Entering into a century
My journey with The FREEMAN was an unexpected one. I was an undergraduate student at the University of the Philippines taking up Mass Communication. Between juggling my academics and extra-curricular activities, I fell in love more with what I was doing outside the classroom and that was being an editor-in-chief of the campus paper. It wasn’t an ordinary paper that reported only the good in the university’s administration. Our role was to critique every move that was deemed to be wrong for the students. I was at a very critical position and the role of mothering young writers made it all the more challenging.
One day a message popped up in my Facebook page, it was a woman who introduced herself as the editor-in-chief of The FREEMAN. She mentioned the many mutual connections that we had and finally offered if I would like to write for the paper as a columnist. Me? A columnist? Seriously! I placed myself in so much doubt because I was a neophyte and a student who had no voice in the noisy world. Queenie Bronce, who was the editor, then said: “It’s just like writing your opinion into an essay.” I gave the opportunity a shot. The first time I saw my photo on the paper, I cringed. I can’t believe that a teenager like me would be given a chance to air out my thoughts on issue. I couldn’t forget that my first topic was about the looming Holy Week and what we should do to respect its sanctity.
It is both an agony and an enjoyment to put my thoughts on this space. I am oftentimes met with mental block which drags on to the last minute of the deadline. It is with this opportunity that I received different reactions and was even called to a university’s vice president’s office to be reprimanded for an error I made. The experience of being able to write freely is nothing like anything I have tried.
Now that the paper is now celebrating its 100th year, I feel like my little steps in the paper have contributed to their journey of a century. It was also in this paper that I became an intern for my print journalism subjects and eventually became a contributing correspondent. In many instances was I told that this space would come to a stop, but I am thankful that I am still able to do this.
My gratefulness to The FREEMAN knows no bounds. It has honed me to be the fair and fearless journalist that I am today. There are so many stories to tell, including that of the nightly “stories, people! stories!” yell of the managing editor. I’m glad to be part of this family, although I seldom appear in the newsroom.
Thank you also to the people of Cebu and Central Visayas for their trust. Nothing beats the truth and free press. Now we go onward to the next century.
- Latest
