HOTSPOT
When a friend-editor approached me, a blogger, sometime in 2013 about starting a column for the Manila Bulletin, I honestly thought it was a joke. He repeated the invitation several times, but I still didn’t believe it.
How could that be when my beliefs are left-of-center, sometimes even “radical”? Is there a place for my views in a pro-establishment newspaper?
My questions were answered by the calm voice of the editor in a brief meeting in the office. I can still remember that the corridor was quite a mess at the time, as the entire second floor was being renovated to give way to a new setup.
The editor told me that the editorial board wanted young and fresh voices to join the opinion pages, that I could take on any topic of my choosing, and that what the editor would do was to keep things tidy, neat, and libel-free. No sacred cows too.
With such assurances and also a schedule for stipends (!), I gladly accepted the invitation to write for the paper.
And so 10 years ago this weekend (precisely Jan. 5, 2014), my first “Hotspot” column came out in the Bulletin.
“Hotspot” often refers to a Wi-Fi router or a pocket Wi-Fi, which spreads and shares Wi-Fi signals. I picked it as a tribute to my blogging years, and to the idea that I intend to connect with readers in tackling the issues that I think should matter.
It is always a challenge for me to beat the deadline, but the real hard part usually is about picking the topic worthy of giving my time and space to write about. This is tough for a weekly column such as mine.
I have always been partial to articulating the points of view of workers, farmers, farm workers, national minorities, professionals, fisherfolk, artists, youth, and LGBT. I don’t apologize for it, as I see it as a matter of fairness that they are heard, and I also find that their standpoint, viewpoint, and perspective are often more relevant and fresher compared to the daily avalanche of stale apologies for the status quo. I intend to continue holding this bias.
To the consternation of my editor, I would often submit beyond the deadline but not so much because of laziness or because I wanted to mess with the print deadlines. I wanted to witness the news unfold up to the last possible minute so the column would capture the week’s zeitgeist and give it my interpretation and analysis.
Three years into the column-writing, the Manila Bulletin said I could write twice a week. I loved that time because I got to react to more issues in a month. I hope to be able to do that again.
To those asking where I write: Except for a time when I took a consultancy job there, I don’t go to the Manila Bulletin office to work on my column. My column has often been written at home, in the middle of the night. But I’ve also written pieces while on board a bus, a train, or even a plane.
One time, I had to take out my netbook while on a cramped provincial bus to re-send a column that went missing at the desk. Other passengers looked at me weirdly. I have also written columns in the middle of rallies and demonstrations.
In the 500 or so columns I have written, there are a couple of pieces that come to mind.
One of the most shared is titled “Achievements” which consists of a long and partial list of victories won by Filipinos through activism. It was an answer to questions about the “ambag” and the value of activists to the nation. Still being shared in this time of red-tagging, expect it to be updated soon.
Other favorites are the tributes to great people I knew, and of course, about my mama who passed away in 2022. I am sad she did not get to see this personal milestone, but I rededicate this weekly effort to her, especially my frequent emphasis on education. I am a proud son of a public school teacher and a proud product of public schools. I will always advocate for them, and I intend to remain their champion.
As I mark my 10th year as a Manila Bulletin columnist, let me thank Emil Yap III, executive editor Pinky Colmenares, secretary Nida Oribiana, friends, confidants, and of course the loyal readers of this column and the Manila Bulletin.
More to come – and that’s not a joke.