To be a journalist is to act like a "tribune" that essays the truthful "journal" of every story of our "times", big or small, front page or inside page, "BIG NEWS" or even the last story before the closing credits roll;
To be a journalist is to hold a "mirror" in front of you to regularly and faithfully check the convictions and principles of what a "free press" truly stands for;
To be a journalist is to sometimes embrace your own celebrity and be a "star" that sets and upholds the "standards" of what the Filipinos of " today " are fighting for;
Ang maging mamamahayag ay tulad ng isang "bulgar" na pahina na hindi puwedeng maging sisidlan ng anumang pagbaluktot sa katotohanan, bagkus siya pa ngang lagusan upang ito ay mai-"bandera" at mai-"balita" ang mga kuwentong dapat na marining at ma-"tiktikan."
Ang maging mamamahayag ay ang pagsisiguro ng pananatili at pagsulong ng isang "malaya" at walang kinikilingang pag-"PAPATROL" , sa bawat araw, "24-0ras" dahil ang bawat kuwento ay kailangang pulsuhan, may buhay, tila isang "NEWSBEAT" na kailangang ma-"CAPTURED" dahil walang take two sa isang breaking news, walang cut, walang re-take;
Ang maging mamamahayag ay maging "SAKSI" sa "SENTRO" ng bawat pahina ng kasaysayan upang ito ang mai-"BANDILA" sa sambayanan;
Ang maging mamamahayag ay DAPAT laging sa NGALAN NG KATOTOHANAN AT TUNAY NA PAGLILINGKOD.
Have you seen Stalking Jihad on YOU TUBE?
November 2, 2007
Stalking Jihad is the documentary made for television by Wild Eyes Production for the History Channel in the United States.
Dito sa Pilipinas ginawa ang karamihan sa mga interview na naroon, mga key players and resource persons sa documentary written and narrated by Mark Bowden.
Why is that so? It's because the documentary is about the manhunt and military operation on the rescue of the American couple Martin and Gracia Burnham and in the process, the neutralization of one of the key leaders of the Abu Sayyaf Group, Aldam Tilao alias Abu Sabaya.
Dito din sa Pilipinas ang setting ng shooting ng recreation scenes doon. Recreation scenes are also referred to as re-enactment scenes.
Isa ako sa resource persons sa docu na yan na nang i-shoot dito ang recreation scenes—ako na rin ang kinuha nilang Philippine Producer/Fixer. Ang panget pakinggan ng salitang fixer dito sa atin pero ang ibig sabihin lamang nito ay isang coordinator ng main production company na makakatuwang nila sa pagbuo ng dokumentaryo dito.
The job entails coordination, seeking permits for shooting, arranging interviews, scouting and auditioning for talents/actors and actresses etcetera, etcetera.
Malaking bahagi din ng naging papel ko as Philippine Producer ng Stalking Jihad ay ang on-the spot input on how the scenes were staged dahil ako rin yung totoong reporter na naka-exclusive nito sa totoong buhay. On the set, tawag nila sa akin—Assistant Direk na rin.
Pero — those 4 very tiring, stressful but very fulfilling days in Ternate and Subic — ang tawag ko sa sarili ko, aliping sagigilid, kunwari bosing lang, he-he!
To tell you frankly, I have not seen it in full—just a glimpse — kasi dial up pa rin ang lolah ninyo at kabagalan galore ang downloading nito. Opo–kukuha naman ng broadband—tao lang, 'sensiya na, dami lang ginagawa, alipin nga, remember?
Hintayin ko na lang yung kopya straight from Ryan, ang producer from the Wild Eyes Production Team.
Sa credits ng Stalking Jihad—kakaunti lang ang mga pangalan na mababasa dun—kasi ang explanation ni Ryan—maiksi lang talaga alloted time nila sa CBB, kaya para mailagay ang iba—-pati daw name niya inalis na niya. Wow!, sakripisyo ang lolo! Kakabilib!
So sa lahat ng nakatuwang ko sa produksiyong ito, lalo na sa grupo ni Wanda Lomibao—-let me inform everyone that I am coordinating an exclusive viewing dito sa Pilipinas as promised.
I am also coordinating with a major network, local, kung interested silang ipalabas ito dito. The move is coordinated with Wild Eyes through Ryan who in turn is coordinating it with The History Channel.
Sana umabot ang mga pagbibitiw ng desisyon in time before the anniversary of the Philippine Marines on November 9 na bida sa docu na ito. Am sure the Philippine Army will have a different comment—pero again, wala kaming kinalaman sa content, kaming lahat na naging bahagi ng lokal na produksiyon…hmmm mabuti na ang malinaw.
I will also use this space and te upcoming magazine to tell other behind the scenes stories na hindi ma-accomodate dun sa Stalking JIhad na wala naman tayo lahat kontrol on the final output.
I was told by those who saw it that it was something that we can all be proud of.
Si Rey Mercaral of RMN who played Abu Sabaya got feedback from his relatives in the US that it was well received.
For all my friends in the US who e-mailed me about Stalking Jihad and who enjoyed and felt proud seeing it—salamat, maraming salamat.
Sana — makita rin ito rito sa Pilipinas at hindi sa YOU Tube lang, although, nothing wrong with that, iba lang kasi kung isang local RP network din ang mag-ere nito.
My views on the docu?Hmmmm….idol ko si Mark Bowden, pero iba pa rin ang pagsusulat ng isang nakatingin mula sa labas kaysa sa mismong nakakita at nakaranas ng kuwentong ito.
The docu tells much—but not everything. Siguro—-ako talaga ang dapat na magkuwento sa kabuuan. he-he! (wakas)
