Even though I spent half of my life in government press and public information work, I had already been exposed to writing and editing jobs before daily news and feature deadlines—especially when there were daily exhibitions or events that needed timely coverage for the next day’s updates.
I remember being the pioneering editor of the daily CITEM Trade Update newsletter, which was distributed to CITEM’s foreign and local buyers, business stakeholders, and government offices. The Trade Update gained both local and international recognition due to our hard work and 24/7 operation.
At the Office of the Press Secretary’s Foreign Information Council, I regularly sent news releases to Philippine embassies worldwide, reporting on the activities of then-President Corazon C. Aquino and other key government agencies, covering military, economic, social, political, cultural, environmental, and health-related matters.
Likewise, while working in the Press and Public Information Offices of the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Labor and Employment, I produced daily news releases on trade, labor, business, employment activities, and negotiations.
As an editorial assistant at one of the Philippines’ oldest newspapers, the Manila Bulletin, through its Philippine Panorama magazine, I received training and gained expertise in identifying newsworthy stories. I learned to edit with enthusiasm and make articles concise—a skill sharpened by my exposure to The Japan Times in Minato-ku, Tokyo, where I wrote brief yet comprehensive news items.
My time at Gulf News in Dubai, UAE, and the now-defunct Far Eastern Economic Review in Hong Kong further exposed me to writing for an international and inclusive audience.
I always remember what the late comedian Rodolfo Vera Quizon Sr., known as Dolphy, told me in his home in Marina Village, Parañaque City:
“Nagrorosaryo ako araw-araw. Maski na may mangyari sa iyong masama man o mabuti, ay nakapagpaalam ka na sa Kanya.”
“I pray the rosary every day. Whether something good or bad happens to you, you’ve already said your goodbyes to Him.”
“Noong araw, inabot ko ang orasyon, o iyong tinatawag sa Ingles na Angelus Time. Pag tumunog ang mga kampana ng simbahan tuwing alas sais ng gabi noon, tumitigil ang lahat, pati na ang mga sasakyan, bilang pagbibigay-galang sa Diyos. Kahit na hindi nila dinadasal nang buo iyong Angelus, at least tumitigil sila as a sign of respect. Mapalad ako at inabot ko ang panahong iyon.”
“Back then, I experienced the ‘orasyon’—what is called the Angelus in English. When the church bells rang at 6 p.m., everything would stop, even the cars, out of reverence to God. Even if people didn’t pray the entire Angelus, they paused as a sign of respect. I’m fortunate to have lived during that time.”
He further said:
“Noong araw, bihira ang may baril. Noong araw, nagmamagandang-gabi ang mga pulis, at gayundin ang mga tao sa isa’t isa. Ngayon, babarilin mo na ang mga pulis, at ang mga pulis ay mamamaril din.”
“In the old days, few people owned guns. Back then, policemen and citizens would greet each other politely in the evening. Today, people shoot at police, and the police shoot back.”
In 1974, he won Best Actor at the Metro Manila Film Festival. In 1977, he received the FAMAS Best Actor Award. In 1992, he was honored with the Film Academy of the Philippines’ Lifetime Achievement Award.
At the ABS-CBN compound parking lot, Dolphy told me:
“Palagay ko ang may kagustuhan talaga na maging matagumpay ako ay ang Diyos. Ang mahalaga ay di ka nagbabago. Iyong magandang ugali mo noong mababa ka pa at maliit, dapat manatili iyon sa iyo gaano ka man kataas ngayon. Saka dapat ay hanggang kaya mong gampanan ang pagtulong ay gawin mo.”
“I think it’s truly God who wanted me to be successful. What matters is that you don’t change. The good values you had when you were still unknown and starting out—those should stay with you no matter how high you rise. And as long as you are able to help, you should do so.”
Dolphy invited me to try acting in his TV program Home Along Da Riles, but I declined the offer since I was working full-time in government. A friend who was an executive producer also invited me to appear in a film with Nora Aunor and Jaclyn Jose, but I chose instead to support Father Pierre Tritz’s SABANA (Samahan ng mga Batang Nananambakan) and help educate former child scavengers in Smokey Mountain, Tondo, Manila.
Mabalacat City, Pampanga Mayor Atty. Geld Aquino recently appointed Dr. Sonny Nanon De Guzman as the new president of Mabalacat City College (MCC).
In 2024, MCC received the Times Higher Education Digital Innovation of the Year Award for its smart classrooms, which enabled greater accessibility for all students—especially those unable to attend in-person classes.
Lara Lea Yunaska Trump is an American political figure and former co-chair of the Republican National Committee. She is married to Eric Trump, the third child of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Lara was the producer and host of Trump Productions’ Real News Update and a producer of Inside Edition. On February 22, 2025, she debuted her new show, My View with Lara Trump, on the Fox News Channel.
Katherine Siochi recently showcased her God-given talent as the principal harpist of the San Francisco Symphony, performing at Davies Symphony Hall on Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco, California.
She was the gold medalist at the 2016 USA International Harp Competition.
Vocabulary word for the week: salt of the earth
Very good, honest, and reasonable; not thinking you are special in any way.
“They were such good people. They really were the salt of the earth.”
“He was the sort of person referred to as salt of the earth—very friendly and straightforward.”
In Matthew 5:13, when Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth,” He meant that His followers should be a positive, transformative influence on the world—preserving moral values and spreading goodness through their actions. Just as salt enhances flavor and prevents spoilage, Christians are called to bring light and integrity to society.