Letter from the Editor

When I got offered the position of Editor in Chief, I was both ecstatic and worried. Why was I worried? Well, I didn’t know if I would be able to measure up to my predecessor’s skills and talents, but then, I failed to realize then that I didn’t have to. I just had to lead the publication and leave a legacy I could proudly call my own. Before people moved on, they wanted to leave something worth commending in the memories of those around them. It could be something simple or something extraordinary. Assuming the role of the Editor in Chief, I wanted to do just that.

Three years have passed since I joined Tanglaw, and I still remember the first time I saw my articles in the school newspaper. Grinning from ear to ear, I told my friends to search for the articles on the paper and tell me what they thought of them. They told me that they never doubted me and told me they were good. With every published article I wrote, I still feel proud and thrilled as I did back then. 

I joined Tanglaw because of probably the same reason why others joined–to improve their writing in English or Filipino or even both, and to try something outside of their comfort zones. But what I got from joining Tanglaw was much more. Tanglaw taught me to always look for the truth. It taught me that being a journalist required the courage to face the truth in a composed, respectful, and acceptable manner, befitting that of a professional journalist. Most importantly, Tanglaw taught me the importance of respecting intellectual property. 

Serving as the first and only social media manager of Tanglaw, I was able to help the organization transition to the online set-up through my knowledge of social media and technology. Being the Editor in Chief, I held a heavier responsibility of overseeing all the articles, as well as the members. The position also held me responsible for ensuring that the information released by our paper was factual, verified, and significant.

Eventually, I was named Editor in Chief. I found ways on how we could make our checking process smoother and on how our articles could become better. Additionally, I wanted our team to be more comfortable working with one another, so I would usually chat or make small talk with them and ask how they were, and this would strengthen the communication between the team as we would grow closer with one another.

With this post, I realized that it was because people believed in my abilities. They had great expectations of what I would be able to do. They knew how I would be able to handle the pressure and the responsibility that came with the position. Hence, I took on the job. Since then, every time I doubted myself, I just thought of why I started and pushed through amidst the doubts and hesitations.

This year was a roller-coaster ride, with its unexpected ups and downs and unforeseen situations. Despite the downpour of events and issues to cover and deadlines to meet, the whole team was able to pull through. I couldn’t have done it without my fellow Tanglaw members. I’d like to thank our new members this year for having the courage to join the organization and for taking on the challenge. I’d also like to thank the members who  stayed with Tanglaw for years. Of course, I would also like to express my appreciation to my fellow board of editors members, Kaleah and Marvin, because even though the publication year already concluded, we continued to make quality content. I’m grateful to our advisers, Mr. Lim and Mr. Teves, for guiding and encouraging me throughout my Tanglaw journey.

To everyone who has read and enjoyed our contents, whether these be through digital or print, I hope that you’ll continue to appreciate and support Tanglaw as I am confident that Tanglaw will continue to serve its purpose and accomplish wonderful things.

The age of disinformation is upon everyone, sadly. As we move on and pass the pen to the next generation of Tanglaw writers, I call on everybody to continue staying true to the core principle of journalism. To the succeeding Tanglaw writers, I wish  them to continue practicing what they do whenever they search for information inside or outside of the school. In the end, we could always be journalists who would fight information disorders and stand up for the truth every day, and maybe the world would be a better place than it was before, no matter how uncertain.