WRITING ARTICLES

Journalism, in the fields of print, news, columns, and arts journalism, was my first serious ambition.  When I had realized that I have what it takes to write, I then started gathering stuffs to come up stories that are happening around us.  I see myself researching, developing, and editing news pieces.  I even visualized my stories being read in the broadcast news.  Although the dream did not mean to happen and I may not a journalist by profession but I say I am a journalist by heart.

Journalism is telling to individuals what is really happening around.  Its heart and soul is anchor to freedom of expression.  Its manta is truth.  Its main core is authenticity, be it painful truth or not.  It is not criticizing, it is not destructing, and it is not opposing.  Being critics is not antagonism or just being skeptic.  It is just role playing.   If you are purely doctor, architect, engineer, or any other subject matter experts, then you will not understand the battle cry of a journalist, you will not understand the purpose of writing, you will not understand the standard of writing because you do not have the pure heart of a journalist.  You will not understand what I am going through why I get upset with opportunist writers in the person of propagandists and why I admire when journalists were awarded the Nobel Prize, which is affirming the values of writing and validation of every inch of truthfulness in the heart of the journalists.

In 1998, I joined in Gintong Palanca Literary contest under short story category.  “Mag-ama” is a story of Isagani who is a frustrated journalist who wanted to bring the newspaper to his rural town so that his neighbor and community will be equipped with information.  Isagani is me who also want to become journalist to deliver the truth because the truth, no matter what, shall prevail at all times.   The power of writing is mightier than sword or any bullet, be it true or lies, therefore truth is responsibility because at the end of the day, painful truth is better than sugar coating lies.  It is not depend on your truth because it is not about your honesty, but it is about the universal truth.  This is the mere reason why I am so upset with the peddlers of lies proliferating fake news – they are evil.

Should their writings are coinciding to their interest that siding to a party they are lucratively earning for a living, again it is the universal truth that should prevail and matter, not their owns.  Theirs is in-disguise in the freedom of expression and right of self opinion, but again it is not about their honesty that serves for themselves but it is the common truth that benefits the majority.  Yes, the paid propagandists write and so I do, and should someone against my mantra have stood up and said I am worse than these paid trolls because trolls just write for pay while I write for my truth which is false for them, I will not agree and will never accept me as worse than paid propagandists. It is the interest that makes different.  I will not agree I am worse than those people who are just writing where they are paid for, because my intention is pure, unbiased and priceless.  They are prostituting the journalism.  Comparing me with paid propagandists is insult to my credibility, personality and skill which is not for sale.  If receiving hefty sum and making lucrative profit in exchange of your skill to write turmoil, chaos, and uproar, regardless if it is true, then that is not right.  Like I said, I am a journalist by heart and with that being said, I must write on the true essence of truth, no prejudice, and committed to preserve the dignity of art of writing.