AN HOUR WITH AN INSPIRATION

                My dad said, one of the things that fascinated him when I was growing up was that the broadsheet was my first reading material. He said that I threw away my fairy tale textbooks, or even tore its pages. I was two and a half years old when he brought home a copy of The Philippine Star; I kissed him and grabbed the newspaper, and then I asked him to help me understand what was in it.

                From then on, he knew that I would end up loving newspapers and dreaming of becoming part of it. He was not sure on the type of news that I would focus on, but he was sure that I would aspire of becoming a journalist one day. From then on, he trained me to read the newspapers every morning and give a comment on political issues. Since I am also a Ginebra fan for as long as I can remember (also thanks to my dad), I built my ambition of becoming a sports journalist. I always start reading the sports section of the newspaper, almost disregarding the rest.

                Last year, I was about to give up that dream because I was not satisfied with the way my studies was going.  I hated and failed two major subjects in Communication Arts, and this left me with no choice but to shift to another course. I transferred to Philippine Studies Major in Mass Media in Filipino early this year, but at that time, I thought I had no hope of becoming a sports journalist. However, I still read newspapers every now and then, scanning sports news and all. One journalist stood out among the pool of writers in broadsheets and tabloids, and in my humble opinion, he is the most respected and credible sports journalist in the Philippines. I became a regular reader of his column The Game of My Life, an instant fan of his The Basketball Show. Somehow, a strand of hope as thick as a hairline remained in me, that someday, I might work for and with him. My article might deserve to be in the same page with his. In that strand of hope lingered the dream that someday, I want to be like my favorite sports journalist - Bill Velasco.

                Thanks to an assignment in one of my major subjects Filipino Journalism, I had the opportunity to meet the great Bill Velasco. I was preparing for that meeting for almost a week, constantly revising the questions I would like to ask him. I did not want to embarrass myself. After all, he is a respected journalist, and I am just an aspiring one. It was very kind of him to reply to my e-mails and text messages, and I excitedly told my professor that I could conduct an interview with Sir Bill.

                Sir Bill arrived just in time, wearing a baseball cap and a red shirt. He was tall and seemed like an even-tempered man. He got himself a cup of coffee and relaxed in a comfortable chair. At that moment, I realized that he did not want to make me feel rather inferior. He answered my questions with conviction and wit, as he gave me an impression of astonishment and a feeling of excitement on what could be in store for me.

                Sir Bill narrated that he was not physically fit as a child. “Sakitin ako noon,” he said. He suffered from migraine, scoliosis and asthma, and was flat-footed. He got involved in sports to have an improved health condition, like swimming, calisthenics, stretching and running. As a result, he became healthier and even played for the Ateneo Blue Eagles for two months. In college, he was first an Economics major, but the course did not give him the satisfaction he yearned for. He shifted to Communications after a certain period and graduated in Ateneo de Manila University.

                He first worked for ABS-CBN in 1986 where he set the record as the youngest news anchor at age 24. He was assigned to deliver the sports news, and gathered data on local and global news as well. There was one time when he was able to gather nine stories, seven of which were featured in TV Patrol. He directed Balitang K (a lifestyle show hosted by Korina Sanchez), worked for Vintage Sports (a network that covers the sports events), and continues to contribute articles for Philippine Star, Pump, Uno, Paipan and Chalk Magazine.

                He said his inspiration is the desire to accomplish things that he had not done yet. He seems like a daredevil in his field that seizes all opportunities to gain the level of satisfaction that he craves for. After all, his long list of achievements includes covering the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the NBA game in China and the 1991 SEA Games to name a few. He enjoys rubbing elbows with personalities like Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming of the NBA, Lisa Lesley of the WNBA, and all other athletes who made him feel he was “surrounded by excellence”.

                I asked him about the perquisites of being one of the most respected journalists in the country. He excitedly answered, “I have the best job in the world!” His response made me smile, mainly because I agree with him. After all, he is the host of a show that features all the known professional and amateur basketball leagues in the country. He proudly said that The Basketball Show is the only show that reaches out to the basketball players, teams, coaches and referees of all sorts, and at the same time, puts them all forth to the fans. He elaborates, “The Basketball Show is about everybody who’s involved in basketball. It is not just the players. It’s about people.”

                We also had the chance to talk about certain issues that revolve around professional and amateur basketball leagues these days. He was honest enough to express his opinions that made me burst out my own. He emphasized that “[The people involved are] adults. They are responsible for their actions.” If given the chance, he would also like to improve the connection of the PBA and the fans by “increasing out-of-town games, studying the Fil-Sham issue and increasing the salaries of imports and referees.”

                “[Students like] you must read a lot,” he said. “You cannot be everywhere.” That was the word of advice he gave me. “You must also know when to use the details and facts you gathered. In covering games, you must know how to do a running score, be familiar with everyone involved and the rules applied in the game.”

                He also expressed his love for the country by being proud of being a Filipino. “You know, we Filipinos have proven our worth to the world when it comes to basketball. Filipino coaches have been hired in other countries like Vietnam and Indonesia. [Our national team] ranks at least third or fourth in Asia.”

                Meeting Bill Velasco in person and having to converse with him was by far the best thing I have ever done in my life. He did more than an academic favor for me. He gave me more reasons to love my course, my country, my favorite sport and my ambition. He made me realize that anybody could be a journalist, but not everybody deserves to have his/her name printed in the newspaper. He gave me more reasons to pursue my dream career. Most importantly, he gave me the best reason to disregard the option of working overseas – because nobody loves to play ball the way Filipinos do.

                To Sir Bill, thank you for spending an hour with me. Thank you for being an inspiration. Thank you for being a living proof that a job driven by passion will never be treated with burden. Like you, I shall strive to accomplish more than what would be asked of me, and I will continue to uphold the love for writing. Thank you again, Sir, and more power. I hope to see you again in the coming days.

DE CASTRO: TAPAT O TAKSIL?

Walang pag-aalinlangang tinanggihan ni Bise Presidente Noli de Castro ang alok ng grupong Black and White Movement na angkinin ang posisyon ni Pangulong Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Matatandaang ang Kilusang Black and White ang nagbibigay ng palugit kay de Castro para umupo sa pagkapresidente dahil sa iskandalong "Hello Garci" na kinasangkutan ni Ginang Arroyo.

Maraming nagsulat sa tugong ito ni de Castro. Ipinaliwanag niyang hindi naaayon sa ating batas na pumalit siyang pangulo dahil sa mga inihaing dahilan ng nasabing kilusan. Inaasahan siguro ng ibang ayaw kay Arroyo na papayag kaagad si de Castro sa alok ng kilusan. Tama nga ba ang tugong iyon ni de Castro?

Wala nang kredibilidad ang ating pangulo sa maraming Pilipino. Marami nang banta upang mapabilis siya sa kanyang posisyon. May mga naniniwala talagang nandaya siya sa Pambansang Halalan noong nakaraang taon. Dahil dito, napipisil ng mga tao si de Castro na mamuno at pumalit sa "sinungaling" na pangulo. Sa pagtanggi ni de Castro sa proposisyong ito, isa lang ang pumasok sa utak ko: ano ba ang gusto niyang palabasin?

Sa tono ng sagot niya ay nais niyang ipaalam sa taongbayang tapat pa rin siya sa pangulo at sa Saligang Batas. Tapat? Maaari bang maging tapat ang isang tao sa nakatataas sa kanya, kahit na alam niyang sa una pa lang ay wala nang bahid ng katapatan sa kanilang trabaho? Kanino ba dapat maging tapat si de Castro? Hindi ba't dapat sa buong Pilipinas, dahil tayo ang pinaglilingkuran niya?

Naalala ko tuloy ang sinabi ng nasirang pangulong si Manuel Quezon, "My loyalty for my party ends when my loyalty for my country begins [Ang katapatan ko sa aking partido ay magwawakas sa pagsibol ng katapatan ko sa aking bansa]."

Kataksilan ba ang pagtanggi ni de Castro sa alok na ito ng Kilusang Black and White? May punto si de Castro dahil hindi nga naman naaayon sa batas ang palugit ng kilusan. Ngunit ang pagtangging ito ay hindi ba pagtanggi rin sa pakikinig sa silakbo ng isang Juan dela Cruz? Hindi ba't pagtaksil sa bayan ang pagbingi-bingihan sa tinig ng taongbayan? Hindi ba't pagtaksil sa sinumpang tungkulin ng isang opisyal ng gobyerno ang pagbulag-bulagan sa katotohanan para lang manatili sa posisyon ang kanyang mga kapartido at amo?

Pumasok sana sa isip ng kagalang-galang na bise presidente na ang katapatan sa bayan ay maaaring magresulta sa kataksilan sa partido, at ang katapatan sa partido ay maaaring magdulot ng kataksilan sa bayan.

Uulitin ko lang ang tanong ko, at iiwan ko sa inyo ang karapatan sa pagtugon nito: Tama ba ang tugong ito ni de Castro? 

AN HOUR WITH AN INSPIRATION

                My dad said, one of the things that fascinated him when I was growing up was that the broadsheet was my first reading material. He said that I threw away my fairy tale textbooks, or even tore its pages. I was two and a half years old when he brought home a copy of The Philippine Star; I kissed him and grabbed the newspaper, and then I asked him to help me understand what was in it.

                From then on, he knew that I would end up loving newspapers and dreaming of becoming part of it. He was not sure on the type of news that I would focus on, but he was sure that I would aspire of becoming a journalist one day. From then on, he trained me to read the newspapers every morning and give a comment on political issues. Since I am also a Ginebra fan for as long as I can remember (also thanks to my dad), I built my ambition of becoming a sports journalist. I always start reading the sports section of the newspaper, almost disregarding the rest.

                Last year, I was about to give up that dream because I was not satisfied with the way my studies was going.  I hated and failed two major subjects in Communication Arts, and this left me with no choice but to shift to another course. I transferred to Philippine Studies Major in Mass Media in Filipino early this year, but at that time, I thought I had no hope of becoming a sports journalist. However, I still read newspapers every now and then, scanning sports news and all. One journalist stood out among the pool of writers in broadsheets and tabloids, and in my humble opinion, he is the most respected and credible sports journalist in the Philippines. I became a regular reader of his column The Game of My Life, an instant fan of his The Basketball Show. Somehow, a strand of hope as thick as a hairline remained in me, that someday, I might work for and with him. My article might deserve to be in the same page with his. In that strand of hope lingered the dream that someday, I want to be like my favorite sports journalist - Bill Velasco.

                Thanks to an assignment in one of my major subjects Filipino Journalism, I had the opportunity to meet the great Bill Velasco. I was preparing for that meeting for almost a week, constantly revising the questions I would like to ask him. I did not want to embarrass myself. After all, he is a respected journalist, and I am just an aspiring one. It was very kind of him to reply to my e-mails and text messages, and I excitedly told my professor that I could conduct an interview with Sir Bill.

                Sir Bill arrived just in time, wearing a baseball cap and a red shirt. He was tall and seemed like an even-tempered man. He got himself a cup of coffee and relaxed in a comfortable chair. At that moment, I realized that he did not want to make me feel rather inferior. He answered my questions with conviction and wit, as he gave me an impression of astonishment and a feeling of excitement on what could be in store for me.

                Sir Bill narrated that he was not physically fit as a child. “Sakitin ako noon,” he said. He suffered from migraine, scoliosis and asthma, and was flat-footed. He got involved in sports to have an improved health condition, like swimming, calisthenics, stretching and running. As a result, he became healthier and even played for the Ateneo Blue Eagles for two months. In college, he was first an Economics major, but the course did not give him the satisfaction he yearned for. He shifted to Communications after a certain period and graduated in Ateneo de Manila University.

                He first worked for ABS-CBN in 1986 where he set the record as the youngest news anchor at age 24. He was assigned to deliver the sports news, and gathered data on local and global news as well. There was one time when he was able to gather nine stories, seven of which were featured in TV Patrol. He directed Balitang K (a lifestyle show hosted by Korina Sanchez), worked for Vintage Sports (a network that covers the sports events), and continues to contribute articles for Philippine Star, Pump, Uno, Paipan and Chalk Magazine.

                He said his inspiration is the desire to accomplish things that he had not done yet. He seems like a daredevil in his field that seizes all opportunities to gain the level of satisfaction that he craves for. After all, his long list of achievements includes covering the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the NBA game in China and the 1991 SEA Games to name a few. He enjoys rubbing elbows with personalities like Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming of the NBA, Lisa Lesley of the WNBA, and all other athletes who made him feel he was “surrounded by excellence”.

                I asked him about the perquisites of being one of the most respected journalists in the country. He excitedly answered, “I have the best job in the world!” His response made me smile, mainly because I agree with him. After all, he is the host of a show that features all the known professional and amateur basketball leagues in the country. He proudly said that The Basketball Show is the only show that reaches out to the basketball players, teams, coaches and referees of all sorts, and at the same time, puts them all forth to the fans. He elaborates, “The Basketball Show is about everybody who’s involved in basketball. It is not just the players. It’s about people.”

                We also had the chance to talk about certain issues that revolve around professional and amateur basketball leagues these days. He was honest enough to express his opinions that made me burst out my own. He emphasized that “[The people involved are] adults. They are responsible for their actions.” If given the chance, he would also like to improve the connection of the PBA and the fans by “increasing out-of-town games, studying the Fil-Sham issue and increasing the salaries of imports and referees.”

                “[Students like] you must read a lot,” he said. “You cannot be everywhere.” That was the word of advice he gave me. “You must also know when to use the details and facts you gathered. In covering games, you must know how to do a running score, be familiar with everyone involved and the rules applied in the game.”

                He also expressed his love for the country by being proud of being a Filipino. “You know, we Filipinos have proven our worth to the world when it comes to basketball. Filipino coaches have been hired in other countries like Vietnam and Indonesia. [Our national team] ranks at least third or fourth in Asia.”

                Meeting Bill Velasco in person and having to converse with him was by far the best thing I have ever done in my life. He did more than an academic favor for me. He gave me more reasons to love my course, my country, my favorite sport and my ambition. He made me realize that anybody could be a journalist, but not everybody deserves to have his/her name printed in the newspaper. He gave me more reasons to pursue my dream career. Most importantly, he gave me the best reason to disregard the option of working overseas – because nobody loves to play ball the way Filipinos do.

                To Sir Bill, thank you for spending an hour with me. Thank you for being an inspiration. Thank you for being a living proof that a job driven by passion will never be treated with burden. Like you, I shall strive to accomplish more than what would be asked of me, and I will continue to uphold the love for writing. Thank you again, Sir, and more power. I hope to see you again in the coming days.

DE CASTRO: TAPAT O TAKSIL?

Walang pag-aalinlangang tinanggihan ni Bise Presidente Noli de Castro ang alok ng grupong Black and White Movement na angkinin ang posisyon ni Pangulong Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Matatandaang ang Kilusang Black and White ang nagbibigay ng palugit kay de Castro para umupo sa pagkapresidente dahil sa iskandalong "Hello Garci" na kinasangkutan ni Ginang Arroyo.

Maraming nagsulat sa tugong ito ni de Castro. Ipinaliwanag niyang hindi naaayon sa ating batas na pumalit siyang pangulo dahil sa mga inihaing dahilan ng nasabing kilusan. Inaasahan siguro ng ibang ayaw kay Arroyo na papayag kaagad si de Castro sa alok ng kilusan. Tama nga ba ang tugong iyon ni de Castro?

Wala nang kredibilidad ang ating pangulo sa maraming Pilipino. Marami nang banta upang mapabilis siya sa kanyang posisyon. May mga naniniwala talagang nandaya siya sa Pambansang Halalan noong nakaraang taon. Dahil dito, napipisil ng mga tao si de Castro na mamuno at pumalit sa "sinungaling" na pangulo. Sa pagtanggi ni de Castro sa proposisyong ito, isa lang ang pumasok sa utak ko: ano ba ang gusto niyang palabasin?

Sa tono ng sagot niya ay nais niyang ipaalam sa taongbayang tapat pa rin siya sa pangulo at sa Saligang Batas. Tapat? Maaari bang maging tapat ang isang tao sa nakatataas sa kanya, kahit na alam niyang sa una pa lang ay wala nang bahid ng katapatan sa kanilang trabaho? Kanino ba dapat maging tapat si de Castro? Hindi ba't dapat sa buong Pilipinas, dahil tayo ang pinaglilingkuran niya?

Naalala ko tuloy ang sinabi ng nasirang pangulong si Manuel Quezon, "My loyalty for my party ends when my loyalty for my country begins [Ang katapatan ko sa aking partido ay magwawakas sa pagsibol ng katapatan ko sa aking bansa]."

Kataksilan ba ang pagtanggi ni de Castro sa alok na ito ng Kilusang Black and White? May punto si de Castro dahil hindi nga naman naaayon sa batas ang palugit ng kilusan. Ngunit ang pagtangging ito ay hindi ba pagtanggi rin sa pakikinig sa silakbo ng isang Juan dela Cruz? Hindi ba't pagtaksil sa bayan ang pagbingi-bingihan sa tinig ng taongbayan? Hindi ba't pagtaksil sa sinumpang tungkulin ng isang opisyal ng gobyerno ang pagbulag-bulagan sa katotohanan para lang manatili sa posisyon ang kanyang mga kapartido at amo?

Pumasok sana sa isip ng kagalang-galang na bise presidente na ang katapatan sa bayan ay maaaring magresulta sa kataksilan sa partido, at ang katapatan sa partido ay maaaring magdulot ng kataksilan sa bayan.

Uulitin ko lang ang tanong ko, at iiwan ko sa inyo ang karapatan sa pagtugon nito: Tama ba ang tugong ito ni de Castro? 

AN HOUR WITH AN INSPIRATION

                My dad said, one of the things that fascinated him when I was growing up was that the broadsheet was my first reading material. He said that I threw away my fairy tale textbooks, or even tore its pages. I was two and a half years old when he brought home a copy of The Philippine Star; I kissed him and grabbed the newspaper, and then I asked him to help me understand what was in it.

                From then on, he knew that I would end up loving newspapers and dreaming of becoming part of it. He was not sure on the type of news that I would focus on, but he was sure that I would aspire of becoming a journalist one day. From then on, he trained me to read the newspapers every morning and give a comment on political issues. Since I am also a Ginebra fan for as long as I can remember (also thanks to my dad), I built my ambition of becoming a sports journalist. I always start reading the sports section of the newspaper, almost disregarding the rest.

                Last year, I was about to give up that dream because I was not satisfied with the way my studies was going.  I hated and failed two major subjects in Communication Arts, and this left me with no choice but to shift to another course. I transferred to Philippine Studies Major in Mass Media in Filipino early this year, but at that time, I thought I had no hope of becoming a sports journalist. However, I still read newspapers every now and then, scanning sports news and all. One journalist stood out among the pool of writers in broadsheets and tabloids, and in my humble opinion, he is the most respected and credible sports journalist in the Philippines. I became a regular reader of his column The Game of My Life, an instant fan of his The Basketball Show. Somehow, a strand of hope as thick as a hairline remained in me, that someday, I might work for and with him. My article might deserve to be in the same page with his. In that strand of hope lingered the dream that someday, I want to be like my favorite sports journalist - Bill Velasco.

                Thanks to an assignment in one of my major subjects Filipino Journalism, I had the opportunity to meet the great Bill Velasco. I was preparing for that meeting for almost a week, constantly revising the questions I would like to ask him. I did not want to embarrass myself. After all, he is a respected journalist, and I am just an aspiring one. It was very kind of him to reply to my e-mails and text messages, and I excitedly told my professor that I could conduct an interview with Sir Bill.

                Sir Bill arrived just in time, wearing a baseball cap and a red shirt. He was tall and seemed like an even-tempered man. He got himself a cup of coffee and relaxed in a comfortable chair. At that moment, I realized that he did not want to make me feel rather inferior. He answered my questions with conviction and wit, as he gave me an impression of astonishment and a feeling of excitement on what could be in store for me.

                Sir Bill narrated that he was not physically fit as a child. “Sakitin ako noon,” he said. He suffered from migraine, scoliosis and asthma, and was flat-footed. He got involved in sports to have an improved health condition, like swimming, calisthenics, stretching and running. As a result, he became healthier and even played for the Ateneo Blue Eagles for two months. In college, he was first an Economics major, but the course did not give him the satisfaction he yearned for. He shifted to Communications after a certain period and graduated in Ateneo de Manila University.

                He first worked for ABS-CBN in 1986 where he set the record as the youngest news anchor at age 24. He was assigned to deliver the sports news, and gathered data on local and global news as well. There was one time when he was able to gather nine stories, seven of which were featured in TV Patrol. He directed Balitang K (a lifestyle show hosted by Korina Sanchez), worked for Vintage Sports (a network that covers the sports events), and continues to contribute articles for Philippine Star, Pump, Uno, Paipan and Chalk Magazine.

                He said his inspiration is the desire to accomplish things that he had not done yet. He seems like a daredevil in his field that seizes all opportunities to gain the level of satisfaction that he craves for. After all, his long list of achievements includes covering the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the NBA game in China and the 1991 SEA Games to name a few. He enjoys rubbing elbows with personalities like Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming of the NBA, Lisa Lesley of the WNBA, and all other athletes who made him feel he was “surrounded by excellence”.

                I asked him about the perquisites of being one of the most respected journalists in the country. He excitedly answered, “I have the best job in the world!” His response made me smile, mainly because I agree with him. After all, he is the host of a show that features all the known professional and amateur basketball leagues in the country. He proudly said that The Basketball Show is the only show that reaches out to the basketball players, teams, coaches and referees of all sorts, and at the same time, puts them all forth to the fans. He elaborates, “The Basketball Show is about everybody who’s involved in basketball. It is not just the players. It’s about people.”

                We also had the chance to talk about certain issues that revolve around professional and amateur basketball leagues these days. He was honest enough to express his opinions that made me burst out my own. He emphasized that “[The people involved are] adults. They are responsible for their actions.” If given the chance, he would also like to improve the connection of the PBA and the fans by “increasing out-of-town games, studying the Fil-Sham issue and increasing the salaries of imports and referees.”

                “[Students like] you must read a lot,” he said. “You cannot be everywhere.” That was the word of advice he gave me. “You must also know when to use the details and facts you gathered. In covering games, you must know how to do a running score, be familiar with everyone involved and the rules applied in the game.”

                He also expressed his love for the country by being proud of being a Filipino. “You know, we Filipinos have proven our worth to the world when it comes to basketball. Filipino coaches have been hired in other countries like Vietnam and Indonesia. [Our national team] ranks at least third or fourth in Asia.”

                Meeting Bill Velasco in person and having to converse with him was by far the best thing I have ever done in my life. He did more than an academic favor for me. He gave me more reasons to love my course, my country, my favorite sport and my ambition. He made me realize that anybody could be a journalist, but not everybody deserves to have his/her name printed in the newspaper. He gave me more reasons to pursue my dream career. Most importantly, he gave me the best reason to disregard the option of working overseas – because nobody loves to play ball the way Filipinos do.

                To Sir Bill, thank you for spending an hour with me. Thank you for being an inspiration. Thank you for being a living proof that a job driven by passion will never be treated with burden. Like you, I shall strive to accomplish more than what would be asked of me, and I will continue to uphold the love for writing. Thank you again, Sir, and more power. I hope to see you again in the coming days.

DE CASTRO: TAPAT O TAKSIL?

Walang pag-aalinlangang tinanggihan ni Bise Presidente Noli de Castro ang alok ng grupong Black and White Movement na angkinin ang posisyon ni Pangulong Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Matatandaang ang Kilusang Black and White ang nagbibigay ng palugit kay de Castro para umupo sa pagkapresidente dahil sa iskandalong "Hello Garci" na kinasangkutan ni Ginang Arroyo.

Maraming nagsulat sa tugong ito ni de Castro. Ipinaliwanag niyang hindi naaayon sa ating batas na pumalit siyang pangulo dahil sa mga inihaing dahilan ng nasabing kilusan. Inaasahan siguro ng ibang ayaw kay Arroyo na papayag kaagad si de Castro sa alok ng kilusan. Tama nga ba ang tugong iyon ni de Castro?

Wala nang kredibilidad ang ating pangulo sa maraming Pilipino. Marami nang banta upang mapabilis siya sa kanyang posisyon. May mga naniniwala talagang nandaya siya sa Pambansang Halalan noong nakaraang taon. Dahil dito, napipisil ng mga tao si de Castro na mamuno at pumalit sa "sinungaling" na pangulo. Sa pagtanggi ni de Castro sa proposisyong ito, isa lang ang pumasok sa utak ko: ano ba ang gusto niyang palabasin?

Sa tono ng sagot niya ay nais niyang ipaalam sa taongbayang tapat pa rin siya sa pangulo at sa Saligang Batas. Tapat? Maaari bang maging tapat ang isang tao sa nakatataas sa kanya, kahit na alam niyang sa una pa lang ay wala nang bahid ng katapatan sa kanilang trabaho? Kanino ba dapat maging tapat si de Castro? Hindi ba't dapat sa buong Pilipinas, dahil tayo ang pinaglilingkuran niya?

Naalala ko tuloy ang sinabi ng nasirang pangulong si Manuel Quezon, "My loyalty for my party ends when my loyalty for my country begins [Ang katapatan ko sa aking partido ay magwawakas sa pagsibol ng katapatan ko sa aking bansa]."

Kataksilan ba ang pagtanggi ni de Castro sa alok na ito ng Kilusang Black and White? May punto si de Castro dahil hindi nga naman naaayon sa batas ang palugit ng kilusan. Ngunit ang pagtangging ito ay hindi ba pagtanggi rin sa pakikinig sa silakbo ng isang Juan dela Cruz? Hindi ba't pagtaksil sa bayan ang pagbingi-bingihan sa tinig ng taongbayan? Hindi ba't pagtaksil sa sinumpang tungkulin ng isang opisyal ng gobyerno ang pagbulag-bulagan sa katotohanan para lang manatili sa posisyon ang kanyang mga kapartido at amo?

Pumasok sana sa isip ng kagalang-galang na bise presidente na ang katapatan sa bayan ay maaaring magresulta sa kataksilan sa partido, at ang katapatan sa partido ay maaaring magdulot ng kataksilan sa bayan.

Uulitin ko lang ang tanong ko, at iiwan ko sa inyo ang karapatan sa pagtugon nito: Tama ba ang tugong ito ni de Castro? 

AN HOUR WITH AN INSPIRATION

                My dad said, one of the things that fascinated him when I was growing up was that the broadsheet was my first reading material. He said that I threw away my fairy tale textbooks, or even tore its pages. I was two and a half years old when he brought home a copy of The Philippine Star; I kissed him and grabbed the newspaper, and then I asked him to help me understand what was in it.

                From then on, he knew that I would end up loving newspapers and dreaming of becoming part of it. He was not sure on the type of news that I would focus on, but he was sure that I would aspire of becoming a journalist one day. From then on, he trained me to read the newspapers every morning and give a comment on political issues. Since I am also a Ginebra fan for as long as I can remember (also thanks to my dad), I built my ambition of becoming a sports journalist. I always start reading the sports section of the newspaper, almost disregarding the rest.

                Last year, I was about to give up that dream because I was not satisfied with the way my studies was going.  I hated and failed two major subjects in Communication Arts, and this left me with no choice but to shift to another course. I transferred to Philippine Studies Major in Mass Media in Filipino early this year, but at that time, I thought I had no hope of becoming a sports journalist. However, I still read newspapers every now and then, scanning sports news and all. One journalist stood out among the pool of writers in broadsheets and tabloids, and in my humble opinion, he is the most respected and credible sports journalist in the Philippines. I became a regular reader of his column The Game of My Life, an instant fan of his The Basketball Show. Somehow, a strand of hope as thick as a hairline remained in me, that someday, I might work for and with him. My article might deserve to be in the same page with his. In that strand of hope lingered the dream that someday, I want to be like my favorite sports journalist - Bill Velasco.

                Thanks to an assignment in one of my major subjects Filipino Journalism, I had the opportunity to meet the great Bill Velasco. I was preparing for that meeting for almost a week, constantly revising the questions I would like to ask him. I did not want to embarrass myself. After all, he is a respected journalist, and I am just an aspiring one. It was very kind of him to reply to my e-mails and text messages, and I excitedly told my professor that I could conduct an interview with Sir Bill.

                Sir Bill arrived just in time, wearing a baseball cap and a red shirt. He was tall and seemed like an even-tempered man. He got himself a cup of coffee and relaxed in a comfortable chair. At that moment, I realized that he did not want to make me feel rather inferior. He answered my questions with conviction and wit, as he gave me an impression of astonishment and a feeling of excitement on what could be in store for me.

                Sir Bill narrated that he was not physically fit as a child. “Sakitin ako noon,” he said. He suffered from migraine, scoliosis and asthma, and was flat-footed. He got involved in sports to have an improved health condition, like swimming, calisthenics, stretching and running. As a result, he became healthier and even played for the Ateneo Blue Eagles for two months. In college, he was first an Economics major, but the course did not give him the satisfaction he yearned for. He shifted to Communications after a certain period and graduated in Ateneo de Manila University.

                He first worked for ABS-CBN in 1986 where he set the record as the youngest news anchor at age 24. He was assigned to deliver the sports news, and gathered data on local and global news as well. There was one time when he was able to gather nine stories, seven of which were featured in TV Patrol. He directed Balitang K (a lifestyle show hosted by Korina Sanchez), worked for Vintage Sports (a network that covers the sports events), and continues to contribute articles for Philippine Star, Pump, Uno, Paipan and Chalk Magazine.

                He said his inspiration is the desire to accomplish things that he had not done yet. He seems like a daredevil in his field that seizes all opportunities to gain the level of satisfaction that he craves for. After all, his long list of achievements includes covering the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the NBA game in China and the 1991 SEA Games to name a few. He enjoys rubbing elbows with personalities like Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming of the NBA, Lisa Lesley of the WNBA, and all other athletes who made him feel he was “surrounded by excellence”.

                I asked him about the perquisites of being one of the most respected journalists in the country. He excitedly answered, “I have the best job in the world!” His response made me smile, mainly because I agree with him. After all, he is the host of a show that features all the known professional and amateur basketball leagues in the country. He proudly said that The Basketball Show is the only show that reaches out to the basketball players, teams, coaches and referees of all sorts, and at the same time, puts them all forth to the fans. He elaborates, “The Basketball Show is about everybody who’s involved in basketball. It is not just the players. It’s about people.”

                We also had the chance to talk about certain issues that revolve around professional and amateur basketball leagues these days. He was honest enough to express his opinions that made me burst out my own. He emphasized that “[The people involved are] adults. They are responsible for their actions.” If given the chance, he would also like to improve the connection of the PBA and the fans by “increasing out-of-town games, studying the Fil-Sham issue and increasing the salaries of imports and referees.”

                “[Students like] you must read a lot,” he said. “You cannot be everywhere.” That was the word of advice he gave me. “You must also know when to use the details and facts you gathered. In covering games, you must know how to do a running score, be familiar with everyone involved and the rules applied in the game.”

                He also expressed his love for the country by being proud of being a Filipino. “You know, we Filipinos have proven our worth to the world when it comes to basketball. Filipino coaches have been hired in other countries like Vietnam and Indonesia. [Our national team] ranks at least third or fourth in Asia.”

                Meeting Bill Velasco in person and having to converse with him was by far the best thing I have ever done in my life. He did more than an academic favor for me. He gave me more reasons to love my course, my country, my favorite sport and my ambition. He made me realize that anybody could be a journalist, but not everybody deserves to have his/her name printed in the newspaper. He gave me more reasons to pursue my dream career. Most importantly, he gave me the best reason to disregard the option of working overseas – because nobody loves to play ball the way Filipinos do.

                To Sir Bill, thank you for spending an hour with me. Thank you for being an inspiration. Thank you for being a living proof that a job driven by passion will never be treated with burden. Like you, I shall strive to accomplish more than what would be asked of me, and I will continue to uphold the love for writing. Thank you again, Sir, and more power. I hope to see you again in the coming days.

DE CASTRO: TAPAT O TAKSIL?

Walang pag-aalinlangang tinanggihan ni Bise Presidente Noli de Castro ang alok ng grupong Black and White Movement na angkinin ang posisyon ni Pangulong Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Matatandaang ang Kilusang Black and White ang nagbibigay ng palugit kay de Castro para umupo sa pagkapresidente dahil sa iskandalong "Hello Garci" na kinasangkutan ni Ginang Arroyo.

Maraming nagsulat sa tugong ito ni de Castro. Ipinaliwanag niyang hindi naaayon sa ating batas na pumalit siyang pangulo dahil sa mga inihaing dahilan ng nasabing kilusan. Inaasahan siguro ng ibang ayaw kay Arroyo na papayag kaagad si de Castro sa alok ng kilusan. Tama nga ba ang tugong iyon ni de Castro?

Wala nang kredibilidad ang ating pangulo sa maraming Pilipino. Marami nang banta upang mapabilis siya sa kanyang posisyon. May mga naniniwala talagang nandaya siya sa Pambansang Halalan noong nakaraang taon. Dahil dito, napipisil ng mga tao si de Castro na mamuno at pumalit sa "sinungaling" na pangulo. Sa pagtanggi ni de Castro sa proposisyong ito, isa lang ang pumasok sa utak ko: ano ba ang gusto niyang palabasin?

Sa tono ng sagot niya ay nais niyang ipaalam sa taongbayang tapat pa rin siya sa pangulo at sa Saligang Batas. Tapat? Maaari bang maging tapat ang isang tao sa nakatataas sa kanya, kahit na alam niyang sa una pa lang ay wala nang bahid ng katapatan sa kanilang trabaho? Kanino ba dapat maging tapat si de Castro? Hindi ba't dapat sa buong Pilipinas, dahil tayo ang pinaglilingkuran niya?

Naalala ko tuloy ang sinabi ng nasirang pangulong si Manuel Quezon, "My loyalty for my party ends when my loyalty for my country begins [Ang katapatan ko sa aking partido ay magwawakas sa pagsibol ng katapatan ko sa aking bansa]."

Kataksilan ba ang pagtanggi ni de Castro sa alok na ito ng Kilusang Black and White? May punto si de Castro dahil hindi nga naman naaayon sa batas ang palugit ng kilusan. Ngunit ang pagtangging ito ay hindi ba pagtanggi rin sa pakikinig sa silakbo ng isang Juan dela Cruz? Hindi ba't pagtaksil sa bayan ang pagbingi-bingihan sa tinig ng taongbayan? Hindi ba't pagtaksil sa sinumpang tungkulin ng isang opisyal ng gobyerno ang pagbulag-bulagan sa katotohanan para lang manatili sa posisyon ang kanyang mga kapartido at amo?

Pumasok sana sa isip ng kagalang-galang na bise presidente na ang katapatan sa bayan ay maaaring magresulta sa kataksilan sa partido, at ang katapatan sa partido ay maaaring magdulot ng kataksilan sa bayan.

Uulitin ko lang ang tanong ko, at iiwan ko sa inyo ang karapatan sa pagtugon nito: Tama ba ang tugong ito ni de Castro?