Saturday, September 27, 2008 Media meals By Luis A. Quibranza III
TODAY marks the end of Press Freedom week. And for a change in the food section of Live!, we wanted to dig in deeper and prove to the wonderful reading public that journalists (as portrayed in movies) don’t just live on:
1) Coffee
2) Fast food
3) The spoils of our editor-in-chief’s free treats varying from marshmallows to lechon after the awards he racks up.
I went on “fieldwork” one day (walking around in the newsroom) and asked random people if working in the media still allowed them the luxury of time to get good food. I wanted to know the editors’ side, but there was an aura of deadline pressures from the room of the editors; it was a bit too much to handle. Nevertheless, I still got what I needed for the story.
Favorite dishes. Without hesitation, artist Josua Cabrera, exclaimed tinowa, a Visayan fish soup cooked to perfection, simmering in broth and flavored with generous amounts of tomatoes and green onions. And, of course, a hint of spicy chili for satisfaction.
News correspondent Lis Baumgart recalls her favorite home-cooked tinolang manok to be her favorite. “I remember before that mom would prepare that for me when I was sick,” she adds.
Staff reporter Rene Martel goes for the classic pork adobo and claims that “he can eat it even without rice.”
And perhaps the most surprising answer comes from Arni Aclao, one of the photographers. “Ube jam. I can eat that ‘til my stomach hurts,” he says.
For the sake of public service. Time’s hands seem to turn faster when the news starts piling in. And because these people deal with day to day, unpredictable instances, their meals more often than not are sacrificed for the sake of public service.
Some claim that their meal times have become erratic. For newly wed staff reporter Juvy Gerodias, breakfast is the most important meal of her day.
“I need to eat breakfast. So in case I’ll have to skip lunch for breaking news, I won’t go as hungry,” she shares.
It’s no secret. Working in the media is time-consuming. But perhaps, Miss Press Freedom Katrina Balmaceda’s (also a news correspondent) answer during the Q&A portion hits the right note: “resilience should be a journalist’s most important trait.”
Why? These people just won’t allow work to get between them and their favorite food.
Josua gets his tinowa craving dealt with at a nearby cafeteria. Rene has his pork adobo waiting (if still unconsumed by his hungry housemates) at home.
Juvy orders her favorite mixed vegetables at the canteen of the Cebu City Police Office and Arni’s mom sends him a text message when a jar of jam is ready to be picked up.
So when it comes to good taste, journalists make sure that they just don’t apply it to news treatment – but also to achieve a personal dining satisfaction.
Next year, I might be able to ask the editors already.
