“ I have seen the value of helping others. I believe that the most rewarding part of my job as a broadcaster is not exposing the wrongdoings of others, but the smile and acknowledgment we get from people whose lives we have touched and changed in some wonderful way.” − REYSTER LANGIT

MY OBAMA EXPERIENCE

I was fortunate enough to have been among the chosen few mediamen who made it into the Oval Office of the White House to attend the joint press conference after the meeting between U.S. President Barack Obama and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. And more than that, I was the luckiest one among the Filipino mediamen because I was handpicked to ask a question to the two heads of state during the joint press conference.

I understand that some of my colleagues felt disappointed not only in not being chosen to be the one asking the question, but also that I was the one picked by President Obama himself. An article in a newspaper asked, somewhat petulantly, “Why him?” Well, why not? The article went on to say that one reporter allegedly said that I’m not even a working journalist and simply a news anchor and a commentator. I do not think I have to defend myself from that barb. After several decades in this industry, I have had multiple opportunities with state visits to foreign countries by the different Philippine presidents (the late President Corazon Aquino, who visited the Chinese Premier Deng Xiaoping, former President Fidel Ramos who visited Iran where I spoke to Ahmed Khomeini, and former President Joseph Estrada who, in a 1998 visit to Argentina, introduced me to President Carlos Menem and asked me to start the dance in the middle of the hall, and with Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, eleventh President of India whom likewise I had my exclusive one-on-one interview ). I may be an old hand, but my lengthy experience as a broadcast journalist especially during Presidential State visits speaks for itself.

The newspaper article even mocked the question I asked the two presidents, saying that it was a wasted opportunity to ask the two some tough questions. I wonder what they would have asked, when all the topics discussed in the meeting were presented at the start of the press conference and one risks of being redundant. When I was told that I would be the one asking the single question to the two presidents, I initially wanted to ask something about counter-terrorism measures. But since that was already discussed at the introduction as one of the issues tackled in the closed-door meeting, I decided to ask something light, something unexpected, something that would catch them off guard since they wouldn’t have prepared for that question.

Secretary Bert Romulo congratulated me afterwards, saying, “You were superb, outstanding at the White House.” Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita told me that what I did was a record, something to be proud of as a media personality. They saw my question for what it was not – a safe question designed to gloss over the tough issues surrounding the Philippines and the United States; and recognized it for what it was – a question that coincided with the friendly first meeting between President Arroyo and the most powerful man in the world.

One does not like to brag but modesty aside, when one has several awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the KBP Golden Dove, and two Hall of Fame awards from the Rotary Club of Manila Journalism Awards and the Catholic Mass Media Awards, well, one is inclined to think these honors stand for something.

I distinctly remember my exclusive interview with the late former President Aquino who was visiting China. The members of the media were corralled by the Red Guards some distance away from the red carpet where President Cory and her entourage were to be welcomed by the Chinese government. I saw how futile it was to expect that we would even get a shot at throwing a question or two to the President. I casually walked away from the group, thinking of a plan. I thankfully escaped notice of the Red Guards and made my way to the end of the red carpet. President Cory was surprised (and maybe a little bit amused) to see me there. I knew I risked being dragged away by the guards at any moment but that did not stop me and so I got my exclusive interview.

I think that the issue here is not really about me and that there is a lesson to be learned from this entire experience. If one aspires to be the one taking the scoop, making the coveted interview, one has to be creative and enterprising. One has to be unafraid to risk everything. And if one doesn’t get what one wants, try and try again, but never go so low as to mock the one who did.

excerpt from THE VOICE

REY LANGIT: THE NOTORIOUS HIRED ASSASSIN

Did you know that veteran and respected radio broadcaster and TV personality, Rey Langit, did an important role in the 1984 FPJ starrer, Ang Padrino ? He played the role of a notorious hired assassin aimed in liquidating FPJ. Here was his vivid account on the said role which he recounted and published at Tempo, in his column Sky Talk dated February 4, 2004.

In the 70s, I had my first acting stint as a film villain with no less than the King of Philippine cinema, Fernando Poe, Jr. In “Ang Padrino,” I portrayed the character of the hired assassin who plots the slaying of the lead character, played by FPJ.

Since at that time, I was already contented with my career as a broadcaster and never pictured myself as an actor in the big screen. I turned down the role the first time it was offered to me. But when FPJ told me that my character would surpass all other famous character actors and succeed in murdering the lead character. I was surprised. I thought that this kind of offer does not come everyday and towards the end of the meeting, I agreed to do the role.

While filming, I came across the real FPJ. He calls his close friends, Erap, a nickname adopted by his long time ally Joseph Estrada. More than a movie star adored and respected by his fans and colleagues, he is considered as a real-life action hero for all the people he had helped.

The highlight of the movie is the confrontation scene between FPJ and his assassin, the character that I played. When I came face-to face with him, I could not believe that I was about to have a big confrontation scene with the King of Philippine movies in a full length film. I panicked and stuttered as I delivered my line. Because of this, the filming of the scene was extended, but to save face, I strove to complete my line perfectly on the third take. When he was about to say his rebuttal line, he suddenly burst into laughter. FPJ could not stop laughing that he had to call for a break. Everyone on the set was clueless, so I asked him why he laughed after I completed my line and he answered: “Erap, kasi para akong nakikinig ng radio sa bahay namin.”