By KIMBERLY A. AMOR
Just the thought of holding the 12th ASEAN Summit in Cebu already exudes a proud feeling on me as a Filipino. But I never imagined that I would be part, in the real sense, of the gathering of 16 nation leaders and their partner.
When our adviser told us that student volunteers were needed for the Summit as liaison officers, I did not have second thoughts. I then put my name on the list.
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Still with our bosses beside the infor-
mation desk. | | The volunteers were mostly college students from the different colleges and universities in Cebu City. We had our series of training during the semestral break. I was almost about to back out because I did not want to sacrifice my sem break. But I realized how rare the opportunity was. I went home to Mindanao for just one week, then came back to Cebu and caught up with the training.
Even after the start of the second semester, we still had several meetings as part of our preparations for the Summit, which was supposedly to happen last December 2006. Even our weekends were occupied. Managing the time for the Summit and for the academics was not a joke, especially when we started our duty a week prior to the Summit.
As liaisons, we were divided into specific "categories": liaisons under the Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippine National Police liaisons, and Media Liaison Officers (MLOs) held by the Office of the Press Secretary. I belonged to the last one, since I am a Mass Communication student in the first place. Then we, MLOs, were distributed to the different teams. I was part of the Media Relations and Pooling Office. But during the second day of my duty, the head of the Media Liaison Office requested me and my classmate to transfer to the Substantives or Press Release Office. I thought our assignment was only temporary, since the delegates were not arriving yet, and we were not doing anything yet. But we were requested by our head to come back the following day. I thought of complaining, but I realized how much they need us. And I noted on what I was – a volunteer, willing to serve whatever the job be.
The Summit was postponed. When we came back and served again for the January Summit, our bosses were delighted. Even the assistant secretary general for Media and Communications praised us for being "faithful volunteers".
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| THE AUTHOR at the information desk. | | I was working under veteran journalists from the Office of the Press Secretary, or the Malacanang Press. I learned a lot from the writers and editors with whom we worked with. I was able to observe and note how they wrote stories, under intense pressure. The writers/reporters emailed the stories or news items on the different Summit happenings to the editors. What we did was open the files from their emails, format them the way they should, save them, print them out, reproduce 60 copies, and place them in the Information Desk. We also faxed the press releases to local and national media outlets.
The whole duration of the ASEAN Summit was a lot of fun. We were so privileged and we had so many benefits reaped out of our experience.
We were given uniforms – 5 T-shirts and one black pants each. We were also given allowance, which was R150 a day. We were always filled with sumptuous meals and snacks, which had a two – hour serving interval. Aside from the packed meals, we were also given meal stubs as passes for us to take meals and snacks at the Media Cafeteria. By that, we had again the privilege of taking out the packed foods home. It was a whole lot of eating.
We also enjoyed the other part of the benefits. As an aspiring Mass Communicator, it was a pleasure to see famous and respected journalists personally. I brushed shoulders and took pictures of some of my favorite personalities in the industry. I was able to witness how the media worked in events like that of the Summit. I was able to party with these media personalities during the Media Night, and ride with them on the shuttle bus.
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The author with classmates/co-
volunteers in the office together with
our bosses, the writers and editors
from the Office of the Press Secretary. | | Perhaps, the most amazing moment and the "climax" of my experience was to see the heads of states of the ASEAN member countries, together with the six dialogue partners. It really felt ‘oh so great!’ It was indeed a ‘shining’ moment for me.
It was so sad when the Summit was about to end. I almost cried when we, in the office, bid farewell to one another, especially when our bosses shook hands with us and thanked us for a job well done. One of them, who is the author of a journalism book, gave us a copy of his book, with message and autograph. Personally, I was already so attached to the atmosphere of the Summit – the CICC, our office, to my job and to the people whom I met, walked with, and smiled at as I strolled over the entire Convention Center.
The 12th ASEAN Summit was successful, in spite of the many disturbances around, trying to hinder the event. I hope it will indeed serve its purpose and do well to the country, to the Southeast Asian region, and to the world.
(The author is a second year BA Mass Communication student of the University of the Philippines, Visayas Cebu College.)
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