On Duty 24/7

This is the feature article I wrote from my interview with GMA Reporter, Ms. Tricia Zafra and is a required activity for our Journalism Basic Principles and Practices subject.

On Duty 24/7

Serious, stiff and straight to the point---that’s how TV journalists establish themselves in front of the camera. They have to look professional and reputable as they bring the news to the ever-curious public. This job may seem glamorous as they appear on television but for GMA News’ Tricia Zafra, it’s difficult but it’s worth a lifetime.

“Yung kagustuhan ko na, yung hangaan ka ng mga tao. Hindi dahil sa itsura mo, hindi dahil sa nakakatawa ka, kundi dahil sa ginagawa mo at yung ginagawa mo mayroon siyang halaga sa society.” Zafra said when she was asked about her drive on being a journalist. Unfazed and dignified, this petite and baby faced journalist oozes professionalism and firmness even though she just came fresh from a news coverage on her day off.

She also believes that intelligence should be admired than the physical appearance and that female journalists just like one of television’s most prized reporter and her senior, Jessica Soho, are embodiment of both dignity and grace; beauty and brains. A Cum Laude graduate of BA in Broadcast Communication in UP Diliman, Zafra’s childhood heroes are Loren Legarda and Angelique Laso to name a few.

When asked about the essential skills journalists should be equipped with, Tricia Zafra answered convincingly----a sign of her wisdom, knowledge, length of stay in the industry, practice and respect for her craft.  “Unang-una communication skills talaga.

Kailangan proficient ka sa Filipino…  Second siyempre English, kasi it’s the language used in the corporate world… Pati yung comprehension skills so hindi ka lang dapat magaling magsalita o kaya magsulat.” She said with utmost confidence.

She also added a few more golden nuggets to her answer. Apart from the things she mentioned, she said that journalists should be good observers, sensitive to cultural differences and use of words, courteous to people and most especially, easy to work with. Despite gaining recognition and popularity, journalists like Tricia Zafra are down to earth and engaging conversationalists who eagerly shares information but doesn’t put someone in an awkward situation because they emit an accommodating nature and charm.

One the other hand, it is a fact that not all people watch news. The prevalence of entertainment shows proves that the masses prefer to be entertained more than to be informed. Shortened news, reaching out to new platforms and other adjustments, the media strives to capture a larger audience interest. In the eyes of Tricia Zafra, this is truer than ever.  “Ang pinaka nakakainis sa part namin. Napanuod yung story mo, ‘Uy napanuod ko yung report mo.’ Oh talaga ayos ba? ‘Ang oily mo’… ”

A frustration boomed from the heart to the voice, Tricia Zafra, as much as she gives every fiber of her being to the profession, she wishes the public to be appreciative of their industry’s efforts. Every single day, they gather, write, revise, congest, shoot and report news to serve the people in high hopes that the people will be fed well with facts. This may be one of the downsides of her job but on the contrary, the advantages, in her own opinion, are better than its counterparts.

“flexi-time…everyday mayroon kang bagong matutunan sa mga interview mo na oo nabasa mo siya diyaryo pero pag nakipag usap ka na din sa tao mayroon ka pang ibang matutunan. Lagi kang nagpupunta sa iba-ibang lugar… Saka kapag nandito ka kasi parang magkakaroon ka talaga ng love/hate relationship sa trabaho mo kasi nakakapagod siya at nakaka i-stress. May mga bagay na hindi mo magawa dahil sa trabaho mo pero pag iniisip mo namang umalis di mo magagawa kasi di mo na makikita yung sarili mo na gumawa pa ng ibang bagay…” she shared.

Despite of the nature of her job having odd working hours, Tricia Zafra is true to her calling and is always willing to be available whenever her duty calls for it. No matter what, where, why or when, Zafra knows the ups and downs of her work but nevertheless, is always reminded of the best thing she could ever have in her life:

“ako ngayon talaga masaya ako and I think that’s the greatest perk di ba…”

Indeed, Tricia Zafra’s happiness and willing to serve is always on duty 24/7.   

(Pauleen Joyce L. General)       

Write Ups for Student Publication

These are some of the articles I wrote for our high school's student publication, The Villager.

Lion Heart

Hello!
It's been a while, right?
Anyway, I'm so busy at school I don't even know which of the subjects or activities is my top priority.
Hahaha. Anyway, I want to share to you a very beautiful song.

There are tons of songs about girls wanting to keep a guy or turn a player into someone who's very loyal to his lover...this song has that theme but the thing that makes it so unique and catchy is its tune, vibe and lyrics...the lyrics are subtle and so feminine. I like this song so much that I replayed it for so many times for days! Hahaha! The thing is, I'm not really much a fan of girl groups since my taste likes complex choreography and boy group songs...but this one is an exception.

This one is from SNSD with the title "Lion Heart" (ENJOY!)

I'm looking forward to blog regularly again. So see you next time!

Hanging till the fall

Hanging till the fall

Diane – a simple yet intelligent girl. She loves color black and helping people. Even though a lot of people are telling her she’s pretty, she thinks otherwise about herself.

Prince – Diane’s school mate who is always in need of help. Since he has trouble with his academics, Diane is his savior. He’s very friendly and sweet to everyone.

Mandy – Diane’s best friend. She knows Diane very well and always tells her to be herself. She’s a confident and independent woman who’s as intelligent as Diane.

Story

Diane has a problem. It’s been three years since she went to college and she feels as if she’s not growing as a person.

Her grades are great then they’ll get mediocre.

She’s full of energy then feel very tired the next.

She feels like as if she’s in a roller coaster ride and the most alarming thing is, she doesn’t feel romantically attracted to boys.

The good thing is, Mandy, her best friend is there to keep her in place.

One day, their school mate Prince approached Diane to help him with his final project --- a short film.

Diane’s the type of person who’s hard to say “no” to anyone. 

Therefore, Diane agreed helping Prince with the project.

Diane juggled her days in between fixing her own life and helping Prince. Prince on the other hand, feels he’s a burden for her but cannot do anything but ease her helping duties to help her.

They did the project for a week. Diane also took her exams. Prince thanked him for everything. The result went good for Prince…

But for Diane…it’s the worst…

Her grades got lower

She’s always out of energy

And she feels boggled…

Mandy reassured her that she can get back on track but Diane knows that it will never be the same again. She realized that it’s something unwelcomed that’s been bothering her and it’s either she’ll have a hard time getting it off or hard time making it grow.

She needs motivation, she needs a source and Mandy knows where to get it...

Diane needs Prince.

But Prince is not the type to think about love as of the moment. He knew his priorities well and Diane’s not a part of it. He’s thankful but that’s all he could give right now.

And with the struggle to get back on track, Diane needs to keep on hanging before she falls.

Love Shower Part 2

taken from google search

My phone ringed.

I cannot answer the call since my hand is holding the umbrella while the other is pinning my hair. It stopped but then it started ringing again. I was getting irritated as it’s already the fifth time so I stopped by the shed to finally answer the call.

“Hello?” I said.

“Where are you?” the person replied. 

I don’t know if this is a good opportunity to be with someone and help me cope up with my feelings. On the other hand, I just want to be with myself and to fill in the void alone just to say I made it without anybody’s help.

“I’m busy right now. Sorry.” I said then turned down the call. 

Somehow, I feel guilty. Usually, people aren’t there when you need them. But this one, I turned the offer down when I know I needed it the most.

I must be stupid and proud…and maybe that’s what made him go away.

With no direction, I continued walking down the streets until I passed by a pastry shop. I am not a fan of rolls and breads and sweet pies that girls usually do but just for today, I wanted to explore a side of the world I haven’t yet discovered. I wanted to be new. I wanted to be able to say “I’ve changed” if ever there’ll be a chance that I can shove it to his face. I wanted to be higher than him…I wanted him to regret leaving me. And now that I’m thinking about it, I realized I still have a long way to go in forgetting him.

But damn, I want these sweet cakes to taste like my revenge.

I ordered a strawberry cake roll and an Earl Grey. I also found a decent spot near the bookshelf. The smell of pastries and sweets wafted over the room and opening a book from their shelves is a picturesque of an ideal romantic date. The jazz music is played all over the small place and the sound of rain adds another music to the ears.

It was a beautiful moment...and I am trying so hard to appreciate it.

I was reading a book when I heard someone pulled the chair in front of me.

“Hello” he said. His soft voice made me curious. 

And when I looked to which the voice belonged to, I saw that his face is way softer and angelic for his voice.

I stared at him as if I’m giving him a negative message. Mentally, I am trying to figure out what to do. But he’s staring right back at me…and now, we’re in a stare fest; two strangers plunging beneath the soul in a pair of confused eyes.

I really don’t know what to do.

But automatically, I know my body tensed…but I felt some warmth.

It’s gonna be an interesting day.

And with that thought, I didn’t remove my eyes off him and smiled.

“Hi” I replied.

The Two Sides of Social Media

The Two Sides of Social Media

http://www.jsums.edu/socialmedia/files/2015/05/SocialMedia.jpg

If there is one thing that everyone, almost everyone, is into these days, it is definitely the use of Social Media. Users can chat, play, shop and even earn upon its use. A single click on the Like, Share or Send button can create thousands of possibilities and response from other even from the other side of the continent. This may sound perfect but just like everything else in this world, the Social Media has its own share of imperfections too, and that is in the face of misuse and lack of security. That's why, it is important for us, users, to be educated about the proper utilization of Social Media by being cautious and responsible for our actions. 

During the earlier years, people are accustomed to the usual brick and mortar or physical stores to buy products. Now, the emergence of Social Media opened an opportunity for business and the evidence is the prevalence of online shopping that is said to be more convenient than going outside to buy in malls and in the perspective of the business owner, cheaper than paying rent and other expenses. Goods such as imported perfumes, apparels and merchandise can now be ordered with few simple clicks. Moreover, the fact that the Social Media connects people everywhere made it more or less than a basic necessity of our generation. Users can also meet new people of same interest or even rekindle with loved ones who are far away. Another factor is that Social Media provides novelty---users can connect to others in various ways. There is the regular chat, the audio call, video chat, group or conference chats and etc. Also, Social Media is the express medium of sharing information. It is very much obvious that today, even news contents are now available online instead of just being disseminated in print or television.

On the downside, Social Media is a threat for security. Not all users are with good intentions. For example, there are reports about scams, bogus sellers/buyers, cyber-sex, cyber-bullying and other online related crimes that are surfacing today. Everyone, even regular people can be a victim of hateful or degrading comments from people who sadly doesn't even know you at all. There are so many things going on online at once that it is impossible to take down all of the negative activities immediately. The Social Media can be a breeding place for the good and bad and sadly, not all people are educated on how to use it properly.

Overall, The Social Media can be a blessing or the exact opposite. It depends on the experience of the user and how he uses it. The good thing is that there are initiatives that are advocating the responsible use of Social Media. They teach people on how to discern or be critical on how they accept messages or meanings online which is absolutely what all of us should be knowledgeable about. Another good thing is that the endeavour for a peaceful and "healthier" Social Media environment is possible. With the awakening of more potential responsible users, the Social Media can be a happy place to be with.

Love Shower Part 1

Hello!

Since it's Valentines (Happy Valentines to you!), I decided to make a mini-series of short stories about love. I am going to make these stories for the remaining days of February so let's see how this goes. Hehe. 

Here's the first one...enjoy!

Love Shower

It was a rainy morning and I feel melancholic as the rain drops pour in my window with a fainted light across the curtains. Droplets made the leaves heavy, as well as my mood. I am on my own. I don’t live with anyone by myself---in this pale blue apartment with a cup of tea in my hand; I feel lonely.

I wondered why the rain makes us sad when it’s supposed to be refreshing. The land, crops and basically the whole earth cools down with every downpour, but why does it also makes a person feel down too? I should love the rain. I should create a memory wherein rain will be my sunshine. I should remove this notion of loneliness when it’s raining. For others, it may sound so absurd to think too much how about what someone feels when it’s raining. But as for me, I don’t want my emotions to be like a weather or even a season that changes from time to time---I want to be constantly happy.

I picked up my umbrella and headed towards the door. The drenched outside world is waiting for me. Even though I hate getting wet, I braved the streets with my resolute to end my loneliness with this rain. Cold wind pass across my face, cutting beneath my cheeks while the pattering sounds of my feet sounded like a sad harmony. It’s traumatizing and I want to go back home, where I know I could be warm and safe. But I know I need to love the rain, and appreciate it so I gathered few steps more.

It was really hard to walk in the rain. I imagine tears puddle up in the streets and breeze from a pierced heart. I imagined myself during the darkest days of my life. It was just like rainy season---clouds clustered in the sky, tears blocking my eyesight, the cold gave me goose bumps and his voice resonated like a thunder. It was a storm I was devastated from, and it took me so long to find its eye for I am hanging on to its tails. It was raining when he left and it is now raining that he’s gone. 

But it is now raining that I also remember that day, and that’s why I want to befriend the rain---so the dark shadows of the past will fade away. 

Thanks for reading :)