The start of the hopeful comeback

April 20, 2009
8:39 pm

SILAK, the official student publication of West Visayas State University, College of Education has always been award winning—really award winning.

Being awarded with the Graciano Lopez Jaena Award (the highest Award in the Region for a School/Departmental Publication given by the Philippine Information Agency) for two times is indeed a great honored bestowed to SILAK. Becoming a role model to other student-publications in the region, being honored by numerous medals for its writers and countable (for we can catalogue it) certificates given, SILAK has indeed proven its worth to become one of the premier, most sought after student publication in the region. But not everything is fine and dandy.

Time, brain-bending storms, resource droughts, school government recession has proven to have a toll on SILAK. No, it’s not as worse as the Bubonic plague, and I am not scared of it. What I am ‘afraid’ (I don’t think this fits, but it’s close) about of is the visible reactions of the alumni. More are on the boos and less are on the hurrahs. Few nods and more scowls. I’m very much troubled that the previous staff had put up so much expectation from the future generation to continue the publication’s ‘legacy’. You know me, panicking is synonymous to everything.

So what is our step in upholding the publication? Well, it’s not our initiative but the initiative of an active (participating) alumni.

For academic year 2009-2010, a screening should be held for the ‘promotable’ staff members or for those who want to ramp up or retain their status in the publication. It will consist of a personalized examination covering the topics of Basic Journalism, Development Journalism, Basic Editing and a personality section. There will also be an interview by former staff members. This activity is set for one day. April 13, 2009. Examination on the morning and interview in the afternoon.

So it was that big day who judged us who we are as a student journalist.

May God save the Queen.

The test was very brain whacking to tell you honestly. There was also a mistake (by me, of course) in my exam. I was supposedly applying for the position of the Photojournalist but due to my alter-ego and my unconscious desire to have a higher position and probably form drowsiness, I had confirmed to our managing editor that I was applying for Associate Editor. Big boo boo.

Back to the examination. I had to dig up my brain for basic editing concepts and ruling. Being new to the publication, I also had a few boo boos when it came to the history of the publication. There was this particular question about the first adviser of SILAK. I knew it I had read it somewhere but due to my poor memory, I forgot the name. A big boo boo for a journalist. It should always be a ruling to know the background of the publication you’re entering. Basic dates, the who’s, and important innovations of the publication. It will help when you introduce your publication to other people if you know it by heart.

We ate lunch (courtesy of JD Bakeshop) and we waited for the panelists for the interview to arrive. The interview which was to be set in the office was transferred to the sheds behind Quezon Hall. Since it was Holy Wednesday, the Ramon Magsaysay Building, to which our office is located, shall be closed in compliance with the half-day memorandum of the school.

The interview was another tense moment-only for me perhaps. There are six (6) panelists. And these panelists were no doughnuts, to tell you honestly. Most of them are now professional-professionals, some completely in the field of journalistic and creative writing.

For easier division of the grueling task of interviewing of eight (8) applicants and to save time, each applicant shall have three interviewers. My interviewers were Ms. Dupit, Mr. Tubal, and Sir Sodusta.

It was nerve racking but I guess it did not show. The interviewers were pleasant and very calm. It was a very professional talk. I mostly stutter out my answers rather than speak it out. That’s how clumsy I am when it comes to interviews. People may perceive that I am calm that time yet deep within, the fleas in my stomach are scuttling frantically.

In the end I survived the re-initiation. We all did. And as what the alumni had said, this is hopefully the start of the hopeful comeback of SILAK.

Congratulations to the new staff for Academic Year 2009-2010. I really hope I don’t get punch in the nose for posting this./KP