Worst job, but most rewarding.

A recent study by Career Cast, a US-based online career site, showed that newspaper reporter is the worst job in the United States this year.

And as though it was not enough to make my nerves shake, it also stated that janitor, construction worker, maid, and even garbage collector are better jobs than newspaper reporter.

But of course, being a mass communication senior in one of the top communication schools in the country and being a news writer in one of the finest newspapers in the campus press circle for the past two years, I know that newspaper reporter is one of the few personally rewarding jobs out there. Not even a US-based study can change my perception about the job.

I can still remember the time I saw my first article printed in the Advocate. It was just a minor article; laid out on the third page’s bottom right side that can be barely seen by lazily-browsing readers, yet I was proud when I saw my work along with my byline there. The news clip was shining and my eyes were popping out.

I was so happy I could have farted glitters.

That particular moment made me work harder; I attended to event coverage that were assigned to me by my then editor and I diligently braved sleepless nights to exchange my articles with my editor just to polish them until they were already labeled “FLO” or “for layout.”

Eventually, I grew. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I will have face-to-face encounters with celebrities I was just seeing on television, or with government officials whose names were just being read by my eyes on newspapers and online articles back then.

Never did I envision that I will see my articles printed as banner stories or even as headline articles in a newspaper. Never did I believe that I will be able to write more than 80 news articles (and counting); more than half were printed.

But all of them were made into reality by being a newspaper reporter which, apparently, is reported to be the worst job in the United States this year because of low pay, tight deadline, and high stress. Unbelievable.

Well, I never denied that being a news writer even in the campus press is stressful; nobody said it was not, anyway. But who would mind being stressed if you see your works in print on a regular basis? As what my fellow mass communication zombies would say: “Arte pa?”

Of course, I am now speaking as a college editor but what if I am a daily newspaper reporter? I may be out of the streets on a daily basis to gather news then submit articles to my bosses come sunset… and then I get paid a small amount after my day’s hard work (newsmen never deny that newspaper does not have a lot of money, anyway).

But on breakfast next morning, I see my works and name printed on the day’s issue. Add the thought that my articles will be read by the nation and that I am actually a chronicler of history-in-the-making.

It must be a rewarding way to wake up, right? Not many professionals can feel the reward a newspaper reporter gets every morning.

Career Cast may say that newspaper reporter is the worst job this year, but at least I can say that it is one of the most rewarding.

The newspaper reporter is the best news educator because of intrepid and in-depth writing he does; online articles are not so in-depth, in my observation.

If there is no newspaper reporter, the society will undoubtedly be dumb.

People live and die, but the newspaper should always be here to stay.

18 May 4 Permalink

Non-graduation blues.

Honestly, I am very envious about my friends who are already graduating from college this year. To those who do not know yet, I am also supposed to be graduating this year but because I transferred school and shifted course last 2011 then my graduation was delayed for a year.

But still, I know that what I did was for the best. I do not regret any part of that transferring-and-shifting story of my life because I know that when I finally finish college next year, I know it’s gonna be sweeter. :)

To my parents, my education may have already been shelling out a lot of your money (as if namang we have “a lot of money” eh ‘no? LOL) but I always try my best to make every peso count.

Isang taon nalang, papa and mama. Isang taon nalang at medyo makakapagpahinga na kayo. Love you!

25 April 8 Permalink

Stories behind my Twitter drama tweets.

There was a night sometime last week when my Twitter timeline was very emotional because of my stupid, lonely tweets. Haha! It just happened that I was home alone and that my desktop had no internet connection so I was basically left with nothing to do but to lazily scroll over my Facebook and Twitter news feeds using my BlackBerry.

I could not have blamed myself for being such a stupid, lonely kid because I had (or rather, still have) a lot of reasons to be a stupid, lonely kid.

The following paragraphs will be full of my angst and jealousies and insecurities that result to my being a stupid, lonely kid. Drama overload.

For one, I am very jealous of my former classmates in Adamson (I studied political science there for two years in 2009 to 2011) because they are already graduating. They are already posting their graduation portraits or basically anything about the holy graduation.

It made me feel that I should not have transferred to FEU and shifted to Mass Communication instead so that I could have also been graduating right now, so that my parents’ financial burden would already be lessened.

I know I should not have thought of it but I was just triggered to. I had two questions to myself: “Kung nag-stay ka sa Adamson at sa course na hindi mo naman talaga gusto, tapos graduate ka ngayon, sa tingin mo ba ay masaya ka para sa sarili mo?” and “Ano nga ba ang mas mahalaga: ang na sa school at course ka na talagang gusto mo? O ang mas pinili mong mag-stay sa dati mong school at course para at least ay graduate ka na ngayon at masimulan mo nang matulungan ang mga magulang mo?”

Those questions alone were enough for me already to be a stupid, lonely kid in Twitter, right? Haha! But wait, there is more:

Second, I am also very jealous of my friends in FEU because they are already taking up their internship in big and awesome media companies. I am also supposed to have my internship this summer but I was not allowed by the Department of Communication to because I still have six back subjects. Haha!

Third, as I was not allowed to have my internship this summer, I then decided that I will take up three summer classes instead so that my six back subjects will already be trimmed down to just three. However, my parents admitted that they were not sure if they can send me to summer classes because they are saving money for my and my siblings’ tuition for the next school year.

Of course I understood that. However, if I will not take up summer classes this semester, that would mean that I will finish my studies by October 2014 which is basically super late already; most especially for me who is supposed to be graduating this time already.

But last Thursday, my mum suddenly woke me up and told me to get dressed because we were going to FEU to enroll. My cells suddenly had jumping jacks because I really wanted to take up summer classes! She told me that we will be enrolling using her credit card.

However, when we got to FEU, we were told that her credit card should be Visa or MasterCard so that it can be used. My mum’s credit card was by RCBC. My mum tried to call RCBC and asked if she can cash-advance but she was told that she can only do that on April 24; enrollment for summer classes in FEU were until April 5 only. So my hopes of taking up summer classes were suddenly shattered.

She left me at FEU because she had to go to work while I stayed at FEU instead. I really did not want to go home yet because I knew I would be alone there. I just walked around FEU for like an hour, thinking of ways of how I can have summer classes.

Suddenly, a bright bulb popped above my head. “TING!” it said. I then ran to the Treasurer’s Office and gave a promissory note. On the next day, I found out that my promissory note was approved! Holy sweet mother of cheese.

So now, I am already enrolled for three summer classes: World Literature, Basic Statistics (oh geez), and Advanced Effective Speech Communication. :)

Finances for college are really stressful, most especially for my parents who are sending three kids to private colleges. I wonder how I will be able to do that when I am already a daddy.

I must be so proud to my parents. I really must be.

8 April 9 Permalink

Tuition, miscellaneous fees hike anew

By Justin Royce Z. Baluyot and Norelyn M. Villaruel

Published in the FEU Advocate, Vol. XVI No. 8

Far Eastern University (FEU) administration announced a 3.5 percent hike on next school year’s tuition and an 850-peso additional charge on miscellaneous fees.

The increase in tuition was announced on a forum among the administration, students and parents at University Conference Center (UCC) last February 8.

However, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Maria Teresa Trinidad Tinio said that her office was not that prepared to bare concrete plans for the allotment of the 3.5 percent tuition increase, thus was only able to bare prospects.

Among the administration’s plans for next school year are the improvement of online services and acquisition of new software for instructional facilities, renovation of Nicanor Reyes Hall (NRH), modernization of University Library and construction of new and “state-of-the-art” science laboratories.

Moreover, the tuition increase is also expected to aid revisions of Bachelor of Secondary Education and Bachelor of Elementary Education’s curricula to offer a new program on pre-school education.

Bachelor of Arts (AB) in English, AB Literature and AB Political Science, as well as Master of Arts (MA) in Psychology, MA Education and Doctor of Education are set to apply for Level 1 accreditation from private accrediting agencies next school year.

Tinio added that strengthening research and publications of faculty members is also a priority.

“We might call for a second consultation with you…regarding the tuition hike. Because unlike the previous tuition discussion meetings we had before, we are not that much prepared to discuss the allotment of the hike [this time],” Tinio said.

Miscellaneous fees swell

Vice President for Academic Services Miguel Carpio presented the new breakdown of miscellaneous fees and explained the causes of the hike during a meeting on miscellaneous fee increase at UCC last February 28.

Energy fee had the highest raise among all parts of the miscellaneous fees which increased by 200 pesos; from 1,100 pesos in the current school year to 1,300 pesos next school year.

Carpio pointed out Manila Electric Company’s recent announcements about increasing electric fees as the top reason of the energy fee’s hike. Air conditioning systems and facilities in classrooms and offices will also be improved, he said.

Audio-visual fee raised by 194 pesos (from 156 to 350 pesos) to support academic multimedia services, Carpio stressed.

“We want all of us to be given quality education that we all long for and I am pretty sure that you have noted as well that our classrooms are equipped not only with all these facilities… We are still improving the things that we can offer to you,” Carpio said.

Meanwhile, athletic fee soared by 158 pesos (from 592 to 750 pesos) to continue supporting the University’s sports programs.

Carpio admitted that FEU only has few athletic venues for athletes that can be available for training, thus increasing athletic fee to improve FEU’s sports facilities.

Registration fee, moreover, boosted by 129 pesos (from 438 to 567 pesos) while guidance fee hiked by 88 pesos (from 262 to 350 pesos). Medical fee increased by 81 pesos; from 419 to 500 pesos.

“The 419 [pesos] that we charge now [in medical fee] is no longer able to meet the needs of our medical requirements so we have to really put an increase in it; not only that we have to hire additional medical practitioners but we also are continually improving the services that we offer,” Carpio said.

FEUCSO Vice President Andrea Sarile said that even though the event was supposed to be a consultation to FEU’s stakeholders, the administration will still increase the fees anyway.

“I honestly think that what we are paying for energy fees is a little too much… It is good they let us know [about the increase] although at the end of the day, there is actually nothing we can do about it because they will raise the fees regardless of what happens here [in the meeting],” she commented.

Sarile added that she just hopes every student will really have access to the school’s facilities and will be able to utilize its academic services.

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4 April 8 Permalink

Comm studes win nat’l advertising tilts

By Kliezl Joie S. Demasuay and Justin Royce Z. Baluyot

Published in the FEU Advocate, Vol. XVI No. 8

Junior and freshman communication students bagged top spots in two recent national advertising competitions, adding honor to one of the University’s respected programs.

Third year Mass Communication (MassComm) students emerged big in the AdSpeak Convention, a values advertising competition among communication and advertising students held at Colegio de San Juan de Letran last February 8.

All advertising outputs that won in the said congress were produced by junior MassComm students who were taking up Advertising Production course last semester, under Department of Communication (DepComm) professor Karen Panela.

The print advertisement “They will feed you what you feed them,” an environmental promotion of solid waste management, bagged first runner-up in the Practitioner’s Choice Award category.

The print ad shows an image of a sliced fish placed on a chopping board, showing wastes such as candy wrappers and plastics inside its belly.

“The powerful visual which dominated the ad complemented by a provocative headline were the two factors I strongly felt captured the judges’ interest,” Panela said.

The group who produced the print ad was composed of Lorniel Cid Catanghal, Charles Kevin Jimenez, Jessica Joy Morales and Allen Jenyssie Tolentino.

“It was able to leave mark and serve its purpose to advocate environmental awareness,” Catanghal said.

Moreover, “Bentsinko,” a television advertisement that promotes the value of a 25-centavo coin, ranked second runner up in the Students’ Choice category.

“This Guy’s Disguise,” another television advertisement, landed as a finalist in both Practitioner’s Choice Award and Students’ Choice Award categories while “Masikip na nga, magdadagdag ka pa,” another television advertisement about the country’s overpopulation, was also a finalist in the Practitioner’s Choice Award category.

Furthermore, television advertisement on water conservation titled “Save water, secure our future” was a finalist in the Students’ Choice Award category.

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3 April 1 Permalink