the name of the blame

*This is my second paper for my Journalism 103 (opinion writing) class.

Metro Manila is a mess. Roads are congested. Piles of garbage line its streets and fill its waterways. The city reeks of its own filth.

And that was before tropical storm “Ondoy” came.

On the day that over 400 millimeters of rain came pouring from the sky, the mess became a catastrophe. What we left mismanaged and damaged came back to haunt us all.

We stared in awe at the sheer volume of the rising flood waters and asked where all that water came from, knowing all too well that the denuded mountains and hills in the distance held the answer.

We watched helplessly as the homes, factories, and shopping centers of a poorly – if at all – planned metropolis sank in the middle of natural flood plains between the Marikina and Pasig rivers.

We waited desperately for help to come in the midst of the storm, only to be frustrated by news of rescue teams blocked by congested roads and suffering from a lack of equipment.

When the rain finally stopped we picked through huge piles of garbage. Our own trash, disgorged by the very waterways we turned into latrines, plus the debris from all the destroyed buildings and the mud and silt from the mountains, covered all the streets.

Metro Manila is a mess. Roads are congested. Piles of garbage line its streets and fill its waterways. The city reeks of its own filth.

This is after tropical storm “Ondoy” left.

In the days after the storm, thousands of volunteers picked up the pieces and gave food and supplies to those ravaged by the floods. Unfortunately, such a picture of one nation and one people engaged in bayanihan was not meant to last.

That fleeting moment of national unity was quickly overshadowed by politicians, personalities, and people all pointing fingers and blaming each other for the disaster that brought the capital to its knees.

Critics slammed the national government’s feeble disaster-response capability, even though the blocked roads prevented the rescue teams from getting to where they were needed most.

They scored the weather bureau, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), for not warning the people about the amount of rain brought by “Ondoy”, even though the tools for doing so were not available.

They blamed the managers of the metropolis’ drainage system for not opening the pumps out of the city, even though doing so would have entailed pumping water into already full rivers.

But these critics need not look far for those who are ultimately to blame for last month’s deluge. They only have to look in front of them, behind them, beside them, around them, within them, for the cause of the disaster.

Yes. We are all to blame.

Our mad rush to build a city caused us to irresponsibly put houses and infrastructure in hazardous areas. Urban planning took a back seat to profit-making.

Our disregard for proper waste management filled our drains, our creeks, and our rivers with garbage that so congested the waterways that the water had nowhere to go but into our living rooms.

Our disrespect for the law led us to tolerate squatters who blocked the main drainage channels out of the city and added to the congestion of our waterways.

Our greed led us to strip the mountains bare of trees and plants, leaving our watersheds without any cover at all from the rains.

Our ignorance kept us from preparing for the inevitable, with money going into worthless endeavors such as junkets abroad instead of proper disaster response equipment, adequate warning systems, and Doppler radars which could have warned us of the amount of rain brought by “Ondoy”.

At the end of it all, we are left with what we have sown.

Now, let us plant new seeds in the mud left by this disaster. Let us learn from our mistakes, and not repeat them in the future, lest we suffer another “Ondoy”.

up for freshies

***

This is my final paper for one of my Journalism classes.

***

First off, let me welcome you to the University of the Philippines. You are now an Iskolar ng Bayan, one of the few who make it into the premier university of the country.

You are now entering a new world where you will learn new things and face new challenges.

Life in UP is not like life in high school. You will be on your own in this new world; no one will be there to hold your hand or to tell you what to do.

During my first week as a UP student, I got lost a lot of times. I simply did not know where to go.

The UP campus is huge. There are many buildings and places to go to. As freshmen, there are five places you have to know by heart, besides your home college of course.

Number one: Palma Hall.

A lot of your time will be spent here, as most of the general education subjects are held in this building. It will be hard to miss, as all the jeepneys in UP pass either in front or behind it. Just look for the huge columns and the famous steps where students go to meet friends, to study, or to just pass the time.

Of course, it was not that simple for me during my first days in UP. All the jeepneys do pass Palma Hall (or AS, for Arts and Sciences), you just have to know what to look for. At that time I did not know anything about the campus, let alone which building was which, so I often went right past Palma Hall. Here's a tip: when you see a lot of people –as in A LOT of people- that would most likely be Palma Hall.

Another thing about AS is that it does not have 4000 rooms. My first class there was at PH 4124, and I had absolutely no idea where that was. Guess what I did.

I followed every room since I did believe then that there were 4000 rooms. So I went from the first floor to the fourth floor looking for PH 4124. I did find room 1001 at the ground floor, but by then I was already huffing and puffing, not to mention extremely late for my class.

I finally gave up, swallowed my pride, and asked the nearest security guard where my class was. It turned out that I was in the wrong building. Besides the huge main building, Palma Hall has four pavilions and one annex. The room numbers do not show the actual number of rooms, they are location codes. As such, PH 4124 is read as Palma Hall Pavillion 4, 1^st floor, Room 24.

One thing you must always remember is that there is nothing wrong with asking questions. Ask for help if and when you need it. It is more embarrassing to not ask and be wrong in the end.

Of course, you should be wary of one thing. When looking for TBA, do not ask upperclassmen. Most UP students, if not all, seem to find this as an excuse to play a prank on unsuspecting freshies like you. I know I did. But I'm turning over a new leaf. To save you the trouble of asking, TBA means "to be announced" and not "top of Business Administration" or "Teodoro Benigno Annex".

Number two: Gonzalez Hall.

Also known as the Main Library, this is the building seen behind the Sunken Garden. It is just a short walk from Palma Hall. Much of your time MUST be spent here, since many of your classes will require research. Books, people. Wikipedia is overrated. And there are a lot of books here. I'm a voracious reader, and in five years I've read barely 1% of all the books in the library. You will most likely be using three sections of the Main Library: General Reference, Social Sciences, and Filipiniana. The General Reference and Social Science sections are on the first floor; from the entrance, GenRef is to the left and SocSci is to the right. The Filipiniana section is at the ground floor; go down the stairs to the left of the entrance.

Of the three, the best place to be would be the General Reference section. It is airy and quiet, easily conducive to sleeping. Just kidding. This is where you will find the free Wi-Fi service courtesy of DILNET. However, Friendster cannot be accessed from here.

Most of the readings for your classes will be found at the Social Science and Filipiniana sections, unless your professors are kind enough to have photocopied the needed books beforehand (which is very rare) or if they are at the Shopping Center, which would be the next stop on our tour.

Before we move on though, remember that there are also other libraries scattered all over the campus. Every college has its own library. Some of your readings may only be found in one or two of the different college libraries, so be prepared to go library hopping.

Number three: the Shopping Center.

Just an Ikot ride away from Palma Hall or a short walk from the Main Library, everything you could possibly need can be found here. There is a grocery store with all the food and supplies you will need. There are a lot of computer shops here for your printing, typing, and research needs. Yes, you can access Friendster here. Most of the photocopying shops are here too, along with some of your required readings.

The food shops here –Rodics, especially- are some of the best –and the cheapest- in the entire campus.

You can also find UP memorabilia, clothes, eyeglasses, school supplies, even rare movies. I only found out about the latter a few days ago. Try to go to the second floor of the first shop (Mister Donut) in the left wing of the building. Along with pocket books are hard-to-find movies, series, and computer programs; all of which can be bought cheap.

With the high cost of tuition nowadays, you need all the breaks you can get.

Number four: the Sunken Garden.

Life in UP is not all about studying. Don't get me wrong, it's very important to study here. However, all work and no play is boring, not to mention dangerous. You have to strike a balance between the two; you run the risk of burning out if you do not take some time out to relax.

This is where the Sunken Garden comes in. Found behind the Main Library, you would be hard pressed to miss this vast expanse of green. This is undeniably one of the best places to relax and unwind after a day of exams, reports, and papers. The tall acacia trees provide shade from the sun, and the air is almost always cool.

People come here to hang out with friends, play games, or just to sit and think. Kite flying, football, Ultimate Frisbee, baseball, badminton… The list of what you could do there is endless.

When I find the time to go there I just sit on the grass and watch the clouds or the people playing in the field. Sometimes I bring a book along with me.

The Sunken Garden is not the only place in UP where you can relax though. There are many other parks throughout the campus, foremost of which is the Lagoon. Found between the UP Theater and the Vargas Museum, this is the place to go for total peace and quiet.

The Lagoon opens up to the Amphitheatre and our next and last stop: Quezon Hall.

Number five: Quezon Hall.

To everything there must be an end. Our stay in UP will eventually come to an end, and the only way we should meet that end is by going through Quezon Hall.

The Oblation statue (or a copy of it) can be found in front of the tall columns of the building facing University Avenue. Behind Quezon Hall is the Amphitheatre, an expanse of grass comparable to the Sunken Garden but used for a different purpose.

This is where graduation ceremonies are held. If you study hard, in four to five years you will be one of the many white-clad students standing in the Amphitheatre waiting to be awarded their diplomas.

The ultimate goal for all of us should be to finish our courses, get our degrees, and share our knowledge and experience with the outside world.

As an Iskolar ng Bayan, a UP graduate must use the education and training given to him by the Filipino people to serve the Filipino nation.

That's it for our short "tour" of the University of the Philippines Diliman Campus. Remember that these are not the only places to see in the campus. I leave the others to you. Explore the place; you might find something new and unusual.

Good luck and enjoy your stay in UP!

a catalyst for truth

***This is a paper I wrote for yet another of my Journalism classes.

A CATALYST FOR TRUTH

It is only my first semester as a BA Journalism student, but I already have a good idea of what my life would be like after I graduate from college. Thanks to this interview assignment, I had a taste of what real journalists do out there in the field.

In our search for two broadcast journalists to interview, John and I went on a sort-of "Amazing Race" around Quezon City, visiting places which, until then, I didn't know existed. This assignment required us to find and interview one broadcast journalist from radio and one from television. We opted to go directly to a TV station and see if we could 'ambush' one unsuspecting reporter so in the early morning of November 23 we went to the Broadcast City, a place not far from UP where the offices and studios of RPN-9 and IBC-13 plus a radio station were located. However, we found out that we could not just walk up and interview people; we needed to have an appointment first. The guards there told us to try our luck at the Quezon City Hall instead. Unfortunately, when we got there all of the reporters assigned to that beat were out covering a story. The lone man in the press office referred us to a reporter named Angie Dela Cruz at the Land Transportation Office near Kamuning.

So far, this was the closest we got to finally getting to interview a reporter, so we went there only to find out that all the broadcast journalists there were also out looking for stories. Ms. Dela Cruz however was very accommodating, and she called up some of her friends in broadcasting. She set up an appointment with Alex Tinsay, a reporter for GMA-7, and she also told us to try the Central Police District in Kamuning, as she knew some of the radio broadcasters assigned there. That was how we got to meet radio broadcaster Danilo Santos at the Central Police District Press Office on November 26. However, due to unfortunate circumstances, I could not get there on time so John handled much of that interview by himself.

That same day, at lunch time, we went to the Department of Agrarian Reform to meet Alex Tinsay. It was my turn to be the interviewer, and I must say that I was really nervous then as it was the first time that I interviewed someone all by myself. The following is my attempt to translate that interview into a report.

***

"A catalyst for truth": that is what a good broadcast journalist is -should be- according to veteran reporter Alex Tinsay.

In an interview at the Department of Agrarian Reform Press Office last November 26, we asked Mr. Tinsay what being a broadcast journalist was all about.

Aside from being a catalyst for truth, Mr. Tinsay told us that a good broadcast journalist should also be driven, hardworking, and equipped.

He further explained that 'being equipped' meant being well-versed in current events, being able to research the background of stories, going by the ethics of journalism, and being able to dig out the truth.

When asked about the skills needed in broadcast journalism, Mr. Tinsay highlighted both the ability to determine the newsworthiness of a story on the spot and the ability to get both sides of the story.

Aside from these, the skills learned in school are also important, and when asked about the academic qualifications needed for the job Mr. Tinsay replied that every broadcast journalist should be a graduate of a mass communication course to ensure the quality of the broadcasting industry. He considered 'pseudo-journalism' a problem, as this often leads to news agenda and sensationalism.

Proper training is very important according to Mr. Tinsay. He doesn't believe in "getting people from nowhere and putting them on cam(era)" and having them report the news. Instead of having mere newsreaders, he wants to have newspersons that are credible. To him, one must "go through the ranks", so to speak, starting from the bottom –first becoming a production assistant or writer- before going on camera.

Mr. Tinsay considers broadcast journalism as a profession. Being a broadcast journalist entails heavy responsibility and the obligation to be a watchdog of society. Broadcast journalists must contribute to shaping or molding the opinion of society and they must give the people a better perspective on what is happening all around them for the good of society. Finally, broadcast journalists must work to expose all the lies and deception in society so as to "create a world that fits us all", a democratic society wherein everyone is free and has the opportunity "to rise up and reach his maximum potential".

He shared with us how he became a reporter at GMA-7. He said that he always had an "obsession to become an announcer, a 'news-cam person'". He started out as a radio broadcaster at the Far East Broadcasting Company but, given his obsession, he was not contented with being on radio; he wanted to be on TV. Someone later told him about an opening at GMA-7, so he applied there as a news writer.

This was where his 'big break' came in.

One Halloween night, a fire broke out at the Department of Labor. 5 people had died in the blaze, and ABS-CBN was already reporting the story. So far, GMA-7 had been silent, as the news anchors, Tina Palma and Raffy Marcelo, had already gone home for the holiday. Mr. Tinsay was the only one left at the newsroom, as he was the so-called balagoong, the new guy. The news director tried to recall the anchors, but they could not locate them. In desperation, the news director decided to put Mr. Tinsay on air. He still remembers his first words on live television: "Good evening ladies and gentlemen. This is Alex Tinsay straight from the newsroom of GMA-7. A fire broke out at the Department of Labor..." The impressed news director hired him on the spot, and the rest is history.

Mr. Tinsay attributed his success to preparation -he kept a good set of clothes with him just for such an event- and to practice.

To aspiring broadcast journalists, Mr. Tinsay said that there are only two ways to learn: the hard way or the easy way. "If you learn the hard way, it would be better. There is no shortcut to the ladder of success." Aspiring broadcast journalists should not be afraid of menial tasks and should be ready to sacrifice and give their all, as journalism "is a 24/11 job". However, he adds, it can all be very rewarding, as we would get to see the story unfold before our eyes.

"You are not told (what is happening); you are there as the story is happening."

***

"You are there." That is one of the reasons why I want to become a journalist in the future. Yes, aside from the skills and the experience I would be able to get and apply if I ever take up law, I want to be "there" when history is made.

The challenge, however, is in being "a catalyst for truth". How does one ensure that the truth comes out when there are a lot of obstacles –some can even cost you your life- in the way? How can one avoid being corrupted by the power given by the ability to control the flow of information?

From what I've heard during John's interview, I can say that Danilo Santos and Alex Tinsay believe in the same things, even though they work in two different areas.

They both consider broadcast journalism as a profession. Mr. Santos told us stories of media men who "received envelopes" and became rich, even though reporting the news was not a very high paying job. He told us not to follow their example, so as to maintain the professionalism of journalism.

Both value hard work. Mr. Santos kept telling us about the importance of research; about always checking the background of stories and digging deeper into them to find out the truth.

If there ever is one thing I will never forget from this exercise, it is that broadcast journalism is all about getting the truth. You find the true story and report it as best you can to the people. It is not all glitz and glamour; hard work is the norm and patience is a requirement, and compensation can be non-existent. Also, listening to both Danilo Santos and Alex Tinsay made me appreciate more their assertion that this job, this profession, can be very fulfilling and rewarding. It's not in their words, it's in how they said those words that you see how passionate and how happy they are in doing their jobs.

Now that I'm concluding this assignment, I finally understand what they meant. After all the hard work we went through, after going to nearly every single press office in Quezon City, after the interviews and the writing and the editing, I felt a sense of accomplishment. The experience was very rewarding.

In the end, it was all worth it.

It’s astronomy, stupid

***This is a paper I wrote for one of my Journalism classes. I'll be posting some of my other papers sometime soon.

IT'S ASTRONOMY, STUPID

Star light, star bright

First star I see tonight

I wish I may, I wish I might

Have the wish I wish tonight

Who hasn't wished upon a star? I used to recite the rhyme above when I was little, usually with hopes of getting this or that new toy or book. I remember sitting on the window sill, looking up at the sky at dusk as the stars started to twinkle. What is it with stars anyway? They are just tiny points of light in the black of night, right?

Wrong. The stars are more than just bright dots in the sky. They are more important than you think. You learn that –and more- when you study Astronomy.

First off, let's get one thing clear: Astronomy is NOT the same as Astrology. This is one problem I've encountered a little too often with a lot of people; fellow UP students, high school teachers, and even National Bookstore are the worst examples. It's really annoying to have to correct people about this every time, so I'm saying it here and now: it's Astronomy, not Astrology. It's UP Astronomical Society, not Astrological Society. Philip's Astronomy Handbook is not in the same line as Chinese Astrological handbooks.

Astrology is the same with Astronomy only in the sense that both observe the meanderings of celestial bodies. It is also worth noting that both have a shared history; before the Renaissance, Astronomy and Astrology were one and the same thing. It was only the advent of scientific reasoning which differentiated the two into the disciplines we know now.

Astrology diverges from Astronomy by going beyond scientific study and into the realm of divination, superstition, and even religion by relating the movements and placements of stars and planets to past, present, and even future events here on Earth. In short, astrologers believe that everything that happens here is influenced –even determined- by the cosmos.

What is Astronomy then? Wikipedia defines Astronomy as the scientific study of celestial objects (such as stars, planets, comets, and galaxies) and phenomena that originate outside the Earth's atmosphere (such as cosmic background radiation). It is concerned with the evolution, physics, chemistry, meteorology, and motion of celestial objects, as well as the formation and development of the universe. Astronomy does not try to relate celestial events with your mood nor does it try to predict who is going to be lucky or not in the New Year.

Sounds daunting? Just remember this: Astronomy is simply the study of everything beyond our own little planet, from the Solar System to the farthest reaches of the known universe.

Still too heavy? Don't fret. The good thing about Astronomy is that you do not need a doctorate in Physics to partake in it. Of course there is Math involved –formulas, equations, calculations- but you can safely ignore it and still enjoy the wonders of the cosmos.

Don't get me wrong though. Astronomy IS a science, but it is one science which is easily accessible to anyone, not only to the so-called "geeks" or "nerds". As I said, you don't need a doctorate in Physics to participate in it. It's really quite simple; you only need your eyes. Binoculars are good, and even a simple telescope would be better, but to "do" Astronomy, your eyes would suffice.

While professional astronomers do try to unravel the secrets of the universe –searching for extraterrestrial life, determining how everything began and how everything will end, exploring the planets of our solar system, etc.- we, as amateur astronomers, can just observe and take in the grandeur of the night sky. The majority of people who are interested in Astronomy are simply sightseers who want to know what's what in the sky over their heads.

So what is in the sky over our heads? Obviously, there is the Moon. Here in the Philippines we can also see the constellations of the northern hemisphere which include the well-known Orion, Ursa Major, and Cassiopeia. With a good telescope, the details of planets such as Saturn or Jupiter can also be seen. Nebulae are also visible, if you know where to look. A comet can pass by from time to time, and then there are the annual meteor showers… Whew. There is a lot more to see, but I will run out of space trying to fit them all here.

Aside from the "wow" factor, there are also more practical uses for knowing the stars. No, it's not the horoscope –that's Astrology. Knowing the positions of stars can aid you in finding your way around. In fact, the exploration of the world would have been extremely difficult –if not impossible- without the aid of the stars. Certain stars and constellations are visible at defined locations. Take for example the star Polaris. If you know where it is, you would be able to know where north is –that's why it's called the North Star. But how do you find Polaris? I'm sure you know the Big Dipper –it's not a constellation, by the way. It's an asterism, a pattern in the sky. A constellation is a region of the sky which is defined by a set of stars present at that location. Now the Big Dipper –part of the constellation Ursa Major- points toward a single star. That star is Polaris. It's easier than it sounds, believe me.

You would also be able to tell time –what hour it is, what month it is, and what season it is- by looking at the stars and the Moon. It's hard to discuss it here, but the simple explanation is that since the Earth revolves around the Sun, the locations of the stars in the sky change relative to where the Earth is at that point in time. The Moon will help tell what hour it is by its location in the sky and by what phase –crescent, gibbous, full- it is in.

Finally, knowledge of Astronomy can give you valuable insights in culture and history. People have been looking up at the stars ever since we have been here on this planet, and a lot of myths and legends, traditions and practices, and superstitions and beliefs are based on what our ancestors saw in the sky. You don't even have to look far for an example.

Here in our country, the indigenous peoples have been practicing Astronomy even before Magellan was born. Just recently, the Philippine Daily Inquirer published an article by Prof. Dante Ambrosio about how people called the Samas used and interpreted the skies. Would you believe that ancient Filipinos had their own versions of the constellations, that they had names for the stars? Read the Inquirer Talk of the Town article "'Mamahi:' Stars of Tawi-tawi" (PDI 01/26/2008) to find out more.

Astronomy is a fascinating science. It can also be a very rewarding experience. I should know; for the past three years I've been a member of the UP Astronomical Society, and much of what I have written here comes from my own experience. But don't take my word for it.

Try it for yourselves. Instead of just lying down and watching television tonight get out of your house and look up at the stars. Who knows, one of your wishes might be fulfilled.

Ad astra per aspera.