Oral History of Rey Joble

Interviewers: Sri Kartika C. Pawitan and Ma. Margarita Anna T. Rivera

Margie Rivera - So how did you as in like since you were young you wanted to write

Rey Joble - Yeah. Because I'm a part of, a product of...writing contests ----

Margie Rivera - Yah

Rey Joble - In my third year, I joined the essay writing contest and I won a gold medal before. Isa ako sa section namin. Then a year after that I became one of the ten outstanding journalists sa school namin. I competed with division of schools sa Quezon City. It's only a public school but we've learned lots of things… attending divisions of school seminars in the entire Quezon City. So, the mayor at that time was [Jules Belmonte, not Mel Mathay, not Sonny Belmonte] of School Sports, and he was very supportive. The activities were for the campus journalist.

Margie Rivera - So when you were young what do you usually write about?

Rey Joble - My frustrations paved the way to my success because I want to play basketball but since I'm not blessed with the height and possible, yeah maybe the talent I guess but then again, to play basketball at a competitive level you need to have those things… height, you need the agility but of course, I was about thirty five or forty pounds lighter that time. So pwede pang magcompete but again sabi ko nga, syempre I'm a frustrated basketball player so I'm an avid follower of sports at an early age of eight. While my playmates are playing back in the games, I used to watch the PBA games live with my uncle at saka yung mga ibang kamag-anak namin then. Typical kasi dun sa bahay yung iisa lang yung TV… yung di-kahon

Margie Rivera - Mmm yeah yeah!

Rey Joble - Maybe di niyo na yun naabutan but ---

Ayka Pawitan - Naabutan pa po.

Rey Joble - ---but those were the days ang TV is nakakahon. So pag binuksan niyo, PBA time na kasi balita… eh after ng balita, PBA games na. We used to watch the Crispa games. I was a witness for the grand slam dunk campaign of Crispa of 1988.

Ayka Pawitan - Wala pa tayo nun.

Rey Joble - Their coach was a former La Sallian, Tommy Manotoc so it makes you feel proud diba?

Margie Rivera - So your job now was your first job ever since or did you have other jobs?

Rey Joble - Fortunately, my first job was with the newspaper but not as a sports writer.

Ayka Pawitan - Ano pong newspaper?

Rey Joble - Because I'm a working student before. I entered Manila Standard Today working in the production department. Dun sa pagpriprint ng newspaper. So after three years, I was elevated dun sa editorial section. My first coverage was a Chinese basketball league - Filipino Chinese Basketball League. So since then, I was acquired by People's Journal already. And I worked there for nine years as a sports writer and some editor covering the sports page.



Ayka Pawitan - Alam niyo po yung term na cub reporter? Naging cub reporter po kayo?

Rey Joble - Mmm, yeah! Cub reporter is somewhat a neophyte in terms of being a journalist. So lahat nagsimula naman doon e. Being a cub reporter means you are going to cover yung mga maliliit na events. So in my case yun nga even yung mga liga ng mga bombero kinoveran ko yan eh.

Margie Rivera - What was your most memorable covering of events?

Rey Joble - Uhhhm, memorable. Lahat ng memorable events. Like when I cover the Southeast Asian games.

Ayka Pawitan - Talaga po?

Rey Joble - When I went to Taipei with the Philippine Team. Na naging room mate ko si Asi Taulava.

Ayka Pawitan - Whoa.

Rey Joble - Maraming perks and bonuses ang pagiging sports writer. When Grant Hill came to Manila, I was the one who interviewed him, one on one. So ano eh, parang naging ano diba --- And then when the NBA madness, dumating dito, Gilbert Arenas came to Manila, I was also there.

Ayka Pawitan - Wow, nakausap niyo po siya?

Rey Joble - Yeah

Margie - Wow, how about David Beckham?

Ayka Pawitan & Rey Joble - Hahahaha

Rey Joble - Maraming perks and bonuses. Hindi masyado sa monetary but in terms of opportunity. Like rubbing elbows with the president. Former President Joseph Estrada, I became close with him kasi he was a basketball fan also. Then I chatted with Freddie Webb former senator.

Ayka Pawitan - Si David Webb po nasa La Salle!

Rey Joble - Yes and before that, his son, Jason was playing for De La Salle. So maraming memorable events. When we were in Taipei, I used to jog with Asi Taulava, eh kasi nga magkakasama kami sa hotel. We ate in the same hotel, sleep in the same hotel, and we used to roam around in Taipei. Kumain kami dun sa mga nakasampay na mga manok because yung siniserve na buffet is pare-parehas for one week diba.

Margie Rivera - One week??

Rey Joble - Pare-parehas siya kada day. So nakakatwo days pa lang kami parang ano na kami sa food eh. So Roble Co of San Miguel Corporation invited us to go out and ako naman, si Asi umalis kami at kumakain kami doon na nga sa mga nakasampay na manok. So it’s a joy to watch being a sports writer.

Margie Rivera - How was your first beat?

Ayka Pawitan - Yung first beat niyo po.

Rey Joble - My first by line came in May 11, 1998

Ayka Pawitan - Wow! Saulo pa hahahaha.

Rey Joble – So, going to count it. Let's see 11 years of sports writing. So had I been a call center agent at that time or had I've been entered probably the stock exchange, baka nakarami na ako. But like I've said, it's a price you get for the life you choose diba. And being a sports journalist is a joy for me, my passion as well. And tamang tama lang, mahilig din ako sa mga games because I used to coach basketball teams hanggang ngayon. So medyo may conflict of interest but at least di ko naman sinusulat yung sariling kong team diba. So yon, my first by line came in May 11, 1998.

Ayka Pawitan - Ano po yung assignment niyo noon?

Rey Joble - It's a minor basketball league. Sa intercommercial na laro lang.

Ayka Pawitan - Ooooh

Margie Rivera - So it's about passion. And then…

Ayka Pawitan - Oh, sino po yung mga kasama niyo? Kayo lang po?

Rey Joble - What do you mean sino yung kasama?

Ayka Pawitan - Yung time po yung nagfirst na by line niyo po. Kayo lang po mismo nagcover?

Rey Joble - Yes, kasi when you're designated sa beats. May mga respective assignments kayo e. So one by one yan.

Ayka Pawitan - So one by one po talaga yan. Under anong newspaper po yon?

Rey Joble - I think it's People's Journal. Kasi when I was with Manila Standard, parang training ground pa lang yon eh. So officially, it's People's Journal already.

Margie Rivera - So, did you have any memorable editors?

Ayka Pawitan - Hahahaha

Rey Joble - You know what, the attitude of sports writers dapat lagi silang galit sa editors.

Ayka Pawitan - Bakit po?

Rey Joble - Because, some sort of pride na dapat "ayokong makakatay yung original copy ko, gusto ko kinakailangan everyday konti na lang yung babaguhin niya" Pero dapat lagi kang may answer na "pakikita ko nga sa kanya na wala na siyang halos babaguhin. Pero being a good writer kasi, depends on the editor eh. You should know the style of your editor.

Ayka Pawitan - So may iba-iba po talagang styles?

Rey Joble - If you have a different set of editor, malamang maninibago ka eh. Depende lang sa panlasa niya eh. Minsan may editor na old school. Old school means sila yung mga tipong mga grammarians. Ttama na yun eh, tapos babaguhin pa niya in a simplest term. May ginawa ka ng ganyan pero napasobra ka ng compound words...aalisin niya yon. Kaya ang sports kasi kailangan descriptive eh so when you mean "efforts." Minsan sinasabi, eh sinulat mo doon "efforts" eh yung nilagay mo "collective efforts" tama pa rin diba? Kasi efforts yun eh, lahat yun eh - collective. But, sa mga old school na editors aalisin nila yung collective eh tapos lalagay lang nila "efforts."

Margie Rivera - So you really have to be flexible.

Rey Joble - Yes, you have to be adaptable sa styles nila.

Ayka Pawitan - Sinabi rin po yan ng prof namin eh. Yung about dun sa mga editors na nagdedelete ng words na parang feeling nila na extra lang yon.

Rey Joble - Like for example, when you say "first of all" it's a general phrase na tama, na ginagamit but sa mga old school editors...aalisin nila yung "of all" lalagay lang nila "first" lang

Margie Rivera – Did you ever… during the time of…

Ayka Pawitan - Ahh, yung ano po...yduring the time of martial law…

Rey Joble - Nako, wala pa ako non.

Ayka Pawitan - Yung Edsa I?

Margie Rivera - Sports

Ayka Pawitan - Ay oo nga noh. Pero nacover niyo po ba yung mga ganon?

Rey Joble - Edsa I. All I know about Edsa I… ito yung time na pinanganak na yung Philippine Daily Inquirer and other newspapers...nakakapag-express na freely. Kasi during that time, yung nabanggit niyo nga...Martial Law. Ang existing newspaper lang ay ang Daily Express which is owned by the government. So..may mga tinatawag silang underground newspapers before. So when People Power came on ‘86. Ayun na, pinanganak yung Inquirer. Naglabasan na yung Philippine Star. So mas naging independent yung Philippine journalism at that time.

Margie Rivera - Oh yah, our prof also said that after Martial Law, ang dami na nagsilabasan na newspapers.

Rey Joble - Hmmm! Even yung mga Smut Publications naglabasan sila. Parang mga kabote

Ayka Pawitan - Ah, yung Edsa II, Edsa III?

Rey Joble - Edsa II, I was a witness also for Edsa II. Kasi that time student pa yata ako. Pagraduate, may mga remaining subjects pa yata ako eh. So we went there, not as a journalist but nakiisa lang because the entire Lyceum community was there showing support to...yung bagong pagpasok ng leadership.

Margie Rivera - So where did you graduate?

Rey Joble - Lyceum of the Philippines

Margie Rivera - And, high school?

Rey Joble - Judge Juan Luna High School sa Quezon City

Ayka Pawitan - Yung sa Lyceum po, ano po yung kinuha niyo? Journalism?

Rey Joble - Yes, parang it came as a no-brainer for them dun sa may nag-eevaluate. Aah, kasi when you enter a special field tintingnan nila yung saan ka qualified. I want Mass Communication kasi gusto ko ma-experience eh but when they saw my background, yun nga naging member ka ng paper writing sa school diba. No-brainer, journalism kagad.

Margie Rivera - So you're not yet married?

Rey Joble - Married for four years now

Ayka Pawitan and Margie Rivera - Wow!

Margie Rivera - So you're married already, cause I was thinking you were still a student at Edsa II. Oh, you're married na.

Ayka Pawitan - Ooooh. Yung date of birth.

Ayka Pawitan and Margie Rivera - Hahahaha

Ayka Pawitan - Kung ayaw niyo po sabihin wag na lang po yung year.

Rey Joble - Actually, may mga dates ako na it fell during election time kasi ang birthday ko May 14. May 14, 1974. So, sa talambuhay ko siguro three times na ako nakakaexperience na nagcecelebrate ako ng birthday ng election time.

Margie Rivera - I remember there was a May 14, election time!

Ayka Pawitan - Place? Hahahaha! Place of birth.

Rey Joble - Cuenca, Batangas

Ayka Pawitan - Batangas? Taga saan po ba kayo?

Rey Joble - Batangas

Ayka Pawitan - Batangas po talaga, umuuwi po ba kayo doon everyday?

Rey Joble - Aaah...every week because my son is there and my wife is also there… so ganon lang para lang kaming magboyfriend

Margie Rivera - You're here to write?

Rey Joble - What do you mean?

Margie Rivera - Like right you say every weekend you go back to Batangas.

Rey Joble - Yes, but while I'm in Batangas I'm covering the UAAP games on television because I'm also writing for inboundpass.com, yung website for UAAP and small league.

Ayka Pawitan - Teka po, ngayon po pala saan po kayo nagsusulat?

Rey Joble - Right now, I am writing for Manila Standard Today

Ayka Pawitan - Manila Standard? Omg!

Rey Joble - Why?

Ayka Pawitan - Kasi po…

Rey Joble - Why? You know Peter Adencio?

Ayka Pawitan - Di po… dapat kasi doon po kami sa Manila Standard pumunta kanina and yesterday. Tapos yung guard po nagsabi wala po daw office. Ay hindi babalik dapat kami ng hapon po yesterday.

Rey Joble - If your concern naman is for editorial purposes e, everyday naman kaming nandoon.

Ayka Pawitan - Talaga po?

Rey Joble - Wala lang kaming office ng Saturday because there is no Sunday issue. So yun nga nabanggit mo na kung saan ako nagwwrite right now. Sa Manila Standard Today and I also write for inboundpass.com. But I'm having my daily job right now aside from being a journalist. I'm the media director for Raya Sports. Raya Sports is, sila yung nagpropromote ng billiards dito sa Pilipinas. So para kami yung organizer ng World Ten-Ball Championships.

Ayka Pawitan - So nameet niyo na po si Efren "Bata"? hahahaha

Rey Joble - Lots of times. I was in Puerto Princesa nung June covering "Puerto Princesa Temple Tour". Mga international na kasali.

Ayka Pawitan - Kamusta naman po yung editor niyo sa Manila Standard Today?

Rey Joble - Hmmm! My editor is my kumpadre, Riera Mallari, who happens to be a former Lycean also and he's godfather to my son. Even hindi ko pa siya editor because nandun nga ako sa People's Journal. So when I opted for retirement in 2007, November. I transferred sa Agatheme Associates yung PR company. Ano siya, good pay siya. Malaki yung salary, kaya lang after six months marerealize mo na you want to go back to sports writing kasi nandoon yung comfort zone mo eh. So yung naging available ako he plopped me in, si Riera Mallari, so yon I joined his staff.

Ayka Pawitan - So ano po, kailan po kayo nagstart sa Manila Standard?

Rey Joble - Ano yon eh, so second coming ko yon eh. Uhm, June 1.

Ayka Pawitan - Oh, this year lang po. Meron pa ba?

Ohh okay, thank you so much!!

Margie Rivera – Thank you so much.

Rey Joble was born on May 14, 1974 in Cuenca, Batangas. He studied journalism at the Lyceum of the Philippines. At the time of the interview he was a sportswriter for the Manila Standard Today.