articles na isinusulat ninyo... A: Ano? Q: Ah, kunwari po nalelate kayo or... A: Siyempre pagsasabihan ako, pagagalitan ako, pagagalitan ako. Oo, kasi nga ang nangyayari sa amin niyan ganyan. Kaya iyong the introduction of computer, napakalaking tulong. Halimbawa, I used to... I used to write my story diyan sa may La Salle, iyong sa Alva, diyan sa St. Benilde, gaganoon kayo hindi ba? Kung minsan doon ako sa may St. Scho, row of computer doon kaya malaking tulong iyan. Namiminimize namin iyong time namin, iyong wasted time, iyong precious time travelling from your area of coverage going to Manila Bulletin. Kaya maganda iyon, maganda iyon. Q: Sino po iyong pinakamemorable niyong colleagues? And editors? A: Well, ah, unang-una niyan kasi, lima lang kaming pumasok sa journalism galing ng Lyceum. Si Joseph Lariosa ako, si Marlene Ronquillo ng Inquirer, Danny Taguibao ng Philippine News Agency and Lulu Principe of Manila Bulletin. Lima lang kaming nakapasok. Some of our colleagues joined the advertising industry. Q: Ano po iyong mga best memories niyo as a journalist? A: What kind of memories? Q: Memories like pag nagcocover kayo, ano iyong mga pinaka-naaalala ninyo? A: Well, naalala ko when I wa in Saudi, Saudi Arabia. I coveres the Sta. Lucia, Sta. Lucia Friendly Games with the local games in Saudi. Many times people out there in Saudi mistook me as a Malaysian, sometimes a Pakistani. Q: Sir last na lang po, iyong message niyo po sa mga aspiring journalists? A: Ito lang masasabi ko sa kanila. If they want to
become a reporter, especially in sportswriting, my
advice is to read, and if they become a reporter,
especially in sportswriting, my advice is to read.
And if they come across a word that sounds strange,
always look at the dictionary. And please don’t use
highfaluting words in writing stories. Because the
role of the media is to disseminate information. Alam
mo naman mga readers natin, hindi naman lahat
nakapag-aral iyan. If you use high sounding terms,
nobody will appreciate your story. Kasi unang-una,
gusto nila kapag nagbasa, iyong mga readers they
barely have time kasi they are working eh. Saka ang
role mo kasi is to disseminate information, to inform
these people. You can use high-sounding words if you
are writing in a magazine as a feature writer. But in
ganito, wala. Wala talaga iyan.
Number two na lang, keep on reading. Always read.
Alwayse appreciate and entertain informative and
intellectual TV talk shows and radio programs. Ayan,
diyan kayo, that’s the time kayo’y mag-iimprove iyong
inyong ano, kumbaga maimprove iyong inyong
understanding as a journalist and you will learn a
lot. A saka basa nang basa. Kasi sa akin, if I will
not read newspaper in one day, my life is not
complete. Parang lahat ang mangyayari niyan, at pag
nagbabasa ka, naaabreast ka sa mga day-to-day events
e, not only in domestic affairs but also in global
affairs. Huwag mong iconfine ang pagbabasa mo sa
ibang section lang. Ang interes mo, kung ang point of
interest mo ay sportswriting, basa ka dapat nang basa
ng sports story.
Thank you po!
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---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Francis Raymond Alba Q: So sir nabanggit niyo nga, newsboy kayo dati.
A: Yes.
Q: Yun ba yung nag-influence sa inyo?
A: Yes, precisely. You know, we are nine children of
a poor family in Bicol. So I, right after I finished
my elementary, I left my beloved town and then I
became a stow-away in Mandaluyong. I studied high
school five years, I took up five years high school st
Jose Rizal University. My classmates include Ramon
Salvador, Allona Alegre, Ross Raval and Don Rosauro
Salvador, a movie actor.
Q: Sa school po, mayroon po ba kayong experience ng
journalism?
A: No, no. I have no experience. No experience
because you know at that time, the Lycean school organ
had already staff of its own. So I’m a working
student. You know, up to 1975, I deliver newspaper.
So I never had the chance to become a staff member of
the school organ. So I refined my writing when I
joined Manila Bulletin.
Kasi if you are a member of the staff or the school
organ, you have the age, you have the experience and I
believe but when I joined the PNA (Philippine News
Agency) they corrected my grammar. It’s atrocious and
fractured. So I refined my grammar through reading
materials because it is a continuing process e. I
read, read and read. Up to this time, I used to read
newspapers, magazines and other English related
materials. That’s the sacrifice of being a sports
reporter. Question?
Q: Mula po noong nagsimula kayo sa journalism, Manila
Bulletin po ba agad?
A: No, no. PNA, Philippine News Agency. It’s a
government agency under the office of Department of
Public Information. A that time, Kit Tatad, the
former senator was the head, our boss.
Q: Ah, noong mga panahon pong iyon, ano po yung mga
facilities na present sa Manila Bulletin?
A: Ah, that time you know, no fax machine, all
typewriters, no Internet, we have no computers of our
own, we used to use telephone and then we write
stories on a piece of paper and the call our boss—this
is our story, my story. Even at that time I cover the
PBA, telephone lang. Wala pang mga ano nung araw.
Kaya nga ngayon, journalists nowadays are very lucky.
Pero noong dati, wala kami. Hirap na hirap kami.
Q: Ano po iyon, maghahagilap lang kayo ng pay phones?
A: Oo. “Clyde Mariano, you cover the PBA.” After
the game so I have to write the story. I’ll prepare
the news plan and then I look for a restaurant. I ask
the owner, “Sir/Ma’am, I will pay the duration of the
story.” Babayaran ko, hahanap agad ako ng telepono
niyan. Kanya-kanya kaming takbuhan noon. Nag-uunahan
kami sa telepono niyan. At that time, napakahirap.
Ngayon it’s easy. Diyan lang sa La Salle ang
dami-daming Internet doon e. Type ka na.
Q: Sir, naaalala niyo po ba iyong ano, yung
pinakaunang naasign sa inyo na article?
A: Well, I have so many. Iyung narerecall ko, my
first assignment, ito history ito. My first
assignment as a sportswriter is football. BOFA—Boy’s
Football Association. In that time the president of
the Boys’ Football Association, no other than Leo
Prieto, an alumni, a distinguished alumnus from La
Salle, the first president of PBA, or first
commissioner of PBA. And Leo Prieto and Bobong Velez,
I covered them at La Loma, La Loma Hall, near La Loma
Cemetery. That was my first sports coverage.
Q: Sir yung ano po, kasi po dati sinabi niyo po yung
sa typewriters kayo noong una. Paano iyong naging
transition niyo from typewriters to computers?
A: Well, ah, with the introduction of computers, we
are required of course, to use because you know the
management, because of the computer age, so the
management then took out all the typewriters and
replaced it with computers so we were forced to use,
to learn how to use computers. Kaya nga napilitan
akong gumamit eh kasi kapag hindi ko ginamit iyang
computer, no less than my editor will not use my story
if I use typewriter.
Q: Yung mga typesetters po?
A: Oo, ganyan talaga ang buhay. Talagang ganyan eh.
We have to face reality hindi ba? Ganoon lang iyan
eh.
Q: Sir, sino po iyong mga naaalala ninyong mga boss
nung mga first years? And colleagues?
A: Well, my first boss was Joe Pavia. He was the
chief of Philippine News Agency. He was a newsman.
Larry Cruz, former ano, in the Bureau of National
Information, and then Kit Tatad. But I worked with
PNA for two years, then I joined Evening Post owned by
Kerima Polotan. Her husband is Johnny Tuviera, the
Executive Secretary of President Marcos at that time,
oo. And then I joined Tempo in 1982 with General
Menzi, and Pat Gonzales was the big boss. Then Ben
Rodriguez, who just retired yesterday. Now Mr. Andrew
Gonzales, our boss, your boss.
Q: Sir, kamusta iyong working conditions noon?
A: Well, here, I enjoyed...
Q: Noong dati po?
A: Noong araw noon, napakahirap...
Q: Like yung working hours po?
A: Ah, then you know, kami kasi ganito iyan eh.
Reporters assigned in the field, wala kami noong
tinatawag na Bundi clock, we have no regular time.
Basta kailangan once you’re assigned to cover a
particular event, you have to deliver it, you have to
write no matter where you are. Kung nasaan ka man,
you have to. Maski na kung ano man ang mangyari, you
have to go to your coverage. You have to cover that
event because you were assigned that. Maski umuulan
yan. Iyong ginagawa ko noong araw, I have to brave
the flood just to cover it. And then after that,
“Sir, nahirapan ako kasi sa sobrang baha.” At least,
kasi may kasabihan na “Obey first before you complain.
You have to be a responsible journalist eh.
Q: Sir sa deadlines, nagbago ba iyong deadlines
ngayon tsaka yung dati?
A: Ah, deadlines, kailangan sa deadlines talagang
deadline writer ka. Kasi my deadline is at five
o’clock, so you have to submit your story before 5:00.
Q: Sir, may times po ba na hindi kayo nakakasubit ng
story tapos napapagalitan kayo ng editor niyo?
A: Oo, siyempre. Hindi naman mawawala iyon eh. One
time narerecall ko I was in Puerto Princesa. I
covered the Batang Pinoy, so because of the computer
malfunction, LAN malfunction, so I cannot deliver my
story on time so my editor got mad at me. There are
several times minsan, when I cover the PBA<, ah
because you know, the PBA, maraming seremonyas iyan,
maraming ‘chechebureche’ yan. So sinabi ko eto, “The
game finished at 7:00” so kailangan sulatin ko pa ito
so my editor extended the deadline just to submit my
story because my editor is waiting for my story kasi
kailangan pang ihabol iyon eh. Kailangang ilabas
iyon, hindi nga lang dumating sa provincial issue so
city edition na. Ganoon iyan eh. Kasi there are tow
editions—provincial and city edition.
Q: Sir, how do you feel that you have to sacrifice
iyong family life ninyo? Personal life?
A: Well, my ultimate goal is to succeed in life,
that’s why I left my hometown.. Because of hunger and
poverty, sabi ko I will leave my parents whether they
like it or not, I have to go. Kasi gusto ko talaga, I
want to attend education eh.
Q: May asawa po ba kayo?
A: Oo, may asawa ako.
Q: Ilan po ang anak ninyo?
A: Well, I have three kids. All professionals. My
daughter, the only thorn in the family, graduated
recently last March sa Philippine Women’s University
with a degree in Hotel and Restaurant management.
Q: Sir iyong salary niyo po, kaya namang sustentuhan
po sila?
A: Ah oo, depende naman. Kasi ako marunong ako
humawak ng pera. I know how to value my money.
Q: Kung ikukumpara niyo po dati?
A: Ah, mas maganda ngayon kaysa noon. Pero noong
araw if you earn not so much, kasi the price of
commodities is much cheaper unlike ngayon. Hindi ka
na makakabili kasi mahirap magbudget eh.
Q: Sir naging cub reporter po ba kayo?
A: Cub reporter? Oo. Ano lang kasi eh, nag-uumpisa
talaga sa ganyan. Kasi ang pinaka-ABC ng reporting,
pag pumasok ka sa dyaryo, mag-uumpisa ka as a
reporter. Kasi iyan ang pinaka-training ground. The
most difficult in journalism today is sportswriting.
Napakahirap niyan. Kasi iyong term ng basketball, you
cannot use it in volleyball. Iyong term ng volleyball
you cannot use it in golf. And so on.
Q: Sir, anong experience niyo sa pagiging cub
reporter?
A: Well, I’m writing police stories. My area of
coverage is Mandaluyong, San Juan, Pasig.
Q: Sir, may times po ba na iyong pagiging cub
reporten niyo, lumalabas na sa bounds ng occupation
niyo? Kunwari, inuutusan po ba kayo na patimplahin
kayo ng coffee ng editor niyo, or...
A: Ah, hindi. Hindi ako nakaranas niyan. Meron kasi
kami noong araw, when I joined PNA, mayroon kaming
tinatawag na boy—copy boy. Iyong copyboy namin
talagang directly responsible in giving coffee to the
editors, sportswriters, to the editors, section
editors. Ayun, iyon ang copy boy namin.
Q: Sir tingin niyo po, ano pong mas magandang naging
experience niyo, iyong pagiging police reporter o
sportswriter?
A: Well, if you ask me, I prefer as a sportswriter.
Ang damio kong natutunan dito. Because imagine, I’m
only a poor guy. I covered more than twenty
international competitions abroad representing Manila
Bulletin. I covered the World Softball Championship
in Sydney, Australia; I covered the Arafora Games; I
covered the Asian Athletic Championship in India, I
covered six Southeast Asian Games; I covered the World
Softball Championship in Beijing, Nanjing. I covered
the Asian Baseball Championship in Korea. I covered
the Asian Athletic Championship thrice—Malaysia, and
India. I covered the Asian Baseball Cup in India. I
covered the Dunhill Cup World Tournament in Guandong,
China. I covered the Asian Basketball Championship in
Malaysia. Those are some of my biggest covered
competitions.
Dati pag mababasa mo pangalan sa ano, ok na. Pero
ngayon wala na. Wala na. Wala na, hindi ko na
kailangan mabasa pangalan ko eh. Noong araw ang hilig
ko diyan eh. Alam mo noong araw noong young ako,
aggressive ako. I write five stories a day. Kasi
noong araw e ganoon. E ngayon wala. Dumarating ang
panahon na tumatanda na, iyon bang nagla-lie low ka
na.
Q: Iyong sa editor niyo po, ano po iyong attitude ng
mga editors sa inyo
A: Ano?
Q: Regarding doon sa mga articles na isinusulat
ninyo...
A: Ano?
Q: Ah, kunwari po nalelate kayo or...
A: Siyempre pagsasabihan ako, pagagalitan ako,
pagagalitan ako. Oo, kasi nga ang nangyayari sa amin
niyan ganyan. Kaya iyong the introduction of
computer, napakalaking tulong. Halimbawa, I used
to... I used to write my story diyan sa may La Salle,
iyong sa Alva, diyan sa St. Benilde, gaganoon kayo
hindi ba? Kung minsan doon ako sa may St. Scho, row
of computer doon kaya malaking tulong iyan.
Namiminimize namin iyong time namin, iyong wasted
time, iyong precious time travelling from your area of
coverage going to Manila Bulletin. Kaya maganda iyon,
maganda iyon.
Q: Sino po iyong pinakamemorable niyong colleagues?
And editors?
A: Well, ah, unang-una niyan kasi, lima lang kaming
pumasok sa journalism galing ng Lyceum. Si Joseph
Lariosa ako, si Marlene Ronquillo ng Inquirer, Danny
Taguibao ng Philippine News Agency and Lulu Principe
of Manila Bulletin. Lima lang kaming nakapasok. Some
of our colleagues joined the advertising industry.
Q: Ano po iyong mga best memories niyo as a
journalist?
A: What kind of memories?
Q: Memories like pag nagcocover kayo, ano iyong mga
pinaka-naaalala ninyo?
A: Well, naalala ko when I wa in Saudi, Saudi Arabia.
I coveres the Sta. Lucia, Sta. Lucia Friendly Games
with the local games in Saudi. Many times people out
there in Saudi mistook me as a Malaysian, sometimes a
Pakistani.
Q: Sir last na lang po, iyong message niyo po sa mga
aspiring journalists?
A: Ito lang masasabi ko sa kanila. If they want to
become a reporter, especially in sportswriting, my
advice is to read, and if they become a reporter,
especially in sportswriting, my advice is to read.
And if they come across a word that sounds strange,
always look at the dictionary. And please don’t use
highfaluting words in writing stories. Because the
role of the media is to disseminate information. Alam
mo naman mga readers natin, hindi naman lahat
nakapag-aral iyan. If you use high sounding terms,
nobody will appreciate your story. Kasi unang-una,
gusto nila kapag nagbasa, iyong mga readers they
barely have time kasi they are working eh. Saka ang
role mo kasi is to disseminate information, to inform
these people. You can use high-sounding words if you
are writing in a magazine as a feature writer. But in
ganito, wala. Wala talaga iyan.
Number two na lang, keep on reading. Always read.
Alwayse appreciate and entertain informative and
intellectual TV talk shows and radio programs. Ayan,
diyan kayo, that’s the time kayo’y mag-iimprove iyong
inyong ano, kumbaga maimprove iyong inyong
understanding as a journalist and you will learn a
lot. A saka basa nang basa. Kasi sa akin, if I will
not read newspaper in one day, my life is not
complete. Parang lahat ang mangyayari niyan, at pag
nagbabasa ka, naaabreast ka sa mga day-to-day events
e, not only in domestic affairs but also in global
affairs. Huwag mong iconfine ang pagbabasa mo sa
ibang section lang. Ang interes mo, kung ang point of
interest mo ay sportswriting, basa ka dapat nang basa
ng sports story.
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