Reporters’ lives

The pages of a newspaper lead the eyes right to the juiciest headlines and the most compelling photographs.

But beyond the news items that are read by the public, is another story that is rarely heard and almost never published: The daily life of reporters.

Today, Cebu Daily News gives readers a glimpse of the hard working news reporters of CDN and their quest to build communities through responsible journalism.

The reporters: Jose Santino S. Bunachita, Nestle L. Semilla, Morexette Marie B. Erram, Glendale Rosal, and correspondents Cris Evert Lato-Ruffolo, Michelle Padayhag, Ray Charlie Diaz, Jessa Mae O. Sotto, Rosalie O. Abatayo, Delta Dyrecka Letigio, Benjie Talisic, Zena Magto, and Gerard Vincent Francisco are led by multi-awarded writing editor Ador Vincent S. Mayol.

Mayol
Beat: Court and Church

Ador Vincent Mayol is often described by his peers as shy and low-key. But the same could not be said when he sits at his desk inside the CDN office where he exchanges banters with fellow reporters and editors and cracks jokes out of the blue.

“Most of the time, he just won’t stop talking,” said his seatmate, CDN multimedia coordinator Marc Eric Cosep.

Mayol, who has won for CDN numerous local and national journalism awards, has been part of Siloy’s nest for nearly a decade.

His more than a dozen accolades include the most recent 2018 Best News Coverage and Best Feature from the Catholic Mass Media Award.

But his first few years with CDN was not easy.

Mayol recalled that he started as an intern of CDN but barely managed to keep a passing grade during his internship.

“My internship was atrocious, so to speak. And it did reflect in my grade. I was given a passing rate of 3 by the print editor. That was kind enough, considering my awful performance,” said Mayol who landed a job as CDN correspondent two years after graduation.

When asked what kept him motivated all throughout, the 32-year-old Mandauehanon pointed to God and the Saints in heaven right away.

“Coffee helps us stay awake. Water keeps us hydrated. A little bit of inspiration from crushes keep creative thoughts flowing. But nothing is more effective than prayer. The Holy Spirit equips us with everything we need to write stories that adhere to the truth and transmit the Word through whom He bestows all that is good,” said Mayol.

Bunachita
Beat: Cebu City Hall and Business

Do you have questions related to Korea or the Korean culture? You can place your bet, CDN’s Jose Santino Bunachita can answer them spot on.

With deadlines and breaking stories, a reporter’s job could be really stressful; but having a full life outside the newsroom has been Santino’s secret to cope with all the stress.

“I always find time to meet up with friends, travel to different places, and pursue my personal hobbies and interests as a way to de-stress,” said Bunachita.

Like Mayol, the 25-year-old Bunachita also has his own share of struggles, having been part of CDN’s team for six years. But at the end of the day, he said that he always reminds himself on why he chose this career path.

“The most important lesson I’ve learned throughout my stay in CDN is to always strive for excellence in whatever we do, with the end in mind which is to bring the truth to our readers and write stories that touch their hearts,” he added.

Semilla
Beat: General, Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu LGU, Capitol, and Police

Outspoken and tough. These are just some of the words Nestle L. Semilla’s peers use to describe her.

Semilla said that she has long carried these traits even before her assignment in the action-packed police beat.

But she also has a soft side.

“I just love pastries or anything made from flour,” said Semilla, who has been with CDN for nearly four years.

She also likes listening to Bruno Mars and travels frequently to explore new places.

Among all of CDN’s current news staff, it is this 26-year-old that has nearly completed the list of all available beats.

“I cannot pick a favorite beat because if you’re going to ask me one, I’d rather choose them all because I learned a lot in every beat,” Semilla said.

“I was first molded and witnessed the kind of competition in the news industry when I was a reporter for Cebu City Hall because that was my first beat. I have been a reporter in the police beat for more than a year, and that’s been the longest I’ve spent in a beat. Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu Cities were also challenging because when I was assigned there, I still had to familiarize myself with the two cities,” she added.

Erram
Beat: Cebu City Hall and Capitol

Erram’s bright, neon-pink backpack is filled with keychains that dangle like a bell from a dog collar.

“It’s annoying because you know it’s her,” said Semilla in jest.

The youngest among CDN’s current team of reporters, Erram has been part of the daily for nearly two years since her work as an intern covering the local government units (LGUs) of Cebu.

“It was really intimidating. You get to deal with politicians, hints of corruption, and covering them was really exhausting. But at the same time, they really helped me a lot as I grew up with CDN,” said Erram.

“It was a love-hate relationship. Because nearly everything, from crime to lawsuits, can be found in LGUs. It’s really challenging. I hate it because nearly every day you have to deal with big and challenging stories but I also love it because they urge you to do better,” she added.

Cosep
Multimedia Coordinator

Beat: Cebu City Hall and Online

As the outlet’s multimedia coordinator, Marc Eric Cosep usually arrives at the CDN office earlier than the rest.

At 8 A.M., the sound of Ariana Grande’s voice would blast through the newsroom as Cosep plays a collection of the popular singer’s songs to keep him “in his zone”.

Cosep is the brain behind most of CDN’s graphic designs.

He said that his creative process always includes Ariana’s long-range octave in the background, to guide him tap his creative juices.

Aside from listening to Ariana’s sweet vocals, he loves going out with friends to free himself from all the stress at work.

“I was once a writer for CDN before stepping as a member of the online team. And it could really be stressful. That’s why I love going out with my friends if it meant getting rid of the stress,” said Cosep.

Lato-Ruffolo
Beat: Business, General, Entertainment/Life

She traveled hundreds of miles this December to witness the world’s most prestigious pageant and express support for the Philippines’ bet, Catriona Gray.

But like any good soldier, Cris Evert Lato-Ruffolo made sure that CDN can serve eager Cebuanos through minute-by-minute updates of the Miss Universe pageant all the way from Thailand.

Cris Evert is no stranger to beauty pageants, having once been the CDN representative in the 2007 search for Miss Press Freedom during the Cebu Press Freedom Week Celebration.

“I remember wearing Ronald Villavelez’ creation and being dolled up by Wenwen Zaspa. It was empowering. I still remember every detail. I was so insecure before and that experience really defined my confidence. I mean haleers… I got to wear Ronald and Wenwen Zaspa did my make up!,” said Lato-Ruffolo.

But apart from loving the glitz and glamour of beauty pageants, Lato-Ruffolo is, first and foremost, a no nonsense journalist.

Her most memorable coverage in her 12 years with CDN is the tragedy that struck Sulpicio Lines’ Princess of the Stars in 2008.

“It was difficult to separate the journalist and the common person in you. Family members were looking for their loved ones. I was also assigned to get the side of Sulpicio but it was a challenge to get them to talk. I remember waiting outside a funeral home. I also felt sorry for the carenderias near the funeral home (where all the dead bodies were brought for identification) because the tragedy also affected their business. I realized then that one event has a domino effect and it can change lives for the better or for the worse. In that case, lives were lost,” she added.

Padayhag
Beat: Police, General, Entertainment/Life

The smell of matcha truly excites Michelle Joy Padayhag, CDN’s entertainment and lifestyle writer as the popular drink is her favorite stress reliever.

“My first day as a correspondent for CDN was nerve-wracking like you have to send a story before 6 in the evening? I hate deadlines!” said 25-year-old Padayhag, the social media savvy native of Badian town.

Once a member of CDN’s online team, her keen eye for any newsworthy stories posted by random netizens on various social media platforms, from Facebook to Twitter, led her to write about the tragic story of two nursing graduates who died in a car accident on the same day they passed the licensure examinations in 2017.

The story became one of Inquirer.net’s top viewed stories for 2017.

Diaz
Beat: Sports and Online

On the outside, Ray Charlie Diaz looks like your typical sports writer intent on chronicling everything that happens inside the sports arena.

“My first day on the field is overwhelming. But I learned that timeliness is very critical in news writing,” said Diaz.
His love for sports propelled him to write about it, especially the series of tournaments held by the Cebu Provincial Government.

“Governor’s Cup Volleyball was my most unforgettable coverage because I learned a lot about sports writing during the entire event. It really helped me a lot on my write-ups,” added Diaz.

Diaz is now a member of CDN’s online team usually assigned to make sure that the stories are immediately uploaded once these are approved for the print edition.

“Turning off the lights and airconditioners in the newsroom during midnight has been part of my routine,” he said.

Talisic
Beat: Police

Benjie Talisic is the man behind most of CDN’s Facebook Live reports.

He also coined the term Ka-Siloy to refer to CDN viewers and readers.

Talisic takes pride in being part of CDN’s team of correspondents, and holds the title of having the most number of breaking stories in a month.

“One of the most important lessons I’ve learned from CDN is the encouragement I got from one of the editors who told me to always read the news, and compare the write ups you made, and the edited stories, and that’s how you learn,” said Talisic.

Talisic’s career as a journalist began as a radio broadcaster for various stations in Metro Cebu but he said that he never expected to land as a correspondent for CDN, thanks to Mayol.

“At first, I asked myself if I could do it? But by the second time I was asked and Ador promised to help me, that was when I gave it a shot and I do not regret it at all. I will always thank Ador for that,” he added.

Abatayo
Beat: General and Capitol

When the massive landslide struck Naga City last September, the CDN FB Messenger group chat immediately came abuzz with updates from the landslide site in Barangay Tinaan.

CDN reporter Rosalie Abatayo was tapped to send reports to RadyoINQUIRER and delivered the news with confidence to radio listeners around the country.

As a rookie correspondent, Abatayo had written one of the biggest stories of CDN for 2018.

“The Naga City landslide is, to date, the most significant story I’ve written. It was literally the epitome of unpredictability. I woke up prepared to attend a party after a day covering Capitol, but I ended up spending the whole day at a disaster zone. I thought it was a one-day thing but it lasted for almost a month,” said Abatayo.

Sotto
Beat: General, Capitol, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu Cities

Her FB messenger nickname is Wa Koy Lami Mu-Joke because everyone who knows Jessa Mae Sotto get to hear the corniest jokes from her.

The 22-year-old Sotto who hails from Compostela town, Northern Cebu, said her passion for journalism was sparked when she featured the rehabilitation efforts of Butuanon River for CDN.

“I grew up near the riverbank and writing about it makes me want to rehabilitate our river as well,” Sotto said.

During her free time, Sotto would write poems to keep her creativity flowing.

“I write poetry to escape from all the negativity brought about by the hard news,” she added.

Mondragon
Beat: City Hall and Online

There are two Dorises in CDN: Doris Bongcac, the Central Desk Supervisor, and Doris Mae Mondragon. To separate one Doris from the other, CDN reporters would call Doris Mae as Doryang.

The bubbly 22-year-old multimedia assistant always comes to work with a smile. She said she frowns only when she lacks sleep.

“Sleep is the best way to free yourself from all the stress and problems. This is one of the ways I cope with them if my smile cannot manage them anymore,” Mondragon said.

Like Cosep, Mondragon also began her media career as a field reporter before joining CDN’s online team. She covered stories from the regional offices of national government agencies, and Cebu City Hall.

“As a journalist, it really makes me happy and satisfied knowing that many people especially the Cebuanos rely on CDN’s news and that we are able to influence them in a good way and also contribute to the development in the community by writing compelling and unbiased stories,” said Mondragon.

Letigio
Beat: General, Police, City Hall

Delta Dyrecka Letigio never thought of landing a job as a reporter for CDN; but the 23-year-old former medical technology student pursued her love for writing anyway.

“My most unforgettable coverage was when I wrote about a policeman who was shot dead in Minglanilla. I had an exclusive report that the police was allegedly involved in drugs. The editors told me to find sources that could verify the claim. I felt like an investigator on a crime hunt. I will never forget how I managed to write that story,” Letigio said.

Letigio has a big heart for people whom she considers as family, and even if she is only a six-month old Siloy, she said that she will always be proud to have CDN as her second home.

“I love my co-workers. I love the atmosphere in the office because you see people working together. Of course, there are conflicts here and there but they are eventually fixed like a real family,” said Letigio.
(To be continued)

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