ESL Experience Explosive

Teaching is one of the easiest thing to do but it can also be considered as one of the most difficult on the other hand. Accepting the fact that teaching requires talent, skill, style and most of all patience. Teaching also come up with mastery on your students on what did they learned from you as you teach them.

Being an ESL (English as Second Language) teacher is not that easy and not that hard either. Even up until now I'm asking myself how did I got the job and finished my contract after a month. Well as a matter of fact it is only a month. It was a very unforgettable experience for me as a young media practioner to be exposed on other form of media wherein you as yourself is the media trying to reach out for those who hasn't have English on their vocabulary.

I started my practicum training at La Consolacion College-Manila in Mediola as an ESL teacher last January 14 to teach English to Korean students from Gyeangnam Provincial College of Geochang and ended last February 8.

I can consider my experience of teaching as one of the most memorable of all because not only I've enjoyed my work but I had also attached myself to my students even though it is only a month. ESL is only a monthly program of LCCM to offer a special treatment of teaching english for other countries around Southeast Asia like Korea, Japan, Malaysia and others. As of now I have heard that Japanese are going to visit them and those Japanese go here and learn English also just like the Koreans a month ago.

It’s like a roller coaster ride in which each and every day you come in to work your boss is going to nag you for the things you don't have any cause but during your work, your students will just calm you down and they will make you feel better. I know that I'm considered as underemployed but treating me like a no one or a none existence at all is not good indeed.

I really enjoy teaching all of them even if it is only for a short time. They respect me as their teacher and not treating me as one of them considering we are on the same age. Some of them are very good in English but having a hard time to speak in English. They are not dumbed as most of us know because of their language and their way of speaking their language but actually they were very smart. It is just they were not born with knowledge of the English language. And since their new President requires all of them to learn English to get a better job. That's why in return they find our country to be one of their choices to be a training ground of English due to our ranking across the globe as second next to United States of America.

Maybe I can't consider myself as good English speaker but ESL made me one. I'm just thanking God for giving me the strength every day when I go to work and guiding me all throughout my practicum training. The knowledge He has given to me to speak English fluently in front of the class everytime there is class discussion.

A month of teaching is very short as compare to what we experience like our teachers and professors. ESL is also considered as an informal way of teaching in which you'll just grade your student based on what you see on him or her.

It's kind of funny when some of my students is looking at their Korean-English Dictionary in their phones because some of them doesn't know how to express what they want to say in English. I have learned that the Koreans doesn't want to have a difficult and very stressful exam and also they really like to give promises in which it is not meant to be broken.

Another thing is don't you ever try to tell them secret because a Korean secret is like when you told one of them the secret, that student will tell another student and try to say its only between the two of them and then it would go from mouth-to-mouth up until the whole class will know your secret and that is what you call Korean secret.

While teaching them English, I also try to teach them a little of our language - Filipino. I just don't like to see them being curious to what others may say about them. And then in return they also teach me Hangul - Korean language.

I can say that every day in my work is a challenge in which it is another day to burn. I had experience to almost lose my patience and temper.

Another thing I won't forget is when after the graduation each of my Man-to-Man students on my Listening and Speaking Class gave me a gift. They say it is their way of thanking me to what I have taught them. It is a token of appreciation to my effort during the program. One of my students gave a pair of an NBA socks, the other one gave an NBA t-shirt, the other one is an NBA head band and then they also gave me a picture of our class framed. They know that I really love basketball so they gave me that. I was very surprised and overwhelmed. Because NBA items are too expensive for a normal guy like me to bought those kind of stuffs.

Choi Soo Bong (James) is a returnee student from last year's batch. He is one of best students that we had. He is very good in English now and he also plays basketball. Before they went to the bus for their flight back to Korea, he gave me his ball. A Molten GG7 Fiba Asia Ball which is estimatedly cost about P 1,500 here. He said he wants me to use it to my everyday practice.

I will never forget all of them specially my students Lee Jin Hui (Jenny), Eo Chan Sun (Owen) and Son Young Sang (Richboy). They really made my practicum training as their teacher very memorable. And even today they are in Korea with their family; they still manage to try to contact me through facebook.

I know this is not the kind of job that I would fit in but this is the kind of job where I see myself happy and enjoying. Writing is my passion and it has been a part of my life since I was a little kid but I'm not expecting that I also have the gift of teaching where I really expressed myself and share everything I know.

I'm just glad now that I have finished my practicum training and just preparing for myself on graduation day!

TV5 Internship: High Five for Fantastic Experience

         First, I want to highlight my favorite quote - “Make your passion your profession” – Rancho on movie 3 idiots. The only quote that never erased in my mind. Because I believe that if you want it, pursue it, strive for it, grab it and share it.

        My whole journey in my internship was very blissful and unforgettable. Unforgettable in the means of there are so many happy moments that I’ll never ever forget and most importantly, I learned a lot in my OJT for almost 2 ½ months. I enjoy it so much though I did not write in this internship but all in all, I’m very happy and fortunate to have a chance working here as a trainee. In the first place, having my internship here in TV5, one of the top TV stations in the country, was a big plus to me knowing that this company is very reliable as well as popular. Special thanks to Ms. Rossana who helped, backed up and endorsed me and assisting me such as passing my resume, to be easier to go through here in TV5.

double-checking the log sheet for advancing commercials

placing all confirmation report in a box

            What I really like in my entire internship was I gained so much knowledge on how a TV network such as TV5 circulated where others can’t see; viewers only see the programs showing on the TV. Before the orientation, Ms. Roxanne (HR department) told me that I would not be able to be in the news department because they acquired trainees there only during summer so they put me in the Airtime Management Department (AMD) since this is the closest department related to my course which is Journalism. When orientation about to start, I’m a little bit nervous because I thought there’s an interview but thank God there’s no any interview, only mini lecture regarding the background of the company. Honestly, when I heard that they assigned me in the Airtime department, I don’t have any idea what will I do there but day goes on; I started to enjoy the everyday works in the department. Most of the time, I worked on logging the advanced commercials and computing the everyday plugs. In first especially the computing of plug, I find it hard because I’m not so familiar with MS Excel but as days and weeks pass, I became faster and can do it not looking on my notebook the steps on how to do it. But I like it in the sense that there’s numbers in computing the plugs because I love numbers. Sometimes, I also do plotting the commercial loads and it was easy because you will only encode it but make sure you will not make any mistakes. In doing the advanced commercials, searching and dragging only but you need so much focus for you to perfect it and not commit some mistakes. You need to double check it after you finished logging it. I had so much fun with it.

arranging materials

compiling files 'Clearance for Airing'

         All in all, with my staying in the TV5, I learned many things, that are the real essence of OJT - to increase your knowledge and discover something new. I want to thanks all people in the Airtime Management Department, my very kind supervisor Ma’am Vien, Ma’am Pops, Sir Rai, Sir Kevin and the whole staff of the department and to all my OJT mates, I will be miss you all. God bless you all. Thank you for being part of my internship.

            One thing also that I will be missing is the everyday tiring trip from Paranaque to Novaliches. :) :) :)

97.9 Home Radio in an Off-Air feat. DJ Alex

DWQZ, broadcasting as 97.9 Home Radio, is the flagship FM station of Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, based in Citystate Center, Shaw Blvd., Pasig City, Philippines. Operates for 24 Hours and one of the active stations during Holy Week of each year, replacing its regular format to some words from the Bible and Reflections every hour in between songs playing.

Home Radio follows an easy listening program format. Soft adult contemporary music make up the majority of songs in the master playlist of this fully automated radio station. This format was introduced in 2000 by Nestor De Guzman Doria, now Home Radio FM Network Program Director. This format was an immediate success, increasing Home Radio's ratings and earning the title "#1 Easy Listening Station" in Metro Manila in a matter of Six Months. This format was then adapted and implemented to the provincial stations.

Being fully automated, Home Radio has canned spiels and liners. This includes time checks, song sponsorships and other announcements. Since 2009, it has a few female DJs on board, following the less talk, more music style. The station, which projects a female image, launched the first fully automated 24-hour disc jockey Jackie (Lannie Chan), last October 16, 2006.

One of the Disc jockeys we interviewed was DJ Alex in the category of Opinion writer for Broadcast. Her real name is Marjillet Soriano who was graduated from St. Paul-Quezon City with a bachelor’s degree of Mass Communication by the year 2005.

Before she gets into radio, she had been a call center agent on the SPN 21 and a researcher and event organizer for 3 years.

After this, her career in Home  radio had been started as DJ Alex. She engaged in traffic report and commercials. We can catch up her from Monday to Saturday at 6-9pm.

Asked by what is ineteresting in their job, she said that meeting a lot of people. She also pointed that working with music as she plays her favorites is the good thing in this field.

About their role in society, she stressed that informing the public and entertain  the people through playing music is their vital task.

We also asked her about what are the tips she can give to the aspirants of their profession as being DJ. She stated that a DJ must to be careful to the choice of words. In disc jockeying, we must to be talkative discussing to our listeners the latest trends, issues and fashions. She also adviced that it is good to never stop learning eventhough we are already in the field.

A Decades of his Journalistic Writings

Malaya means "free" in the Filipino language. Founded in 1981 as a Tagalog newspaper by Jose Burgos Jr., Malaya shifted to English when its sister publication, We Forum, was closed down by the Marcos government in 1983 after it came out with a story exposing the fake medals of former strongman. 
During the politically Marcos troubled years of 1983 to 1986, Malaya was at the forefront of giving the public the truth.
The end of the Marcos regime in February 1986 brought changes to the ownership of Malaya. Burgos sold the newspaper to veteran journalist Amado "Jake " P. Macasaet, who was then Malaya's business editor.
Throughout all these changes, Malaya has adhered to its mission of giving the public the truth fairly and responsibly. The commitment continues.
We exclusively visited their office at Leyland Bldg, 20th cor. Railroad St. Port Area, Manila to have an interview to some of their editors, writers and columnists. We are very glad that they entertained our invitation to have insights to their office. They are very hospitable indeed knowing that we are students and just having our researches. There, we got our luck. We had interviewed the Executive Editor of the Manila Business Insights, Mr. Enrique Romualdez.
At his age of 85 years old, he is still a hard-working staff behind the Malaya. He is graduated from UP Diliman in 1950 with a degree of AB English. Writing is his passion that made him to take his second degree as scholar in North Western University where he took up Masteral Degree in Journalism.
His career on news writing was on Manila Times where he assigned to sports section. Then, he had also been a part of Daily Express. Until, he had started on Malaya in 1989.
Asked by what should be the driving force to pursue this field, he said “You should have a passion and experience on this”. He also counted that we should enjoy what we are doing.
His role as an Executive Editor is to ensure that the all writing works of his writers are in right before the publication. Something that ahead from Editor-in-Chief.
Unfortunately, he will get his retirement by next year.
We also asked what advices he can give to the aspiring journalist of this time; he said “If we have our passion, pursue it!” He also said that first thing on being a journalist is to enhance your English communication skills and keep reading to gather some vocabulary words to your knowledge bank.

An Interview with a Sports Writer- His Untold Stories of Pursuits

MR. FRANCIS SANTIAGO(Manila Bulletin Sports columnist)

Mr Francis Santiago has been a sports writer for four years. He was finishing his Bachelor in Journalism in University of Sto. Thomas and was currently having a part time job at a cement company as a PR writer when he got bored in the office and decided to apply to Manila Bulletin.  Fresh from graduation, he became a one of Manila Bulletin’s pride.

Mr. Santiago declares that he has no plan to be journalist.  He never joins the school organ but his mother urges him to pursue journalism.  He then wrote for UST's The Flame and got an On the Job Training on Philippine Star with beat Sandigan Bayan, opening him on hand on the Estrada plunder case.

He then started in Manila Bulletin as news writer but his mentor at that time did not focus on teaching him and published his works as his mentor's works. He questioned that system and told the main chair and got pulled out to Bulletin to be at Tempo as a sports writer. The publication noticed him and pulled him out again to be still a sports writer in Manila Bulletin.

Becoming a sports writer for Manila Bulletin had been though job for Mr. Santiago at first,  but he later on fell in love with the job because of the adventure he gets and the fact that becoming a sports writer led him to places abroad with all expensed paid.

He writes emotionally, making the readers feel that his work is different from other writers. He is more significant in quotes and starts his lead with striking lines.

The youth in Mr. Santiago’s blood became his source of inspiration to fellow aspiring sports writer.

The Proper Interview        

The exclusive interview was took place in Manila Bulletin Main Office inside the Intramuros, Manila. It is nearly hitting 5:00pm. Intense downpours were occurring outside that’s why Mr. Francis Santiago didn’t come on time as 4:00pm. He just dropped by that time to the office for his daily reports and took our interview on him. He first familiarize us on the different departments we passed by and we see how busy employees are because that was the time of their deadlines for their articles to be published. And finally, he invited us to come in on an isolated room for his interview. The interview falls with this:

(We first asked him on his background…)

Interviewer: Sir, what is exciting about Sports Journalism?

Sir Francis Santiago:  Tours! (He directs to the point) When you are writing for sports coverage you always assigned by your newspaper company where the big sport event being held. Actually, I was sent in Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam where some intercontinental sports event like SEA Games took place. I hope I can also get to Singapore. Actually, since my current beat is Philippine Azkals, I was about to go to Kuwait but due to some circumstances, the company told me to have broadcast coverage instead.

Interviewer: What is difference between news and sports news article?

Sir Francis: Well… we can see it with the right choose of the words and also in their writing format. In Sports, we are always using some flowery adjectives to describe how extreme the action happened since this is a sport filled with actions. And off course, the sports writers are always bringing their readers to the event though the game was already happened. We are always tickling the imagination of our readers.

Interviewer: What is your sports coverage waterloo?

Sir Francis: I’m getting a problem on covering the Bowling and Chess because I’m not familiarized with these Sports. In Sports writing, it is important to be knowledgeable on the sports you are covering. You know the rules and some widely used jargons of it. That’s very important.

Interviewer: What can you say about Envelopmental Journalism?

Sir Francis: (He’s in a moment of thinking)… It is natural to the Sports event organizers to give gifts to the reporters who are on coverage for their event as part of their token of appreciation. Yes, I have received shoes and gift checks but I didn’t mean it as a bribe or envelopmental journalism. The organizers didn’t give me gifts to go against somebody by defaming their critics. As long as you are not laying your foot on one’s dignity that is not Envelopmental Journalism I think. Well, it’s up to you guys on your conceptualization on this.          

Interviewer: Actually Sir our professor didn’t miss to remind us on that that’s why we asked you to clarify this. Ok… moving on, what is your advice to our aspiring Sports Journalism Enthusiasts?   

Sir Francis: Read! (He said directly) Always reading any kind of publishes write ups will help you to enhance your vocabulary and also the way you write your news articles. Actually, I was started copying the styles of other writers until I develop my own style. According to my editors, my style in sports writing is really unique. I used to put emotion when it comes to write. That’s my own trademark they told me. So, you must create your own style as times goes by.

Interviewer: Sir that will conclude our interview. Thank you for sharing us your knowledge we truly got an insight on our future career.

Sir Francis: Your welcome, I hope you have learned ha.               

The interview last for almost 30 minutes and it was ended by taking some pictures for documentation.                                                                              

 

      

Jacque Manabat on OFF AIR

             It was a very exciting and one of a kind experience to have a chat with ABS-CBN’s finest reporter, Ms. Jacque Manabat. She gave a warm welcome from her in ABS’ building while having breakfast.

            Without any make-up or anything on her face still makes her shinning. The way we started the interview for her, she is very clever and enthusiastic in entertaining our questions and very witty while answering them all.

            Ms. Jacque graduated from St. Louis University in Baguio then applies in GMA, ABS and as writer in Baguio. She said that it is very hard to get a job slot in ABS especially because of the quality they want in a reporter. And then after getting a spot in ABS, she was put in weather reports and flash reports. Then after few months later she was assigned to ABS-CBN North Luzon beat for political purposes and North Central Luzon as executive producer in regional reporting. Ms. Manabat added that in her career this was the most scariest because of no cameras around you and in Northern Luzon wherein some parts were not have been touch by signals and technology. It was one of the dangerous parts of her job she said.

            Then Ms. Manabat decided to stop at regional reporting and transfer to go behind the cam and learn more. She became an associate producer of Matang Lawin. She was also assigned in a police investigative but only for 6 months.

            After 5 or 6 years now in the industry, Ms. Jacque has been very successful. She said that she really likes pressure and pressure is part of the work.

            But for her she really doesn’t like sports. As to compare to business wherein she was fine, it’s good. And the thing she loves the most is investigative ever since she was a child. She admits that despite of good image in the industry and in the people at large, behind the cameras and lights, it is normal to have stage fright.

            She said that you can’t blame others for those who don’t appreciate you even if you are in your most dangerous situation like caught in a cross fire.

            For those aspiring journalist out there, Ms. Jacque brought at least a short tips for you to be successful. First of all you should always have to be informed and up to date; you do a lot of research, “di ka dapat mahiyain” and most of all you must be resourceful.

ARANETA COLISEUM: Sports residence

Want to see James Yap and other basketball superstars do their spectacles and brawl inside the hardcourt? Or so, witness Ateneo and La salle basketball rivalry in finals? Then go deep in the heart of Cubao and locate Araneta Coliseum, the place where you can satisfy these yearning of yours.

Araneta Coliseum also known as The Big Dome is an indoor multi-purpose sports arena located in Cubao of Quezon City, Philippines. It is the largest coliseum and indoor facility in Asia. It can contain a maximum 22, 000 spectators of a particular event. It houses so many affairs and had housed countless of gigantic occasions for years now.

Primarily, this state of the art building serves as the home of the Country’s premier Basketball professional league, PBA (Philippine Basketball Association). It isn’t as huge as a staple center (the home court of the world’s famous team L.A Lakers) but still efficiently accommodating great number of basketball loving Filipinos each and every night of basketball games since the founding of league in 1975.

For the record the most number of multitude set to a local sport competition in the country was set on August 20, 2008. A total of 22,902 people jam packed the coliseum to watch the seventh and final game of the 2008 PBA Fiesta Conference Finals series between Air21 Express and the nation’s most popular ball club Barangay Ginebra Kings.

Big Dome

Furthermore, the Philippines’ biggest arena also caters sporting competition in the college ranks the UAAP (University Athletic Association of the Philippines) and the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) particularly the annual finals series of the men’s basketball tournament.

For being the main stage of both professional and amateur basketball games in the land this sports complex owned by the Aranetas had already witnessed countless of remarkable sporting events such as many rivalry games of Ateneo and La Salle, PBA annual championships and just recently, the Dream All-star game that features once in a life time visit of the likes of NBA’s 2-time MVP Kobe Bryant, scoring champion Kevin Durant and reigning MVP Derrick Rose and other NBA cagers.

Aside from the basketball, others sports disciplines like Boxing, Universities cheer dance competition and International billiards championships were also held in Araneta Coliseum. Huge numbers of Filipinos are fond of visiting the venue when people’s champion Manny Pacquiao has a bout both here in the country and in Las Vegas. A lot of men used to watch Efren Reyes and other pool masters battle the globe when ever the country is hosting World pool Championships.

While the most attended Sporting event in the collegiate level was not set by a basketball match but of a cheer dance contest, The 2008 UAAP Samsung Cheer dance Competition with record breaking crowd of 23,448 people.

Araneta Coliseum might not as big as the Cowboy stadium in Texas or as grandiose as the Colosseum in Rome that could hold millions of attendees but one thing’s for sure it would lodge the greatest number of sports Filipinos satisfactorily for the longest time it would endure.