These are only some of the special coverages in which I was involved with while working as a television reporter for the People’s Television Network (former National Broadcasting Network), Philippines:
OUT-OF-COUNTRY COVERAGES
COVERAGE: Congressional Inquiry on Alleged Arroyo Accounts at the HypoVereinz Bank, Munich, Germany
DATE : 30 January – 5 February 2007
Details: In this story, I got a one-on-one interview with First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo regarding the family’s alleged millions of dollars of stash in the HypoVereinz Bank. I also got a front seat view of the inquiry between the Congressional Committee investigating the said account and the top officials of the bank. There was no such account.
COVERAGE: Senate Consultations on the Absentee Voting Bill, Hongkong and Japan
DATE: 20 – 23 February 2002
Details: This was my first out-of-the-country coverage. Senators of the Republic of the Philippines consulted with Overseas Filipino Workers if they agree on the Overseas Suffrage Law that the Senate was contemplating on at the time. The first leg of their consultations were held in Hong Kong and then in Tokyo, Japan.
IN-COUNTRY NEWS REPORTAGES
ASSIGNMENT: Features Writer, Asean News Desk
DATE: June 2003 – May 2007
Details: For the ASEAN News Desk, the ASEAN-member countries exchange feature stories mostly centered on the culture of each country. The reports are then fed from the Philippines via satellite to Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and vice-versa. The experience of writing for this project while doing my reportage enriched my knowledge of Asian culture.
ASSIGNMENT: Beat Reporter, General/Senate/Congress/Justice/Defense/Foreign Affairs/Health/Education/Tourism
DATE: August 1998 – May 2007
Details: In my almost nine years experience in television reporting, I had the chance to report not only for one topic but for several. Sometimes I would be assigned the top story of the day. There were times that I was also assigned to man the Senate (Tweede Kamer) beat, the Justice Department and the Defense Beat. I also worked as a Reporter at the Foreign Affairs Department, Health, Tourism and Education departments.
I spent the most significant part of my career as a Beat Reporter at the Senate. Before I left my job, I was manning the Defense Beat. But I would always have more fun making Human Interest Stories and those that inform and educate. These assignments turned me into a well-rounded person, writer and journalist.
ASSIGNMENT: Anchor/Reporter, Synchronized SK and Barangay Elections, National Elections, Ouster of Former President Joseph Estrada
DATE: June 2002, May 2001, January 2001
Details: Elections are always crucial in a country. Especially to a developing country like the Philippines.
I have witnessed the changing of presidents during my time as a News Reporter – by mass protest and legal suffrage – and was given the chance to report these to the people.
ASSIGNMENT: Writer-Producer-Reporter, Jeep ni Erap Special Edition, Independence Day Celebrations
DATE: 30 June 1999, 12 June 1999
Details: I considered these two projects significant because while I worked behind the scenes, I was given the chance to Write, Produce and Report altogether. These were special government reportages.
“Jeep ni Erap Special Edition” reported the first year’s work of Former President Estrada while the Independence Day Celebrations in 1999 were especially significant because it was the year after the Centennial Celebration of Philippine Independence.
