Supplements

They got the beat

July 28, 2011 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine STAR’s late publisher, Max Soliven, said it best: “Success is the worst enemy of endeavor. You should never lose the hunger of the cub reporter. A cub reporter goes after the story no matter what.”

That is the life of a STAR reporter, continuously hungry for fresh news and never letting go of a good lead. They are some of the most tenacious in the newspaper industry, sniffing out stories and snagging exclusives that affect the nation. These are the people behind the news you read and the issues that matter.

The following STAR reporters share some insight as to how they came to the paper and what their most memorable coverage has been since they first began their careers here.

Paolo Romero

Starting out as a police reporter, Paolo Romero first came to The STAR in 1996 and currently covers the House of Representatives. Some of his most memorable moments include covering conflicts abroad, and meeting personalities such as US President George Bush and Pope Benedict XVI.

“My career here is enriching and fulfilling,” Romero says. “Not too many are fortunate enough to be able to be in this profession, most of all, be in The STAR. You’re often in the middle of history unfolding. I would like to believe that I help change people’s lives for the better.”

Jaime Laude

Covering the defense and military beat, Jaime Laude began his career in The STAR as a typesetter in 1989. At the same time, he was a correspondent covering the Southern Tagalog region. The one event that stuck to him most involved former Calauan Mayor Antonio Sanchez in the rape-slay of UPLB couple Eileen Sarmenta and Allan Gomez in 1993.

“It was a STAR exclusive,” Laude enthuses of the paper’s extensive coverage of the story. “The STAR was responsible for the detention and incarceration of Mayor Sanchez.”

Non Alquitran

Covering the PNP-NCRPO and Eastern police District beats, Non Alquitran began at the STAR as a police reporter in 1988. In between, he covered various government agencies before going back to the police beat.

He vividly remembers the Abu Sayyaf siege of the NCRPO. “I was the only one that was able to get in there,” Alquitran says. “It wasn’t exactly exclusive, but we got many side stories that only we published. After the siege, the area was cleared of reporters, but only The STAR was left in there.”

Edu Punay

Covering the Supreme Court, Department of Justice, and Court of Appeals are what occupies Edu Punay. Joining the STAR as a fresh college graduate in 2003, his first beat was with the Southern Police District.

Punay won’t easily forget the standoff of Abu Sayyaf inmates at Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig in 2005. He says, “We covered it overnight, alongside the coverage of TV and radio.” Then there was his expose of the Alabang Boys controversy in 2008. “I’m one of the lucky reporters that really went through almost all beat assignments from the bottom up,” shares Punay. “It was a good training ground for me.

Evelyn Macairan

The CBCP, customs, and immigration are just a handful of beats that Evelyn Macairan currently covers. She started working for The STAR in 2003 covering the Southern Police District.

She doesn’t have a particular news event that sticks out, but the many beats she had as a whole make up a wonderful experience all its own. “When I covered Manila City Hall and the NBI, I got to observe the local elections,” she recalls. “At the NBI in particular there were a lot of stories like the Garci tapes. And there were the various coups, investigations, etc.” The most important thing she takes away is the company of her fellow reporters and the friendships she’s earned.

Cecille Suerte Felipe

First assigned to the police beat at the Southern police District in 1993, Cecille Suerte Felipe can immediately recall her very first day on the job as memorable. “It was a hostage taking. The police officer was killed while trying to save a hostage,” she relates.

Many events would continue to be memorable for Suerte Felipe, but her first day coverage will always be at the top of her list. She says working at the star is “exciting” and that she’s “satisfied at how The STAR family is taking care of us.”

Reinir Padua

Covering the Quezon City Police and court beats, Reinir Padua started working for The STAR in 2007. At first he acted as a reliever for the DFA beat. After doing a different beat he was assigned to the QC area and has stayed there since.

His most memorable coverage was the suicide of Ted Failon’s wife in 2009, with reporters staking out the Failon residence for a week, at the time. “I learned a lot about investigations, the process,” he says.

Perseus Echeminada

Having started his career as a correspondent for The STAR in 1986, he became a reporter after 15 years. Perseus Echeminada is a virtual pioneer, covering Tribal peoples, the PCSO, and political forums.

“I was the first Damayan reporter,” Echeminada recalls when he was assigned by The STAR’s late founder, Betty Go-Belmonte to the task. “I covered the Mt. Pinatubo eruption. At the same time, we were delivering relief goods to the victims,” he adds. Then there’s the tale of the Japanese straggler in Bukidnon who didn’t know that World War II had ended.

“For 25 years, I was witness to the unfolding history,” reflected Echeminada. “I am not only a reporter; I’m helping people as well.”

Jose Rodel Clapano

When asked what his coverage was, Jose Rodel Clapano, who started out with The STAR in 1997 would only reply, “Erap.” Not the whole story, though as he also covers the San Juan area and the office of the Vice President.

Clapano has followed former President Estrada throughout his trials for plunder. He remembers, “Sometimes we’d go home at 1 am, 2 am.”

Christina Mendez

When she started on Camanava in 1997, Christina Mendez covered the police beat. It was an assignment she always thought of as exciting. Today, she covers the senate beat which had its own share of excitement with the Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez issue.

“If you start with the police beat, you’ll be able to hone your skills,” says Mendez. “By the time I got to the legislative beat, I had become more ‘investigative’ with the information from my sources, double checking what they said, and so on.”

Aie Balagtas See

One of the youngest reporters at The STAR, Aie Balagtas See came in to the company last 2010, a fresh graduate from the University of Santo Tomas. Covering the Southern Metro Manila beat, practically every new assignment was memorable — every day a learning experience.

Certain news events, like the Ampatuan coverage, do stand out but nothing beats what happened on See’s first day on the job. “On May 15^thlast year, there was a large fire in Muntinlupa,” she recounts. “4,000 people lost their homes. Up to now, when May 15 came up, that’s what I remembered. I was in the area, lots of people around, the smell…”

Rhodina Villanueva

Known by her nickname “Deck” around the office, Rhodina Villanueva came to The STAR in 2005. She was first assigned to the Southern Police District. “It was very challenging because I covered local governments and incidents –– most of the time those have the kinds of stories you really need to go to.” Today, she covers the DENR, DAR, NGO and militant group beats.

Villanueva recalls the funeral of former President Corazon Aquino as being memorable for her. “It was actually a whole day that we waited for her body to arrive. And it was raining,” she says. “Our legs hurt from standing –– there was no place to sit and we had no clue when the funeral march would arrive because of the constant delays. It was one of the most physically challenging tests of endurance for me.”

Pia Lee-Brago

Pia Lee-Brago started her career at the star in 2000. Mainly covering the DFA beat, her most memorable coverage is also a most recent one. It was the executions of three convicted Filipino drug mules in China. “It was the first time that happened,” Brago recounts. “However we pleaded, the law is still the law in China.”

In her own words, Brago says she has spent the best years of her life here at The STAR. She adds, “You give everything, because your editors and co-workers are kind. It’s only here at the STAR that I’ve seen that.”

Helen Flores

She initially wanted to be a feature writer at The STAR, but Helen Flores found herself covering the DSWD and DOST beats in 2006. The nature of Flores’ coverage requires her to be well-prepared for when the next storm hits, or when the next earthquake and natural calamity strikes. In other words, she almost always hits the ground running.

“What’s memorable for me is typhoon Milenyo,” says Flores. “It was my first year at The STAR. It was like a baptism of fire. The storm reached me at EDSA on my way to PAGASA. My mother kept calling me to go home but I couldn’t. This is my job.”

Sheila Crisostomo

Sheila Crisostomo started with the police beat in Camanava in 1992. Today, she covers the DOH and Comelec. Asked for her memorable coverage, she replies, “When I started, it would have to be the Lenny Villa case. I followed that one. Then the most tiring one was EDSA 2. We didn’t have any laptops back then so we had to cross to Robinsons Galleria just to use the internet.”

After all these years, Crisostomo still finds fulfillment and excitement with her work at The STAR. “It’s like having a second family here. That’s what I think of The STAR.”

Mayen Jaymalin

Mayen Jaymalin started as a correspondent for the STAR in 1988 covering the Western Police District beat and became a reporter soon after. Today she covers the DOLE and DOT beats. “When you’re a police reporter, you get to see everything,” she relates. You also get to be in the thick of the action as well.

Jaymalin has experienced going near fires, run away from tear gas and approached downed planes on runways. “I remember a military general that was one of the accused in the Ninoy Aquino assassination break down in tears. At the time, I was the only one covering it.”

Alexis Romero

Covering the Department of National Defense is Alexis Romero, a young reporter who came to The STAR in early 2010. Previously, he covered finance news. Covering the military now has been quite the transition.

“The suicide of Angelo Reyes in relation to the controversy of payoffs in the military was memorable,” replies Romero. “You follow the story and see these prominent people attending the wake; that’s where I learned the value of being attentive, being particular about details. Aside from that you get to see the human drama.”

Sandy Araneta

Sandy Araneta started his relationship with The STAR in 1998. Covering the NBI, Manila City Hall and various other beats, it’s no surprise that the most memorable moment of his career occurred right near the office.

Araneta relates, “It’s the hostage taking incident at the Quirino Grandstand.” Along with other reporters on the scene, he was right behind the police line when shots began firing from the bus. “We all scattered and I ran with my laptop and was texting Mamichu (associate editor Marichu Villanueva) with details almost every minute. She told me to relax and just focus on my work. And that’s what I did.”

Mike Frialde

Covering the Makati MMDA and PNP beats, Mike Frialde joined the Star in 1997. Previously, he covered the church beat and that is where he got assigned to the funeral of Cardinal Sin.

“It was dramatic,” says Frialde. “It was an unforgettable coverage.” Of all the articles he had written, he feels that the one he wrote about that event is his best to date. He adds, “It was just one story for the day of the funeral. I did a couple more detailing his life but, it was that one piece that is most memorable.”

Michael Punongbayan

Michael Punongbayan covers the Ombudsman, Sandiganbayan , COA and various other beats. Since his start in the company in 2005, Punongbayan says his most memorable coverage is the Subic rape trial.

“We covered that from day one up to judgement day,” relates Punongbayan. “Everyday I was in court. It was almost my life already.” He and his fellow reporters saw the whole process through, from the presentation of facts to the emotional ups and downs.

Delon Porcalla

Covering the the news out of Malacanang Palace is Delon Porcalla. His recent stories include the Palace’s issues with the CBCP and the ongoing RH Bill debate and; marine col. Generoso Mariano’s call to replace the government.

Aurea Calica

All that Aurea Calica did after graduating college in 1996 was walk in to The STAR offices and apply for a job. After a few days, she was accepted as a reporter for the paper. Tasked to follow President Noynoy Aquino around on her Malacanang beat, Calica has also been around the different beats in the business.

So, it’s hard for her to choose a memorable moment in her career –– from the Vizconde massacre to the Sipadan hostage incident, to the Supreme Court trying to decide if Fernando Poe, Jr. was a Filipino citizen or not and the Hello Garci scandal, one can say that Calica is one of the most-well-rounded reporters of the company.

Calica says of her career, “It’s very educating. I think I was given enough breaks to prove myself. And at the same time, serve.”

Jerry Botial

Gathering information from the Camanava area, Jerry Botial checks in regularly with the local news that concern the Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela City area.

Rainier Allan Ronda

Rainier Allan Ronda started as a reporter for The STAR in 1998 assigned to the Quezon City Police. But it would be another police beat that would prove memorable. Currently, he covers the DepEd and PCGG beats but he still remembers the old police assignments. “My most memorable would be the police beat in Camanava,” Ronda says. “I went around Caloocan, Navotas, Valenzuela. I dealt with the police, police characters, police reporters that were like police characters. They were like the past stereotypes of reporters, mostly tabloid reporters.”

Ronda says his time at The STAR has been enriching and rewarding. “My coverage experience is somewhat complete. I’ve covered the police and now political beats. I was given a thorough education on government and police –– and realities on the ground.”

Jess Diaz

Jess Diaz, 25-year pioneer of The Star, has been covering the congressional beat with news from our esteemed lawmakers. His recent news reports from the House include the proposal to have a 60 Kph speed limit on Metro Manila’s major thoroughfares and the House seeking a probe on multi-billion peso LGU loans.

B ddsv

Marvin Sy covers the Senate beat now, but back in 1999, he covered the DENR-DAR in the elliptical area of Quezon City. His most memorable assignment reflects a more recent time, that of his coverage of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. “She’s very hard working,” avers Sy. “You saw how she managed to handle the crises around her. She was always strong.”

Being with The STAR is a significant experience for Sy. “The STAR gave me a lot of access to different people,” he says. “I experienced covering the major beats: Malacanang, Senate, DFA. It broadened my range.”