Interviewers: Audrey Domasian and Mulawin Galang
Audrey: Hi, good afternoon, we’re here with Malaya Business Editor, Ms. Rosario Galang to interview her for our finals in Intprin. For the record po ma’am, please state your name and present employment.
Ms. Rosario Galang: I am Rosario Galang and I am closing the section editor of business, travel, shipping, infotech…but what I like most is the travel.
Audrey: So, describe po yung circumstances kung paano po kayo napunta sa ganitong job? I mean, pinili po ninyo ba ito? Or talagang nagkataon lang?
Ms. Rosario Galang: No, it’s because I like writing.
Audrey: Passion po?
Ms. Rosario Galang: Siguro, Oo. When I remember, siguro a generation ago, that was thirty years ago, I started as a pre-med student at U.P. Then suddenly I realized, what am I doing here? I was about to cut up, yung dead cat (laughs), what am I doing here? So I decided, and I asked my mom’s permission, my father’s permission that I shift to mass communications. Good thing my mom allowed. My father did not want me to, but my mom said “ok you can go” and thankfully (laughs) I was allowed to shift.
Audrey: So you graduated in Mass Communications?
Ms. Rosario Galang: Oo, I graduated in 1973, a generation ago (laughs)
Audrey: Nag-pursue po ba kayo ng graduate degree?
Ms. Rosario Galang: No no, because I think that doing newspaper work is more than enough
Audrey: The experience?
Ms. Rosario Galang: Oo, I consider those, sa akin ha, yung mga higher education, M.A. and other things, pang-dikit lang sa likod ng pangalan yun. There are so many things you can learn doing things in real life
Ms. Rosario: Not on books, not on teachings, it’s very different in what you learn from school and what you experience dito sa tunay na industriya ng newspaper.
Audrey: Ano po yung journalism experience ninyo so far? Like, saan po kayo nag-start out pagka-graduate ninyo po?
Ms. Rosario Galang: I started as a researcher of the Business Day, that was in 1974. I stayed there, for mga 3 years and then I transferred to the Manila Times and after which I took a vacation, I had a 10 year leave to take care of my son who was asthmatic , then after 10 years I returned to Malaya and joined De Los Reyes as Business Editor. I really cant remember if it was 1992 or 1994, so along that time. Here I am, 14 years in Mayala.
Audrey: Yung Business Day po, saan po siya located?
Ms. Rosario Galang: I don’t remember, Business Day is the forerunner of Business World; Business Day is the best in business daily.
Audrey: Can you tell us about your experience in Business Day? Like what was it like? Ano po yung ginagawa ninyo?
Ms. Rosario Galang: Well, I started as a researcher, we did the book on the top 1000 corporations, can you imagine, while we were doing this (laughs)
Awin: 1000 corporations
Ms. Rosario Galang: We started with a calculator, and the calculator I was working with was, I was using then, was this big and that big (measures with her hands on the desk and (laughs) that was back in ‘76
Awin: Oh..
Ms. Rosario Galang: Walang pang computer. We were doing this, all the income statements, manually, ngayon dito nalang sa computer yan
Awin: Opo,
Ms. Rosario Galang: Oo, Excel lang yan, isang pindot mo lang, diretso na. I remember, staying up late, for 2 months, doing the top 1000. Well, you find it very funny but it was quite an experience, it was a good backgrounder for me because, I got to know the top 1000 corporations. (laughs) You will know, when you’re in business, you will know how big the corporations are.
Audrey: Sino po yung mga colleagues ninyo sa Business Day? Until now po ba, nasa news industry pa po sila?
Ms. Rosario Galang: Wala na yata, pero yung ibang kasabay ko sa beat, ayan, Lorie Cabanes, is the business editor of the Bulletin. Then, there is, who else? Rome Marcelo of Inquirer, is anak niya. Di ko nakasabay yun, very very young kasi. Who else..wala na yata. Ako nalang natitira (laughs)
Audrey: Sa Manila Times po, afterwards, nag-shift po kayo, bakit po?
Ms. Rosario Galang: Times Journal, that was Times Journal
Audrey: Oh, Journal, Im sorry
Ms. Rosario Galang: Oh I told you...ahh, why I left Business Day? Kasi, I realized na yung Business Day, it’s not..how do I say this, when you work for Business Day, medyo, I don’t get to write. When I transferred to Manila Times, ay, Times Journal, I realized that, dito ang tunay na diyaryo, tunay yung trabaho, kasi general circulation yun, mas mabilis yun…Kasi itong Business Day, it’s a business paper na, parang hindi tunay na diyaryo. Anyways, yun ang feeling ko noon.
Audrey: So, yung sa Times Journal, ano po yung memorable experiences ninyo doon? Yung, kakaiba, different sa Business Day?
Ms. Rosario Galang: Well, iba yung coverage nila, at pang general circulation.
Audrey: Ano po yung first beat ninyo sa Business, ay, Times Journal?
Ms. Rosario Galang: I can’t even remember, siguro it was easy.
Audrey: So, yung sa Times Journal po, ano po yung physical facilities? I mean, yung place, paano siya nag-iba from Business Day?
Ms.Rosario Galang: It was a better place. Business Day, the office then was in West Avenue, that in Quezon City, the whole building, then when I transferred to the Times Journal, the building was in Ortigas, it was the best, very big difference. I remember noon, how cheap it was then, when I, I used to take the cab from La Loma to Ortigas, it only costs me 10 pesos. Pag sumobra ng 10 pesos yung Taxi fare ko, sabi ko, mandaraya itong driver (laughs) Imagine, 10 pesos lang.
Audrey: Ano po yung working conditions ninyo po, sa Times Journal?
Ms. Rosario Galang: Oh, it was fine, si Datu Puti noon was taking very good care of us, that’s uh, Popoy Romualdez. From Ortigas, we transferred to Port Area, parang, our office then, was diyan sa kabilang building, sa Leyland, pero wala na dito.
Audrey: So, sa experience ninyo po, may memorable po bang editors or mga important deadlines na hindi ninyo po makakalimutan??Yung talaga pong nag-bigay ng experience sa inyo.
Ms. Rosario Galang: Well, si Locsin, Raul Locsin, was my god-father sa wedding ko, oo, and of course I learned a lot from him, talagang parati sinasabi sa amin niyan, “keep your noses clean” and I think that was a big factor para mag-guide sa amin.
Audrey: How about, yung mga deadlines ninyo po? Mabilis po ba, or nahirap kayo sa mga deadlines?
Ms. Rosario Galang: Ay hindi, what is funny is that, yung , sabi ko nga, I think I’ve stayed too long in this trade, kasi we started with mechanical pa, then nasundan ko yung offset, tapos ayan, computer na. At noon, nagsusulat ka sa typewriter , noong araw, puro x,x,x,x. Then we used paper, yung mga left-over rolls ng sa libro,pagtapos ng isang pahina, punit lang ng punit. You ask me, what is the big difference, what I can say talaga na, made a difference in the past 30 years, is the cellphone. Kasi cellphone, it made it light and easier for all of us. Kasi, pag cellphone, nakakusap mo kaagad yung reporter mo.
Awin: Di na kailangang mag report (laughs)
Ms. Rosario Galang: (laughs) Oo, sabi ko nga, dadating nalang dito sa computer, I don’t even fax, it’s the cellphone nga.., made life easier for all of us.
Audrey: So now, it’s easier to submit deadlines
Ms. Rosario Galang: Oo, yung mga stories
Audrey: Yung, memorable moments po, the best memories….
Ms. Rosario Galang: Di mo masasabi na may isang memorable experience kasi it’s a daily struggle yan eh, yung isang high mo, tapos nay an sa araw nay an, kasi ganoon talaga, you live for the day. Kung may scoop ka ngayon, magtatrabaho ka ulit, hindi mo pwede sabihin na “naka-scoop ako kahapon” kasi tapos na yun, wala na yun. So, kailangan ngayon, meron kang istorya, , kaya kailangan you have to do something good daily. Something worth reading.
Audrey: What were the significant events that you’ve covered?
Ms. Rosario Galang: Oh (laughs) naka-ilang evaluation na ako, yun kasi, business, wala, (laughs)
Audrey: Martial Law, or EDSA?
Ms. Rosario Galang: My student number in U.P. starts with ’69, so you can imagine, na hit ko talaga yung first quarter, yung nagbo-bombahan doon at saka Diliman commune, nandoon ako. If you me “bakit hindi ka naging, nakilaban, hindi ka naging
Awin: Aktibista?
Ms. Rosario Galang: Aktibista. Hindi ko type. (laughs)
Awin: (laughs)
Ms. Rosario Galang: Parati naman nararamdaman yun eh (laughs)
Audrey: Pero nag-cover po ba kayo ng EDSA 1,2 or 3?
Ms. Rosario Galang: I was there sa EDSA 1, ganito nga iyon eh, kumukonti nalang yung tao sa EDSA, napansin naming nawawala na yung mga tao sa EDSA, pumunta kami ng mga ate ko, dala dala yung mga 3 jeep, punong puno, just to be there, kasi the Cardinal called us to be there, so we went there. Noong nandun na ako, uminit na, dumami na yung tao, so I asked my sister, “ate uwi na tayo”, (laughs). Pero we were there, we were there. Just looking back, we were there. Siguro ginagawa ko lang patawa, pero the thing is, nandoon kami.
Awin: You were part of it.
Ms. Rosario Galang: Oo, we were part of it. Pinuntahan namin talaga.
Audrey: Pero dip o kayo nag-cover?
Ms. Rosario Galang: Ah, hindi, kasi wala ako noon, yung 10 year break ko
Ms. Rosario Galang: Ah, my husband pala, covered that.
Audrey: Husband ninyo po, taga saan? What newspaper?
Ms. Rosario Galang: If I remember right, it was, my husband was working with, I think, Tribune. It’s the Far Eastern Tribune, can’t remember. Nung nag-declare, gulo na, naipit siya doon sa loob noong Aguinaldo. Nakalabas din siya. So, nag-report siya, pinuntahan pa niya, yung barilan doon sa ABS-CBN, nan-doon siya sa isa sa mga Niyog doon, nagtatago, kasi barilan talaga, my brother went with him, nagtatago sila doon, kasi may fire na talaga, talagang binabaril sila doon . Nagtatago sila doon sa isang puno ng niyog. Nakita mo na yung buong Avenue na iyon? May mga puno doon ng niyog, kilalang-kilala niya yung isang puno doon. (laughs)
Awin: (laughs)
Audrey: Yung recent events, nag-cover po ba kayo? Yung Abu-Sayaf or MILF?
Ms. Rosario Galang: Ay hindi, Business ako eh, ah, I’ll tell you something. Noong time ni Cory,. Nandiyan lahat ng good vibes ng businesses, unang business conference, talagang happy ang lahat. From there, dapat dumidiretso na tayo. Pero, yung adventurism ni Gringo Honasan, and I don’t think he ever apologized for that, that bastard, ang growth natin pataas na tapos biglang bumagsak because of his stupid coup-de-etat. And he never apologized. And how many people did he kill?
Audrey: In the business side, have you ever encountered, like, difficult problems? Nahirapan i-cover or write about?
Ms. Rosario Galang: In business, everything is civil, so saan mahihirapan?
Audrey: Mas madali po ba yung business sa news?
Ms. Rosario Galang: Hindi, mas mahirap, kasi, at least dapat naiintindihan mo yung sinusulat mo, which is different from, kung, nakita mo nag-barilan, i-report mo nag-barilan, pero kung lumagapak yung peso, ano sasabihin mo? Oh, di siyempre alam mo kung paano dapat.
Audrey: So, were you ever a cub reporter?
Ms. Rosario Galang: No, I was a researcher, more into business.
Audrey: As a researcher po, ano po yung mga topics assigned sa inyo?
Ms. Rosario Galang: Yung nga, we did this 1000 Corporations.
Audrey: Overall, being a journalist, being in this business, what are your advices sa mga, gusto mag-follow sa footsteps ninyo? For us, as a student now, if ever maging future po namin ito. Ano po yung masasabi ninyo for us?
Ms. Rosario Galang: My son is not a journalist; does that not speak for something? (laughs) My son is a, he took up psychology. (laughs). Kasi, ganito yun, kung hindi mo love yung job mo hindi mo gustong mag-sulat, kung wala kang interest doon, wala kang printer’s ink sa dugo mo, ang dugo mo ay hindi printer’s ink, hindi ka pwede sa business. Kasi dito, sa diyaryo, mababa ang sweldo. Kasi, ang high mo dito, yung nakikita mo ang trabaho mo araw araw. Yung, may nagawa ka. Sa akin halimbawa, (asks for the paper in the other desk), ayan, (points at newspaper) wala yan kahapon, ngayon nan-dito na. Kahapon, inabot kami ng 11, ay, 9 dito, kasi nag-brown out. Bagong lipat kami dito. Ayan, nakikita mo araw araw (flips newspaper pages), yung 7 pages, ng Business (business section), I manage 7 reporters.
Audrey: Yung sa 7 reporters, under you, ano po yung deadline ninyo?
Ms. Rosario Galang: All stories in by 5 o’clock. 6 o’clock, nabibigay sila ng istorya, pinabibigay ko sa Inquirer (laughs) kasi lagpas na ng deadline.
Audrey: So kailangan talaga i-meet yung deadline nila..
Ms. Rosario Galang: Oo, oo. Tama na yan. Ilang minutes naba?
Awin: Last question po, kasi sa discussion namin, yung newspaper business, it’s actually going down, what’s your side on that?
Ms. Rosario Galang: Hindi, kasi makita mo, sabihin nila na lahat ng tao magbabasa nalang sa computer, lahat sa Internet, hindi. Iba yung feel ng papel. Granted, kailangan matuto ma-maximize yung asset ng diyaryo para maging competitive. Halimbawa, yung sa ibang diyaryo, malapad, talo sila sa cost ng paper. Kami, manipis , may mga ads, we’ve been surviving for the past 28 years, kaya anong ibig sabihin noon? Pag tiningnan ninyo yung paper namin, makikita mo iyan, manipis, we’re very competitive. Yung iba, makikita mo sila, bongga, hanggang kalian sila? Diba? Halimbawa, look at..oh di na ako magbibigay ng names. Pero makikita mo, puro ads tapos manipis pa? Siguro, kumita ka ng 100 000 sa isang araw, pero yung cost ng paper mo? Kapag ang dami ng circulation? Lugi ka na. Kaya kailangan may management. At saka, yung sa computer, I do that, I read the New York Times, yung what is available there, pero iba yung feeling ng may diyaryo, may papel kang tinitingnan na ganyan (flips paper). Kita mo, pati yung eBook, diba may mga electronic books?
Awin: Opo, yung PDF
Ms. Rosario Galang: Nasaan yung joy ng pag flip ng book? Diba? Ayon (laughs)
Awin: Thank you po
Audrey: Thank you po
Ms. Rosario Galang was born on Nov. 28 1952. She studied Mass Communications at U.P. At the time of the interview, she was business editor at Malaya.
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