What I miss most in ABS-CBN...

It's almost six months since I left ABS-CBN and I seriously miss the journalist life I nourished while in the news website. Since I can't sleep yet and I arranged some photos earlier, I'm doing another hodgepodge entry of the things I miss in ABS.

Hey, I stayed there for more than two years, I guess this feeling is pretty normal. (People are out of the list, I miss everyone!) This list is not arranged in chronological order.

The Parties

Banapple cake from Ms Charie on Sir Abe's birthday

Ever since Miss Charie became the head of News Online, she always gives us Banapple cakes. But aside from that, almost everyone bring food for the team during their birthdays. From vegetarian siomai to oversized pizzas to pancit Malabon, there's always monthly parties even with breaking stories.

After-election party

After the elections, the News and Current Affairs department arranged a special celebration party for everyone who helped out during the elections. In ABS-CBN, parties were easy to come by, especially after a grueling coverage.

The Coverages

Dotcom made me a journalist. Even if I'm still considered as a new one, I had the taste of the news life while working for ABS-CBN. My first major coverage was the State of the Nation Address (SONA) in 2008, a coverage I was given on my first month with the team.

SONA from the Press Room in the House of Representatives

I wasn't able to pass my article ahead from the others but I remember being told by my editor that I made the right angle to the story. It was a wonderful learning experience for me.

The elections is another memorable experience. During this time, I learned my weaknesses, my strengths, and experienced having my patience (and me) spread thinly. The elections was my dream coverage and even after the recent polls, I still dream of covering the succeeding ones.

The Presidential Candidates during the Inquirer Presidential Debate

Sure I realized that I'm not fit or objective enough to become a journalist during the election period but I learned that all these things are learned from experience. I wouldn't say, though, that the highlight of my then journalistic career was the elections.

Aside from the elections, I miss the minor ones I used to do, the minor stories that never made it to the banner headline but were important nonetheless. I especially miss attending the Friday Balitaan sa Hotel Rembrandt and their endless supply of coffee.

Hotel Rembrandt

In the two years I was with ABS, I learned my biggest weakness: spot reports. Up to now, I am not confident of my spot reports. But if there's one thing I'm pretty good at, those stories belong to the lifestyle feature sections.

Canon Anniversary Celebration at The Establishment, The Fort

And if there's one thing I will definitely miss doing in ABS, its the film reviews. Here, I learned and improved the art of writing reviews for film, for books. I learned writing about profiles too. And I'm rather proud of my profile articles.

Lav Diaz's film about Palawan

I love news writing itself but admittedly, I cannot pace with news. The reason too why I never applied as a reporter for any broadsheet was because I don't think I want to write spot reports at the moment.

The Trips

My brief stint with a travel and lifestyle magazine allowed me to travel the Philippines, but only to see it in its beautiful touristy form. The real face of the Philippines, of travels and tourism, I saw while in ABS-CBN.

Marikina High School

My first out-of-town trip was for a special report on alternative education and my destination was Marikina. The only place I visited in Marikina was Pan de Amerikana but I've never seen its educational side. This was a memorable trip because this was when I made my first special report and the first time I saw a big public school in Manila.

My assignments brought me to Cebu, to Butuan, to Agusan, but the most memorable visit was the one I had with NEDA in Siargao. For a surfing enthusiast, to be able to visit the surfing mecca of the Philippines is an achievement. Sure, I never surfed there but to come and see this side of the country made me blissful.

The All-Nighters

A journalist is always sleep-deprived. In every hour of the day, something is happening and the big ones come at the most unexpected times.

Photo of Purple after we passed our special reports

My favorite companion was Purple. If I go home at 12 midnight, Purple can stay until 5 a.m. to finish stories for dotcom and for Newsbreak. In the few instances that we both finish our stories earlier, we hang out for coffee in front of ELJ.

The View from the Top

Because even if I admit it or not, the view from the 13th floor of ELJ is notable. In the middle of the night, a quick trip to the penthouse relaxes a taxing day at the office. Cool wind, bright Manila lights, standing on a building others look up to, there's no better place for vendo coffee and yosi than here. - 4/19/2011