MAJOR, MAJOR DAY

November 5, 2010

Excitement along with pressure is bugging me up on my first official duty as an intern in Sun.Star Superbalita. I really woke up early to start my day right. But I just can’t help myself to be very nervous, I just don’t know why. I mean it’s not the first time I’m going to do this because I’ve already been exposed to this kind of work when I took up my news writing major last two years ago. But safe to say it’s just normal for a second timer like me. While, I was heading towards Fuente Police Station, I do admit that I had second thoughts of approaching the police officer but I really tried my best to conquer that fear and asked for the police blotter. As I was scanning the pages of the blotter, I’ve realized that not all stories are worth writing for, especially those petty crimes. Unfortunately, I haven’t find any news worthy story. Hence, I decided to leave. My next stop was at Camp Sotero Cabahug at Gorordo Avenue. I directly proceeded to the homicide section, and thank God I found a story – a shooting alarm. I immediately wrote what’s inside the blotter but looks like some information were missing so I asked the police officer about the said incident but he failed to answer my question. He just told me to wait for the investigator who was still responding an alarm. So, I opted to wait.



PO3 Ruth Violango of CCPO



       Few minutes later, a tall and beautiful policewoman entered the office. She was PO3 Ruth Violango - who would have thought she was a police officer? Anyways, she was the who recorded and investigated the said shooting alarm. So, I asked her few questions and I was just so glad she answered my queries. But before living the homicide section, PO3 Violango asked me if I want to get the other alarm they have responded. I was overwhelmed and in no time I grabbed the opportunity and wrote the details of the said alarm – a dead person alarm. After writing and asked follow-up questions, I decided to leave the office. I was supposed to be going early to the Superbalita office to write my story but I’ve realized that my cellphone was empty battery. Thus, I decided to go home to charge my phone. Good thing, when I opened my phone, I saw Ms. Jennette’s text about a certain seminar held in Sudlon that we have to attend– luckily it’s just near our place. Thus, I hurriedly went there. When I arrived, my co-interns where already there and the seminar had already started. But still I didn't have any worries because Sir Roger had just arrived as well as Ms. Carmi Cavanlit of ABS-CBN’s TV Patrol Central Visayas.

   The seminar was all about the formal launching of the “Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTBMLE)” program. And highlighted with the presence of Rep. Magtanggol Gunigundo of Valunzuela City. The seminar was really interesting and full of insights about the Cebuano language proposed to be taught in school. But what’s more extraordinary was the press conference held after the seminar. It was a working lunch and it was attended by distinguished guests and personalities. The said seminar was graced by no other than the owner and publisher of Sun.Star Cebu, Atty. Jesus B. Garcia along with Mayor Adelino Sitoy, Dr. Recardo Borgonia of Dep-Ed 7 and other important names in the society. The thing was we were supposed to ask them questions but it was ironic, in a sense, that we were the once asked and put in a “hot seat”. Nevertheless, I find the experience memorable because I’ve meet other media practitioners like Melanie Rosales from The Freeman, Rebelander Basilan of SunStar Cebu, Candese Mongaya of Cebu Daily News and of course Mr. Nikko Sereno of GMA-7 who was with Ms. Darlane Sino-Cruz. After the seminar, we finally went to the office to write our story. Indeed it was a very long day full of major, major events and surprises.