Jun Lozada’s gotta be the most photographed person in the Philippines today. For those who didn’t know, Lozada is a former government official whose testimony in a corruption probe has triggered political scandal in the Philippines. Lozada is the probe’s star witness as he told senators that Romulo Neri, Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s economic planning chief, had wanted to resign due to controversy over the state’s $329 million deal with China’s ZTE Corporation which was allgedly overpriced by $130 million to fund kickbacks.
Getting him at Ateneo was quite an accident really as we were there to cover the candle-lighting thing. Met up with my good friend and now a hepekpek Buck Pago. It would’ve been such a bore if he wasn’t there. I also realized that I badly needed a ladder. It’s such an advantage. I love how you can just sit down and rest anywhere you want to and the instantaneous change in angles in offers you. Angles like this won’t be possible without one. One of my favorites from the night.
I also got to play around with my 85. Loving what it can do.. It’s just kinda hard to get its focus to hit at wide open. The focus area is literally paper thin at 1.2 but when it hits, it can be pretty nice. Still wondering if I should have gotten the 24 L instead. But same shit. I’d be wanting an 85L if I got the other one anyway. After everything was said and done, Lozada looked like a happy and rejuvenated man - even just during the exit. One can’t deny the deepness of the shit he’s in. Everybody knows he’s in trouble if this whole thing goes nowhere. After a long and exhausting day at the senate, I guess he ended his day well.
The Lozada issue has been nothing short of a circus and a frenzy. We are dying to follow his every step and breath now that the issue is still pretty hot. But it makes me wonder what will be of him when this dies down. Will he and the issues he has brought up that made him the moment’s hero just vanish into thin air if something bigger comes up? It is a sick characteristic of the media in my own personal opinion. I know I am still new to the profession and I barely know how it all works but as early as now, I don’t think its a practice that should be accepted.
It was quite a day for me as well. Day started at 6am just to get to the office of the Ombudsman at 8 sharp only to find out the whole thing starts at 10am. Had this one shot that I really liked.. A grab of Joey De Vencia where he got framed by Abalos and his counsel as they chatted. I then had to run all the way to the senate to shoot a shitty protest by pro-administration supporters. Then to Ateneo to cover this. Talk about touring Manila. Day ended at 12am. Me and Buck hung around this coffee shop he frequents to somewhere in QC to file our stuff. It was a nice place, and it was good to have some stupid conversations and laughs with him after not seeing him for quite some time. The people I get to work with is an enormous part of work as well for they can really make this tough job fun and worthwhile. It’s just another day of work, but I admit it can get tiring. The discipline is great, but it really is a tough job. No wonder a lot of people don’t like it and can’t see the point. I’m glad I’m still surviving. Hope all of this pays off.
It was quite a day for me as well. Day started at 6am just to get to the office of the Ombudsman at 8 sharp only to find out the whole thing starts at 10am. Had this one shot that I really liked.. A grab of Joey De Vencia where he got framed by Abalos and his counsel as they chatted. I then had to run all the way to the senate to shoot a shitty protest by pro-administration supporters. Then to Ateneo to cover this. Talk about touring Manila. Day ended at 12am. Me and Buck hung around this coffee shop he frequents to somewhere in QC to file our stuff. It was a nice place, and it was good to have some stupid conversations and laughs with him after not seeing him for quite some time. The people I get to work with is an enormous part of work as well for they can really make this tough job fun and worthwhile. It’s just another day of work, but I admit it can get tiring. The discipline is great, but it really is a tough job. No wonder a lot of people don’t like it and can’t see the point. I’m glad I’m still surviving. Hope all of this pays off.
