One of the things that energizes me especially as executive producer for Gising Na!, Daily Tribune's daily morning show on Facebook and YouTube, are the people who work behind the scenes. Of course, I'm also very much in awe of the expert hosting skills of our journalist colleagues who just naturally talk and give their fearless opinions about the day's hottest news about showbiz, technology, business, politics, even crime.

Name it, our hosts Chingkee Mangcucang, Komfie Manalo, Vernon Velasco, and Elmer Manuel (who momentarily returned to desk work) can really draw viewers to tune in on what's going on in the archipelago.

There's also Kim Sancha, who delivers showbiz news and gossip; and Cherk Balagtas, who gets people's opinions on her iSpeak segment in exchange for a classic Daily Tribune mug.
Admittedly a newbie in the art

— or duty — of putting things together for a morning show, I thought we'd be like Gordon Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen in the beginning. But life really doesn't cease to amaze me as the team turned out to be, not perfect, but quite fierce and and dedicated while keeping it cool.

There are many moving parts in this show that requires a barangay for content to happen: From gathering the news, coordinating with field reporters, ensuring guests from across the Philippines are heard and seen loud and clear (literaly and figuratively).

In ungodly hours in the past when I was just about to return home from drinking with friends, I've now reformed and stayed at home to connect with the team. Welcome to the world of nocturnal socials, I tell myself.

And so it goes. This jaded street matron (matronang kanal) has restored hope in humanity. Guys, won't name you anymore here, but you're the beloved foot soldiers of the show. Now, anyone who's been in a morning show — I suppose about 1 percent in Metro Manila — would know how crazy things could be but, a big but, you have to work as quietly as possible lest you be heard on cam. And have the strong mental faculty not to crack when malfunctions and tech glitches happen.

We just tap each other to call attention, whisper, or text on our phones and show our screens to tell each other what we want. And then just like that, the one hour and a half show is over.

And off we sometimes go to McDonald's for a 9 a.m. budget breakfast of Cheesy Eggdesal and coffee to evaluate what happened, what didn't, what's worth a high-five or not.

Then it's back to other work for everyone. Still sleepy from a 6 a.m. call time. But it's the cheerful banter I enjoy that draws me to this bunch. Now I know they hold work and family as important. They have a heart for peace and respect for genders. They don't aim to save the world but they desire to be good and kind humans. I also learned that rapper Flow G is good at what he does.

Thanks guys, I'm now thinking of upgrading that occasional sandwich treat with some sausage or ham thrown in for something more filling.

Gising Na! airs Mondays to Frjdays at 7:30 a.m. til 9 a.m. on Daily Tribune's Facebook page and TribuneNow on YouTube.