Having fun in ‘toy department’

Having fun in ‘toy department’ | Daily Tribune

For the past 25 years, the DAILY TRIBUNE has been loyal to its mission of searching for truth, delivering news that matters to every single Filipino without fear or favor.

But in a quiet corner of its Makati headquarters, there’s a special spot where stories about the Israel-Iran war, the impeachment of the Vice President, and the skyrocketing cost of pump products take a backseat.

Here, everything feels like magic. We transport readers to where the action is — from the loud and rowdy Smart Araneta Coliseum to the quiet and ultra-exclusive fairways of Wack-Wack and Alabang.

Welcome to the Sports Section: The toy department of DAILY TRIBUNE.

Manning the Sports section of the biggest news organization in the country is no easy task. Like a Game 7 of an all-important best-of-seven title series, there’s also a lot of pressure for us to deliver day in and day out.

We start our day early. While everybody is still half-awake, our group chat is already buzzing with staffers actively discussing what happened the night before and what stories we will pursue throughout the day.

If crowd-darling Barangay Ginebra pulled off a crucial win in the second match of a Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) double-header the night before, expect somebody to float the idea of hammering a follow-up story on what’s running through Tim Cone’s mind entering the final stretch.

What if international Filipino athletes like Alex Eala or Ernest John Obiena prevail in their respective campaigns in the dead of the night in Manila? Well, we’ll develop a story with an angle so fresh that readers will not feel that they missed the action.

At the same time, we’re also plotting what stories to chase. Angles like Manny Pacquiao making his first high-altitude workout in his return to professional boxing after years of public service will definitely be pitched, as well as the announcement of Gilas Pilipinas roster for the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup.

While doing so, we’re closing the foreign page featuring Carlos Alcaraz’s magical performance in the French Open or Tiger Woods’ superhuman return to active competition after suffering a back injury.

Still, only half of the job was done.

When we get to the office shortly after lunch, we’ll revisit our list of potential stories while checking the significant sports developments that happened during the day, like trades, resignations, or any earthshaking announcements, just to make sure that we’re not being left out. Then, we’ll carefully rewrite the articles and relevant press releases, select the photos and put the paper to bed before capping the day with a bottle or two.

On the other hand, our reporters and photographers will report to their respective beats to cover the games, making sure that they will have enough articles, photos, and videos to submit come deadline.

We’re doing this process all-year round — except on Holy Thursday and Good Friday.

Tough, isn’t it?

But we’re not ranting. We know that a special job comes with a special responsibility.

The Sports section isn’t just part of the newsroom where we simply place the final score on top of a pre-written basketball story that was covered on television. We don’t produce half-baked articles that will be the subject of complaints by news sources the following day.

Here, we function as a vital community hub. Our quiet, oft-forgotten corner is where allegiances are forged, rivalries are ignited, and the collective passion of rabid sports fans is voiced.

Our readers are not just passive consumers; they are active participants, eager to debate strategies, dissect performances, and relive iconic moments. Our intense reader engagement creates a unique dynamic between our section and our audience, built on shared enthusiasm and a profound — often irrational — love for the game.

Yes, we are the “toy department” of our news organization for having the ability to entertain, inspire, and provide a crucial outlet for the collective emotions of our readers — the sports fans.

But in a country that is greatly divided by all the heavy news like the Israel-Iran war to the impeachment of the Vice President and the rising cost of fuel, we are a testament to the power of the human spirit, proving that even in the “toy department,” there is serious, compelling, and essential storytelling to be found.

After all, sportswriters don’t grow old. We’ll always be here to chronicle and narrate the triumphs of Filipino athletes until the ink in our pen dries out.