CASTILLO. Sir, can you tell something about yourself?
OCAMPO. I am Junep Ocampo. Junephrey, my real name is Junephrey Ocampo. I'm 29 years old. I was born and raised in Manila pero yung roots ko, Pampanga. I've been writing in newspaper since I was 16, so iba-ibang levels. Started siyempre sa beat reporting, ordinary, general reporting, police. Actually we started in a student newspaper called Istudyante. It's 3 years din nabuhay yung newspaper na 'yon. It was published by Malaya, yung pahayagang Malaya. When Malaya was sold to the Macasaets, 'yung present owner ngayon, they decided to put up us a student newspaper. It's a national newspaper for students and recruited people from schools. So there were people from La Salle, Ateneo, U.P., I came from PLM, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, dito lang sa Intramuros. So basically, I've been working here in these area for the past 13 years kasi school tapos office. So yeah, tuloy mo.

Q. Have you ever had any work other than writing?
A. P.R., Public Relations. I did kasi based on ano 'yung I started nga 16 'no. So I went in , sportswriting, 18. Tapos 6 years ako roon hanggang 24 pro while I was dubbling in sport writing. I also did some ano some P.R. work for some sports association. 'Yung P.R., yung you do press release for them. You talk to other people to promote the association, to promote the sport. Pero basically ganun, ganun din communications 'yun din.

Q. What made you decide to enter in this profession?
A. It's something I can do. Maybe I cannot ano I cannot do. My father was a tailor when he was alive hindi ako, gusto kong matutong manahi pero he never taught us how to do it. I wanted to be an engineer when I was a kid. Graduate ako sa Mapua, highschool. Pero nung fourth year ako, I was so fed up with Math kasi first year pa lang trigonometry ka na. Second year, may calculus na kami, basic calculus hanggang I was so fed up with math and drawing and all those engineering stuff. I decided to pursue something na I realize was my weakest point, as my weakest aspect, yung English. drawing and all those engineering stuff. I decided to pursue something na I realize was my weakest point, as my weakest aspect, yung English. 'Yun yung lagi kong mababa, 75, 77 ganun. So sabi ko kaysa pag-aralan ko yung magaling na ako yung sa math, nag-aral ako doon sa mahina ako. So sa PLM, I took this the exam tapos nilagay ko yung choice kong course English, AB English. I passed the exam kaya lang during the interview, sabi nung parang grad. guidance counselor something, 'Wala kaming ano rito AB English.' 'So ano yung closest ma'am na course?' 'Mascom.' Okay, hindi ko alam yung mascom kung ano. Sige enrol ako sa mascom. So pagpasok ko ng mascom, hindi ko alam kung ano yung trabaho. So I was just parang going with the trend, yung going with the motion. Going through the motion na ano pasok lang parang isang ordinaryong estudyante na hindi alam kung anong gagawin sa buhay niya. Nung 2nd year ako, I started early. So, 2nd year ako, 16 lang. Mayroon kaming essay class, one of my assignments nakita nung, may boarder kami sa bahay, may nagboboard sa amin na who does crossword puzzles for newspaper. Nakita niya yung essay. Sabi niya, 'Marunong ka pa lang magsulat. Gusto mo bang magtrabaho?' 'Sige, sayang, magkano bayad?' So 'yun ang ano 'yun ang initial motivation, it's the pay. Sabi niya, 'mababa lang pero madali lang, magsulat ka lang.' 'Tas yon, sinabihan niya ako sa student newspaper, so that started it all. Hanggang parang hinigop ako ng trabaho. I realize na I have the ability. I have the, the knock for writing, hanggang 'yon. With the experience, I learn to enjoy the job. I enjoy meeting people, yon!

Q. Did you ever think that you would enter this career?
A. No!

Q. Why?
A. Actually when I was, yun nga yung sabi ko sa 'yo I was in engineering yun yung career parang path na iniisip ko sa akin when I was a kid mga 9-10 years old. I was already drawing houses yung perspective na so I was the one who designed my house ngayon so ganun yung hilig ko talaga, yung magdesign. Gusto kong gumawa ng bahay.

Q. How did you enter the newspaper industry? Did you apply for it, by accident or maybe someone recommended you to go for it?
A. 'Yun nga 'di ba. 'Yung boarder namin saw my essay. He asked me to go to his office yung Estudyante newspaper. I applied. They gave me an assignment: 'Can you find someone who is a student during the day and a prostitute at night?' Sabi ko mahirap 'yon ah! 'Sige', sabi ko, 'okay I'll try it!' Incidentally, I had a ninong who owned a nightclub. So tinanong ko siya . Sabi ko, 'Ninong, may meron po bang estudyante diyan?' 'Oo, marami. Marami rito nag-aaral.' "Pwede ko bang ma-interview?' That's started it all. I did parang a feature on working student whose work is yung prostitution at night. So 'yung lumabas yung una kong article without editing, it was really ano grabe, 'yung high ano grabe 'yung high ano eh naramdaman ko. So kaya ko pa lang magsulat.

Q. Why did you move to Philippine STAR?
A. I came actually from yun nga Istudyante. Then I was sports editor sa Abante. I worked there for 10 years. We set up that paper from scratch. Mga bata, talagang fresh from college yung iba, ako nasa college pa tapos, 'I'm proud', sabi ko nga kay Mr. Belmonte yung presidente. Sabi ko, 'Sir, I came from the no.1 tabloid when I left the that paper. We were averaging 250,000 copies a day. We started zero talaga 'yung bang paghatid mo ng diyary.' We were even involved in distribution, eh. Paghatid mo ng diyaryo, nakatali yung diyaryo, pagkuha mo ng diyaryo sa gabi nakatali pa rin.

Q. Sir yung ibig sabihin yung Abante before mayroon na ring mga porno…?
A. Actually, maybe I'm also proud also to start it. It was a gimick, eh. Xerex Xaviera was a creation of 5 young men that so much time in their hands with so much creativity in their between their years ano na walang magawa so I was part of that group. Naisip namin, ako mahilig ako sa Playboy, Penthouse. Xaviera Hollander was a writer na we admired, we all admired. Sabi ko, 'Sige gawin natin tagalog version ni Xaviera Hollander. Anong pangalan ? I-xerox na lang natin sa Xaviera. From the word xerox came the word Xerex, Xerex Xaviera. Kaya lang 'di naalagaan, eh. There was really no parang program or no initiative to to develop the column from what it was before. Hanggang ngayon yun pa rin eh, parang sex experience pa rin siya, se experiences lang. Originally, we intended it to become ano parang clinical column na offering advice, offring tips on how to improve sex life. Kaya lang hindi na hindi napunta sa ganoon dahil siguro ano na rin, nagkatamaran.

Q. What were the differences between the among the newspapers you've worked ?\
A. Malaki dahil from tabloid to braodsheet yan. From a very radical paper na yung singko ginagawang limang daan, yung ganun sa figures ganoon 'no. Ganun 'di yung bang talagang sinesensationalized yung story to a very parang traditional ang balanced newspaper. Malaki yung pagbabago, malaki rin yung culture shock sa akin. I was already in the stage na I'm maturing already yung bang ayoko na ring sinesensationalize yung stories. Ayoko na rin yung parang actually you're fabricating na ,eh ganun. Hindi na siya totoo yung you're blowing it up ano out of proportion . Sabi ko It's about time na I'd do serious journalism. Now I'm handing investigative report sa STAR. Medyo matrabaho pahabaan ng pasensiya. Hindi mo kayang gawin ng isang araw. Unlike kung bata pa kami sa sport ganun you can do it in 15 minutes istorya uwi kana o kaya uminom ka na lang sa tabi.

Q. Are the facilities of STAR better than Abante's?
A. Yeah, definitely! It's a real newspaper, a REAL newspaper. Kasi yung sa Abante, okay we're trying to do some real stuff pero parang amateurish. Una, 12 pages. Dito bigyan ka ng 80 pages, 100 pages ng diyaryo pupunuin mo. You're working eith the people na whose been there for 30 years, 20 years ganun. Kasi it is wise imprenta siguro pareho. Yung computers halos pareho magkaiba lang ng brand. Pero yung tao ang malaki ang ibang kaibahan. Iba yung dito ano para akong doon sa Abante ako na yung nagtuturo, dito ako yung tinuturuan. So yung room for growth malaki.

Q. Alam niyo na sir yung about yung mga printers na ginagamit doon, kung rotary, cylinder, ganon? Wala kayong alam?
A. What do you mean printers?

Q. Printers na ginagamit for the newspaper?
A. Printing?

Q. Wala kayong alam?
A. Hindi ako ano,eh…

Q. Sir, about yung itsura ng building?
A. Actaullyweb yata ang gamit namin. Web, tama. Most of the papers right now use web. Kasi 'pag labas niya nakatupi na, di ba?

Q. What about the buildings before?
A. Before we were just renting Abante. Eto, this is a lease for 25 years yata. 'Tas it was just renewed recently. So another 25 years, nandiyan ang STAR. Masmaganda yung ano atmosphere.

Q. What was it like working with people in Abante?
A. Masaya, masaya. Ano, no dull moment parang wala kang walang gaanong problema. Una, madaling gawin yung trabaho. When I, before I left, I report in 10 in the evening. Ako na yung managing editor ng Tonite. So I was reporting 10 in the evening. Natatapos ko yung trabaho one in the morning. So 3 hours. Ganun kadali tapos mas matagal pa nga yung kinuha, eh.

Q. Sir, when was the last time you saw those people?
A. Last week!

Q. Last week lang?
A. Yeah! I visited their office. Nirerenovate eh so yun ,

Q. How about the hours of work before?
A. Yun nga 3 hours!

Q. 3 hours…
A. Tapos na yon oo ganon! Eh dito ano minsan magsimula ka ng umaga alas diyes hindi ka pa tapos eh, ganon. Although yun nga mahirap yung trabaho pero yung growth potential ang laki.

Q. Have you worked on holidays?
A. Yeah, I do! Christmas, All Saints Day, New Years Day.

Q. What was your salary at that time?
A. Actually, I left Abante I had I was getting 15. Mababa lang ang suweldo sa diyaryo, eh. Kung pera ang habol mo, huwag ka sa diyaryo. Oo pero nung ano lumipat ako rito. They offered me the same salary, starting! So, doon kasi yun na yon eh. Parang ceiling ka na, eh. Nandoon ka na sa taas. Eto, starting so I'm getting 21 right now.

Q. Sir, enough na ba 'yon para makabuhay ng pamilya?
A. My wife is working. So siguro kung hindi siya magwowork, medyo mahirap. Pero she's working.

Q. Have you ever had a promotion?
A. Yeah, yeah! This is a promotion I'm doing right now yung investigative report. SAbi ko sa 'yo, I've been , Ive just been 2 years there in the STAR. So from 15, 21 'di ba.

Q. Do you have memorable colleagues?
A. Marami, mga matatanda. Sina Recah Trinidad. Kilalamo si Recah Trinidad? Inquirer? He's my ninong sa kasal. He's one of the best editors I've ever had. Si Noel Albano, wala na rin, nasa dati siyang, he's one of the youngest editors ng broadsheets, sa Malaya. He was the editor-in-chief at 33. Ganun kabata 'yon pero magaling. Si Raul Alibutud, si J.R. Alibutud, yung managing editor ng Manila Times ngayon. He's one colleague na I respect.

Q. What were your best memories being a young writer?
A. Covering the Olympics. I covered the olympics in '96. I was actually ano sabi ko nung olympics ako, graduate na ako sa sports so tama na. '89, I was 19, I was sent to Malaysia to cover the South East Asian Games. Bata ka 'di ba? Wala kang gaanong alam. Muntik pang mawala yung ticket ko pabalik. On my first day, nalaglag yung isang ano parang portfolio. Nandoon lahat yung papers ko. 'Di ko nakita. Tapos one of yung my elder ano sports writer napulot niya pala, tinago niya. Nung talagang iiyak na 'ko sa takot eh, 19 year ild di ba? New comer sa business. Binigay niya sa 'kin, 'O Junep, next time ingatan mo yung gamit mo .' 'Yon , hindi ko na nakalimutan 'yon. Simula noon, I can go anywhere in the world and alone siguro and be safe!

Q. Sir, who do you look up to this profession? Yung pinaka, kahit from abroad?
A. Abroad? Seymour Hersh. Seymour Hersh is the one exposed Mai Lai. You know Mai Lai Massacre? Hindi ka nagbabasa. Mai Lai is one of the top secrets of Vietnam. During the Vietnam War, a battalion of soldiers were sent to Mai Lai in a search and destroy operation. They killed everybody as in everybody including women and babies. It was a top secret. Nobody would ever would have ever known Mai Lai had not for Seymour Hertz who exposed it to, who did really a painstaking research on how it is done, who were involved. Investigative reporter siya. Actually I respect him more than ano Bob Woodward and Carl Berstein. You know the two? The two who exposed the Watergate. Who did yung series of stories on Watergate. Yung Watergate issue is the scandal that brought US President Richard Nixon down. It was the cause of his resignation kaya siya nagresign. It was ano parang ngayon yung ginagawa ngayon yung spying. Alam mo yung accusation ng Lakas-NUCD na si Presidente raw si Erap may mga spies within their camp. Yung Watergate was the same. Yung democratic party were involved in parang a headquarters in Watergate compound, its in Washington. May mga nahuling burglars, mga magnanakaw, yun pala yon nagtatap ng telepono. Natrace, nung natrace yung connection hanggang sa Presidente. So eventually, after 2 years of expose, the president resigned. It's the actually the biggest case of investigative reporting.

Q. Sir, sa local?
A. Ninoy Aquino siguro as a journalist.

Q. Bakit po? Sir di ba parang, what do you think about pagiging bayani niya? Yung, connection ba?
A. That can be it! He's a hero. Kasi, 'di ba yung death basically triggered so many things. Rizal's death trggered the revolution in 1896 although 'di ba may mga nagcocontest pero sa tingin ko yun yung nagtrigger noon. Yung Gomburza, the Gomburza's death triggered Jose Rizal ano to write his novel. So yung death na ni Rizal triggered the revolution. Eto rin yung death ni Ninoy, triggered years of ano struggle that culminated in the EDSA revolt.

Q. What major events in the history did you cover?
A. '89, the coup de etats, the series of coup de etat. I'm young 'di ba young this age '89. '92, elections. Ms. Universe dito. Yang mga sports events, the biggest siguro is the olympics. Yung mga elections.

Q. Sir, meron bang nangyaring hindi maganda habang nagcocover kayo ng istorya?
A. So far, wala naman.

Q. What did you regret before?
A. What do I regret? On what? Kain tayo!

Q. Before, kung nagsulat ba , kung hindi kayo, sa tingin niyo kung hindi kayo naging newswriter ngayon, sa tingin niyo ano kayo ngayon?
A. Preacher!

Q. Preacher? Why? Parang ang layo naman po.
A. When I was in ano, teenager ka pa 'di ba? 17? (18) 18, I was a teenager, I transferred religions. So from Catholic, I went to the Baptist Religion. I was already preaching sa simbahan, preaching children the bible. Nung na-involve ako sa writing, yung Baptist Church na involve were was strongly against the possibilityof me joining the main yung journalism ano newspaper mainstream. Una, yung Abante, nabalitaan nila scandalous yung ano Xerex Xaviera. 'What are you doing there?' Mga Americans pa yung mga ano. 'Just writing sports. Yun lang. I don't have anything to do with those ano.' I lied. Pero they were against. Nung nagka lumaki nang lumaki ang problema, I chose this field. I chose this job. So now I'm back to the Catholic Church. So 'yon.

Q. Did you ever get sued for what you wrote?
A. Yeah, for this year alone, I've been sued for P 25 million.

Q. P 25 million?
A. Libel.

Q. Nanalo kayo, talo?
A. Wala pa. 'Di pa tapos. This year lang 'yon. Simula ko hawakan yung investigative report.

Q. What was it about?
A. The first was yung Jalosjos (Case?) hotel. Yung preferential treatment niya. Yung VIP treatment sa Muntinlupa. I was the one who exposed yung ano parang may sarili siyang tennis court, may sarili siyang burger stand. (Sa loob ng prison) Yeah. Mayroon siyang parang yung dormitory. He had renovated it for himself. Airconditioned yung kwarto. Inexposed ko 'yon. Nagalit siya. Dinemanda ako 5 million. Another case is yung AMA. Yung walang permit. Yung mga schools na nag-ooffer ng courses.

Q. Walang permit ang AMA?
A. Walang permit. May mga courses sila na walang permit. They had the, when I wrote it in March, they had at least 40 courses being offered, walang permit. So if you take those courses, 'pag graduate mo, hindi recognized ng government. Dinemanda ako P 20 million.

Q. Do you still see yourself writing for the newspaper for a long time?
A. I don't know. So far this point siguro, it is one job I can do, di ba. I can do good, I can do good at. ___29? Hope for the next 10 years, nandito pa ako.

Q. 'Tas after that?
A. Let's see.

Q. If you were, ay hindi tapos na pala 'yan. Do you have other dreams besides writing?
A. Sa writing din, eh. Writing books.

Q. Books? What kind of books?
A. Actually books, anything, History (Fiction), fiction, basta anything.

Q. Do you have other ay hindi. What aould you want to be remembered of? 'Pag nakita yung name na Junep Ocampo, anong gusto ninyo na sabihin ng tao about your name?
A. Paano ba? 'Di ko pa napag-isipan 'yan, ha! Totoong tao ! So 'yon. Totoong tao 'yan, hindi 'yan plastic, hindi 'yan plastic, hindi 'yan.

Q. Sir, ano nga pala balik uli tayo sa beat report. Anong feeling ninyo nung first time kayong magsulat? Sa Abante, sa Istuyante, sa Philippine STAR?
A. Yung una ano, yung una medyo you're nothing to lose eh 'no/ Sige kuha ka lang. After the first story was published yun ang mahirap. So yung unang istorya ko, kahit isang word walang inedit. I wrote it in tagalog. Hindi ginalaw, grabe yung ano. Sabi ng mga kasama ko, 'O bakit hindi ginalaw yung istorya mo? Hindi inedit?' For a new comer, for a 16 year old, ano yon parang achievement. Yung sumunod na mga stories, yun na yung pressure. How to keep it up? Kasi yung una, parang tsamba lang yun, 'di ba? Yung mga sumunod, paano ko na gagawinyan na hindi maeedit? Paano mo magagawa uli yung best mo, eh mero ka ng ngayon, meron ka ng parang takot na takot ireject yung story mo. Yung una wala, you have everything to gain ang nothing to lose. Kahit mareject yan so what 'di ba. Talagang nagsisimula ka lang. Yung patagal-tagal lalo na yung paglipat ko rito, I came from a tagalog tabloid tapos lipat ka English. Sige nga tignan ko nga kung marunong akoing mag-English. After 30 minutes, they asked me, 'When do you want to start?' Yun lang. So siguro I've proven my work na I can do, I can do the job.

Q. Sir, what were the qualifications para matanggap ka sa Abante?
A. Depende sa trabaho. Anong trabaho gusto mo?

Q. Kung sa STAR, paano ano yung kailangan na ano maliban sa pagsusulat, na magaling kayong magsulat?
A. 'Di depende nga, eh kung anong trabaho. On my part? Experience siguro. Kasi kahit na anong galing mong magsulat, kasi yung when I started sa STAR, desk work lang talaga. When I mean by, what I mean by desk work is you're given stories na gawa.ng iba. Halimbawa, story ni Rona, bigay sa 'kin, aayusin ko. Problema kung halimbawa ang experience ko lang is sport 'di ba . Tapos binigyan ako story ni Rona, istorya tungkol sa business, tungkol sa merger ng PLDT at SMART. Paano ko isusulat ito hindi ko alam 'tong 'di ba. Wala akong background dito. So kung may experience ka, kung mahaba ang experience mo, lahat nasubukan mo, ano yun eh, kahit anong ibigay sa iyo kaya mong gawin.

Q. Ano yung treatment sa iyo ng editor?
A. Nung una medyo ano, you have to earn respect 'di ba. Hindi naman, hindi naman nabibili yan eh. Nung una medyo parang, sino ba 'to? Galing sa Abante 'yan, ba't nandito sa STAR? Parang ganun,eh. Tataasan ka ng kilay. 'Pag nagsubmit ka ng minsan may ginagawa kang mga story na sarili ko. Minsan titignan ng dalawang beses bago gamitin. Eventually, I've proven my ano, my self 'no. Kayang kong magsulat sa linggwaheng hindi ko dati ginagamit.

Q. Sir, bale ang tawag sa inyo before cub reporter?
A. Nung bata, nung maliit.

Q. What lessons you have learned when you were still a cub?
A. When in doubt, ask. Hanggang ngayon naman eh ganung isa sa principles ko na ano kung duda ka sa isang bagay, ask or consult the dictionary kung duda ka sa spelling. Just don't assume mo lahat. Lalo na pag dumating yung doubt sa likod sa utak mo at the back of your mind na mukhang malit ito ha. Doon pa lang wag mo nang ituloy, itigil mo tapos ask. Kasi siguro 9 out of 10 nung chances mo, talagang mali iyon kung may duda ka na kaagad. So kami yung ano sa writing eh sa print, tungkol sa print yang ginagawa mo. Sa print, you have to be exact. "pag nagkamali ka halimbawa sa 1000 natanggal mo yung zero, 100 na lang. 100 yon, or young 100,000 nadagdagan mo ng zero plus 1,000,000 diba? 'Pag labas nun kinabukasan, yung lumabas na iyon na iyon, that will be forever. Yun yung ano ng print,eh. Yun yung strength niya at yun din ang weakness niya. Kasi 'pag, permanent siya. 'Pag may bubu ka forever yan, pwedeng iharap sa iyo. 'Ayan o, katangahan 'no.' Sa radio 'pag hindi nakinig wala na. 'Pag 'di narecord, wala na. Pero print (may evidence), matanda ka na kung nagkamali ka at nasapangalan mo 'yan, mga apo mo mababasa pa 'yan. So sabi nga ni isang essayist si nakalimutan ko yung pangalan basta yung sabi niya, 'Reading makes a full man,' yung full ano, parang busog or ano 'Speaking makes a ready man,'ready so yun handa 'But writing makes an exact man.' Yun 'pag talagang writing ang magiging ng linya mo, exact lagi yan, laging precise, accurate, yun ang dapat na i-goal. Dapat accuracy, fairness, 'di ba. Pwedeng mayroong certain style na ang ibig sabihin ganito, 'pag binago mo ang style mo iba na ang ibig sabihin and yet you're using the same words. So ganun kalaki ang challenge sa writing. And I believe writing will be there forever. Depende kahit mawala ang diyaryo, kahit mawala ang, may lalabas at lalabas na medium. Internet is one. So kahit mawala yung diyaryo, I can write sa Internet.

Q. What was your first beat? Sport?
A. No. General assignments, kahit ano.

Q. What were the important things you learned from your beat?
A. Ah ano, 'wag kang ano, 'wag kang mayabang. Kasi 'pag mayabang ka, una people will shy away. 'Ang yabang naman niyan,' 'Ang lakas naman ng dating niyan.' Kasi dito sa larong 'to, dito sa trabahong 'to, you're only as good as your sources. Lalo na sa investigative reporting. Kung walang magsalita sa 'yo, wala kang istorya. So kung mayabang ka 'di ba ang lakas ng dating mo, sobra porma mo, lalapit ka pa lang, lumalayo na sila.

Q. Mayroon na bang nangyaring instance sa inyo na ganyan?
A. Hindi sa akin, sa ibang tao. So, simula noon ano sabi ko kay _____, iwasan 'ko yan.

Q. How do you handle pressures especially about deadlines?
A. I smoke!

Q. So totoo ba lahat ng writers talaga…
A. They smoke? No. Depende, iba-iba ng coping mechanism 'yan di ba. Yung iba pagkain kaya ang taba taba. Yung iba lasenggo 'no. Iba ganun, ang dami kong kakilala diyan hindi naninigarilyo pero sa gabi lasing lagi. Kasi that's the only way, that's their only way to parang loosen up para mawala yung pressure. Para makatulog sila. Kasi minsan 'pag uwi mo high ka pa rin . Yung naka_____ yung adrenalin rush nandoon pa rin. Hindi ka makatulog so 'yung iba nagiging lasenggo.

Q. How were your editors, hindi, how what was your editor's attitude toward deadlines? Nasisigawan ba kayo? May mga experiences nasigawan kayo?
A. Hinddi naman, hindi naman. Siguro suwerte ako, eh. Mga editors ko 'pag nagagalit tahimik, eh. Alam mong galit sila 'pag tahimik sila. May mga editors na alam ko, kilala ko na 'pag nagagalit, sumusigaw. Pero hindi ko naging editor 'yon. So 'yun mga colleagues ko na lang. Nung nandoon na 'ko sa level na editor na rin ako, mga ibang kong kasama, sinissigawan nila yung mga bata nila, pero ako 'di ganon.

Q. How were they when it cam to accuracy, ethics, the grammar aspects of writing? The editors?
A. Siguro no.1 ano diyan is yun nga, yung editors? Iba-iba, eh. Iba-iba ng levels. Iba-iba ng emphasis. Mayroong iba mas importante sa kanila yung accuracy over grammar. Kahit na nagsasabunutan yun mga verbs and adjectives mo, 'di ba, okay lang sa kanila basta accurate ka. Kasi kaya naman nilang ayusin nila yung grammar mo, di ba? Hindi naman nila, ako ganun. Siguro I sshare the same opinion na yung grammar mo kaya mong i-fix 'di ba, kaya ko straighten up. Pero yung facts mo, ikaw lang ang pwedeng mag-check niyan kung tama 'yan, unless na alam ko 'yan. Halimbawa, right spelling ng Philippines, 'di ba, alam ko 'yan. Pero yung ibang facts halimbawa, kung ilan ang namatay sa ganitong lugar, sa ganitong aksidente (hindi pwedeng manghula), ikaw lang ang nakakaalam niyan. At kinabukasan lang natin malalaman kung mali ka, di ba? Pero at this time, at this moment, in this room, hindi ko alam, masasabi kung mali yang facts mo. So 'yon, ako I would emphasize yung accuracy. Ibigay mo na sa 'kin yung facts, check-double check, check-double check on facts kahit mahina ang grammar mo, okay lang.

Q. Eh, yung sa iba na editor?
A. Sa iba, 'pag bbasa pa lang, 'Ang pangit ng sulat nito', tapon na.

Q. Eh Sir, kung naka-experience na kayo ng ganon, tinatapon yung works niyo?
A. Hindi, sa akin. 'Yun nga sabi ko sa 'yo suwerte rin ako na hindi…

Q. Hindi masasabing tsamba?
A. Hindi naman, tsamba. Suwerte, suwerte siguro.

Q. What, who was your unforgettable editor and why?
A. Ngayon si J.R. Alibutud, 'yung managing editor ng Times. Bata pa 'yun, siguro mga 40, 41 ganon. 'Yun 'pag nag-eedit siya or may ginagawa siyang story tahimik 'yon. Tapos 'pag hindi makaisip, sumisipa…'yung pala, nagmumura…Pu….put….. 'Sinong kaaway mo?' 'Hindi ako makaisip eh!' Hindi raw siya makaisip. Pero maraming weird, maraming ano. Pero siya talagang 'pag nakita niya namang maganda, appreciate niya. Kasi ibang editors magaling okay, maggaling magturo, magaling mag…, talagang magaling sila 'pag sinabi mo ang galing. Pero yung 'pag nakakita sila ng magaling, minsan parang may insecurity. Hindi mo rin masisisi kasi matatanda na sila, eto mga bata pa, 'di ba? So natethreaten na. 'Yung iba diyan, marami diyan naa 'yun ang alam na hanap-buhay. Na 'pag nawala sila sa diyaryo, hindi nila alam kung saan sila, para silang isda na tinanggal mo sa tubig. So may threat sa kanila mga bata.

Q. Sir, paano kung hindi niyo feel magsulat, anong ginagawa niyo maliban sa smoking?
A. Hindi naman ako nagsmoke, sa bahay hindi ako nagsmoke. Hindi ako nagsmoke, dito laang sa trabaho. Reading, ganun pa rin. 'Yun pero magkapatid 'yon eh, 'yung writing. A good writer is always a voracious reader. Lagi 'yan, basa 'yan nang basa 'yung magagaling na writers…

Q. Last, what advice can you give to aspiring writers?
A. Read! Read, read tapos experience life. Life is not just ano. Sabi nga ni Forrest Gump: 'Life is like a box of chocolate (you'll never know what you're gonna get.) Yeah, ano 'yun, totoo 'yon. Just try ano, do your best to experience as much as you can and go to as many places as you can. Kahit hindi na maging writer at least you can say naa you have lived the life of a human being. Hindi ka lang aso na kung saan hilahin ng amo niya, doon. See the world, 'yon ang advice ko, see the world 'yan. Kung talagang wala kang means, 'di ba, kailangan mong magtrabaho kagad or kailangan or wala ang self temperament mo, di ba…read! Kasi reading is open, can open doors or can open the world to you. Dahil through the words and through the sentences of written by writers, you can see. You can go to Rome, we can go to Paris, 'di ba? Just by reading (imagining), 'di ba, imagining. So ganun din 'yon. So in a way you're experiencing the things na na-experience ng writers. Ngayon, ikaww magiging writer ka rin someday, ganun lang 'yun parang tinatransfer mo ang experience mo. You're making a permanent record of your experiences, for other people aand for future generations to enjoy, 'di ba? Ganun! Ron
A. 'Yon, tapos na. Thank you, sir!!! Junep: Yeah! Good luck, good luck sa 'yo!!!