I'm Cristina T. Tupaz, an intern from Bulatlat.com :-)

Some photos

Pretty much my first time joining a rally!



Thanks to Bulatlat!



At work! Disappointed in the election results!

One of my highlights: friendship outside work!

Yaaaaaaaaaaay! So in my internship, after work hours is my favorite too! My co-interns were really nice. We would hang out after work, rain or shine! Basta it was really fun getting to know them. I also learned so many things about life and she promised to take me around UP! I’m really looking forward to it!

I think building up a relationship with your workmates is essential.

I know it's not good to drink but hey we're legal (and resposible!).


Having a few drinks at Cubao X


Nom nom nom


Chilling out at Kopi Roti! Chos!

Things I've realized

One of my most memorable experiences in Bulatlat was my coverage of the May 2010 elections. I learned so many things.

First, I learned that as a journalist, most of the time when people are home due to holiday, journalists usually go out on the field to cover news. I love holidays. Perhaps as a student I do but as a journalist I should take it as a perfect timing to work.

Second, it is fulfilling to do something for the country. I monitored the voting process in different schools in Metro Manila. It was an eye-opener and I wish every Filipino was with me. Anomalies were glaring in the places I went to. And the school near Malacanang was the creepiest of all. I got to see for real what exactly happens when voting. Many problems were encountered and it was sad. Everyone was excited for that machine yet many disappointments came along the way. It was a failure in my opinion, the PCOS machine was a failure. 

Third, I get to witness Filipinos reuniting for a certain belief. In all the stories I have covered, I felt nothing but patriotism to my country. Even if we are encountering many problems, we Filipinos never give up. We always find a way to voice out our concerns. And yes, I realized too how bad our government is!

Fourth, I’m proud of myself. I handled everything well. Well yeah, most of it. It’s because in bulatlat, I did a lot of first times. 

Fifth, I realized that I don’t want be a journalist in the future. I just don’t see myself doing this in the future. But one important thing I realized is that this experience made me mature. I learned how to be critical. I think this is something we Filipinos lack. We should always think about our decisions, we should weigh our options. We make decisions when we don’t understand both sides of things. With my OJT experiences, I learned to find things out for myself. I think this attitude should be passed on to future generations. I’d be downright honest, I want to be a full-time mom in the future. I don’t know, I just think with all that I have learned in this experience, I would gladly pass this on to my future family. Taking sides on things can is important in life and so is decision making. In short, what I learned from my experiences is not only limited in school and profession but also in real life. I do not regret taking up this course!

Mainstream media victim no more!

Growing up in the province, I'd say I was pretty much victimized by mainstream media. By that, I mean you believe that all information that big companies try to input to its audience is true. The two biggest networks in the Philippines were my primary source of information, be it news or just plain gossip shows.

So when I got into College, my perceptions in life became a whole lot different. St. Scholastica’s College was an eye-opener for me. It is so much more than a school. For me, St. Scho is an agent of change. Whereas the change I found in St. Scho was important in life. What I treasure most in this school is that I became critical in everything. I learned how to scrutinize every little detail in directing, writing, reading and many more. In other words all school-oriented activities that plays an important role in my decision making in life.

So when I got to learn about Bulatlat from Sir Jerrie Abella, I felt that this institution was closest to my heart. Bulatlat is not just your ordinary publication. When they write, they write for truth and justice. When they write you’ll know they’ll put their heart in it. Bulatlat may be a small time publication but boy when they get their jobs done, they make sure they write with great conviction. Also, I like the fact that they always see to it that the side of the voiceless is heard. In bulatlat, you’ll always be surprised by their ways. Before, I used to be a follower of mainstream media. But now I’m proud to say I worked for an alternative media by which I think I was able to contribute something to the society.


First time in Bulatlat with PJ!

Working in bulatlat is no joke. Since not all people are familiar with the company, often times you’ll feel belittled. Once, I was in Mendiola to cover a rally and I only had an ordinary video cam with me. I felt belittled by people from big networks. They had big cameras with them and they wouldn’t give me at least a good space to shoot. And every time I try to go in front, they would tell me to move back in a not so kind way.

On the other hand, many admire bulatlat too. I remember having an interview with a PIOM. He mentioned how greatly he admired bulatlat. I met Gil Boerhinger, a PIOM based in Australia. Not only was he a fan of bulatlat, he is also loves the Philippines like no other. Plus, he married a Filipina. Gil Visits the Philippines 3-5 times a year. And in that interview, I learned so many things and also got a piece of advice from him.