THE CES I KNOW

Written on Tuesday, June 17th, 2008 at 9:44 am | by RG Cruz

(this is my personal view and reflects no one elses. this is a multi-blog post that may also be seen on my multiply blog: newsboy419.multiply.com, www.rgcruz.com, as well as abs-cbnnews.com)

Hearing about what happened to ces for the 1st time last week left me dazed for the 1st hours. i never thought it would happen this close to home. I was “lutang” most of the day. the full gravity and danger of her ordeal didnt hit me till much later—-and it was when I started to feel sick to stomach. there was a heaviness inside—-like tears that wanted to come out but never found the tear ducts to flow from.

I must admit i was one of the few skeptics on Ces’s capabilities as a journalist before I got to work with her. Prior to my joining abs-cbn, Ces always to me the “sosyal” anchor of abs-cbn, someone probably had the bitchiness and style of a miranda priestly. She wasnt masa. and to me—-she just didnt seem reachable.

her sosyal bitchy image ecplised the kind of journalist that she is—-driven, passionate, sharp, smart, well connected, indefatigable. a true professional. that’s sometimes how unfair TV can be as a medium. It rarely ever shows the complete big picture, but mere snapshots of a reality thats out there. Unfortunately for Ces—no matter how much she mastered the art of making sure the snapshots of reality of there she showed onscreen was truly reflective of the reality—her own personal image as a glamour girl—-a figure from high society—-who didnt really take up the cudgels for the masses the way other radio-tv anchors did—-was the big block to viewers seeing the Ces I know.

and the Ces I know, I knew only because I got to work with her 1st hand.

if you walked the halls of abs-cbn before this abduiction happened—-not a few would say she’s suplada.

Not to me.

the Ces is know is this tireless passionate worker who never fails to make time or make her work an excuse for bad fshion—-and for that matter, a bad attitude.

she took an interest in the south—-i never could reckon how many times in a year she was in mindanao than here in manila. its like everytime she’s out of town on coverage—-expect her to be somewhere down south.

I guess growing up as a general’s daughter meant that she spent time in mindanao—-a place rife with stories that once told—-could spell a big difference in the lives of residents in the country’s poorest major island group.

she saw 1st hand as a young lady how life was there—-and how much it could be changed. of course she did it with the right fashion statement but then again—-can you fault the girl—-TV is still a visual medium. Besides, who wants to be ugly? Duh?!

She maybe all strong and may even seem bitchy but she’s a sweetheart—with a heart for those down south. she’s probably one of thew few national journalists who have spent a huge deal of their lives and careers chronicling lives down south. she could have chosen other places where there are equally potent stories to tell—-but she chose mindanao, she chose sulu. for some reason—-she had a love affair with this region—-a love for its people—-and a special care for the heart and soul of mindanao and sulu.

thats the ces few viewers appreciated. thats the ces I know and i respect—and admire as a professional. I must admit coming into this job, coming into this company—i had different role models—-people you aspire to be—-but she is living proof that sometimes—on the way to your dreams—-you get lost—-and you find a better one.

But my admiration for Ces didnt stop there. it grew and became a friendship—-when she and I got to work closer during the may 2007 polls, and over Bandila.

she was generous with her contacts and context and story slants. she shared them—-with me at least—-even when she could have gone out and gotten those stories herself. we’d trade stories and chsimis (which are almost always where legit stories begin) nightly—sparring like equals. she never made me feel that she was the super anchor that she has become. she was always humble and kind. and had no airs. she never acted or talked like she knew more than I did—-even when she did know more. she never unilaterally dismissed what i said like others who are just wont to dismiss the opinions of a junior colleague. she was more like this encouraging ate—older sister. sometimes we’d even do this while sharing a late dinner from one of those chinese places on morato. I enevr could forget also how much she enjoyed naman one time i brought chiz curls from the cafeteria—apparently she hasnt had chiz curls in a very long time.

everytime id order something fattenning for dinner she’d get mad—-sorta—-because she was worried about gaining more weight.

when I was planning a resignation last year after months of destitution in this newsroom—-she was one of those who changed my mind. believe it or not—-she may have her not so nice days but ces is one of the most down to eart people youll ever meet. sometimes in her humility, she tends to second guess even herself—-which is cute by the way—-but very much endearing. in the aftermath from the Peninsula standoff—-she was actually sorta fuzzing about the much ballyhooed stiletto heels and leopard print bandana she just so happened to wear that fateful day. even in her professionalism—-she is still a girl. Cute!

overtime those professional discussions graduated into hearty talks about our personal lives in charie’s office inside the newsroom. every now and then she and I and those who work the late shift would grab a round in her bar/resto across the street. from trading and sparring stories about the country—-we went on to sharing stories about our families—-her kids—-my mom and sister—-her dream and aspirations for her 4 sons—-the trips she took them on—-the pcitures they took—-the worries she had for them growing up—-just like every other mom. you know she had just come back from a US vacation when this harrowing ordeal happened. she brought us all cholocates for pasalubong. walang mintis iyan—-everytime she vacations out of town or out of the country—-she’s wont to bring us back something.

Other people may have a different opinion about her but they know her differently. The Ces I know, is the Ces I just talked about. which Is why I will not mince words against anyone who dares to say otherwise. those morons—-are either just envious—-or just clueless who she really is.

Ces has a lot of questions to answer—-a big story to tell when she returns. and the compelling storyteller that she is—im sure its gonna be one for the books.

But ces is not one to do anything irresponsibly. there are things she could have done better—-but that wont alter her place as one of the top journalists abs-cbn—-and the philippines for that matter, has produced. she best serves the country and the people she loved—-by being the journalist that she’s become.

Questions have been raised in several blogs and broadsheets as to what she was doing there and whether it was worth the risk she took. those questions will have to wait till she gets back. For now, lets give her the benefot of the doubt—-that whatever it was she was after—-it was something inpursuit of excellence in journalism—-and that the risk she took—-was one she took in good faith and with the right professional calculations. Shit happens to anyone and everyone even the best of us. Its just one of the lemons life throws us every once in a while.

we will get her back—-with prayers. Keep on praying for Ces, Jimmy and Octavio—-bring them home safely with Divine Providence.

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About The Author: RG Cruz is a reporter and a correspondent for ABS-CBN. He blogs at RG Cruz

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