Well-spent 200 hours

 Congratulations!

You have been accepted as an intern at Rappler.

We will be scheduling an orientation for all those accepted this April.

We will get in touch with you again to notify you about final arrangements.

Thank you. – Rappler

This message delighted me like a kid given candy. I jumped off my chair and told my Mom that I got into the company I had been praying to get into.

My internship at Rappler from April to May was a rollercoaster experience combined with new knowledge from different heads in a company founded by smart people with great passion for change.

Getting there

One day in February, I decided to write all my goals including one for my internship. In that short bond paper is written: MAGANDA ANG INTERNSHIP MO (Your internship will be great). Those big letters formed a passion. It’s my everyday mantra.

Since then I really wanted Rappler because of its social media visibility and effectiveness. I looked at their program, found it interesting, then applied.

It was a scorching March summer day when I and Macai Alcobilla, a Rappler intern too, arrived at Antel Global Corporate Center to submit our resume. At first, we were hesitant to enter the office because we felt nervous.

First day of April came. After a noon nap, I woke up at 5 pm and checked my email. Rappler sent one. Nervousness engulfed me. It could be a yes or a no. With closed eyes, I clicked it. Slowly, I looked at the message…it was a yes! And the rest was history.

Shoot, cover, produce

I was assigned to production. The task was to assist the team in shooting for now senator-elect Cynthia Villar. Observing how they produce video, I took notes on their faming and angles. Charlie Salazar, Rappler’s videographer, says a story should be told when shooting.

The overwhelming United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) miting de avance was next in Iine. I admit it was exhausting but it was exciting! I felt the excited journalist in me while waiting to capture the arrival of now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada at Sto Nino de Tondo Parish. I took pictures for Rstream, Rappler’s photostream. The hardest part was to navigate through a sea of spectators just to get a good angle. All the sweat and hard work paid off when they used my photos for the newscast.

#PHvote: First election coverage

Days before the May 13, everyone was briefed about a transfer to new and bigger headquarters. It was called a “war room.” I figured it was because it involved being first, being best, and being able to deliver. Challenge accepted.

They harnessed technology to obtain and push out information at a fast rate. It was outstanding. Conventional and traditional met modern technology. It was fantastic.

After I cast my vote, I rushed to the Bayanihan Center to perform my duty as scriptwriter. I had never been a script writer before but Katerina Francisco, Rappler’s scriptwriter, prepared me and other co-writers before coverage.

In between coverage, I took the chance to send tweets about netizens who showed their inked fingers, congratulating them for a job well done. The experience was phenomenal. At night, the war room was a big pressure cooker, everyone was working so fast. We wrote scripts at a pace we couldn’t imagine.

MovePH task

When Zak Yuson, Move partnership manager, emailed the interns about a project he is spearheading and asked for volunteers to help him, I heeded the call. That was the time I started working with them.

The project aims to gather all scholarships given by universities and non-government organizations to help financially-challenged Filipinos who want to study. It was a month-long task of research, follow-ups and gathering of information. The team completed the task and I am proud to be part of it.

It’s been well spent 200 hours with Rappler. Each staff has his or her own piece to share. The internship program has been superb. We were lucky to be part of coverage. I have tried the untried and conquered new horizons. The relationship evolved into something that felt like family in such short a time. I can say I had the best internship experience and it is irreplaceable. 

As I exited the doors of the social news network that aims to make waves, I will always remember Maria Ressa’s “As we say at Rappler, tomorrow begins today.” – Rappler.com