Oh, how time flies!

I was just 21 years old when I first saw my byline on the Sports page of the DAILY TRIBUNE.

Actually, it wasn’t even supposed to happen. When I was about to enter the media industry after earning my Journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas (UST), my goal was to cover the hard news beat after getting inspired by the veterans who reported on the historic impeachment trial of President Joseph Estrada.

But fate had other plans.

Instead of chasing that political beat, I found myself sitting inside the old office of the DAILY TRIBUNE along T.M. Kalaw Street in Ermita, Manila. There, the assistant Sports editor, Jon Hernandez, did a quick scan of my one-page resume before looking up and saying: “Sa UST ka din pala galing? Athlete ka pala dati? Okay, tanggap ka na.”

Then, he turned back to his desk and handed me a piece of paper freshly pulled from the office fax machine. It was an invitation to a 3x3 basketball press conference somewhere in Ortigas.

“Puntahan mo ito. Kapag hindi mo mahanap ang building, tawagan mo yung contact person. Sabihin mo nawawala ka. Magpatulong ka.”

Surprisingly, I didn’t get lost.

And 22 years later, I’m still here, waking up early to read, write, and decide which stories to pursue for the day. I am no longer that greenhorn reporter whom my editor didn’t trust for directions. Somewhere along the line, I experienced some character development; my DAILY TRIBUNE bosses now trust me to handle the pages and spearhead some of the company’s biggest projects.

But getting there wasn’t just hard — it was grueling.

Barely two years into my career, I stumbled upon a major scoop: the age-cheating controversy at the 2006 Palarong Pambansa. I wrote that story not just from the perspective of a detached reporter, but from an athlete who knew the sting of being beaten by a faster, stronger — and significantly older — competitor.

The exposé evolved into a full-blown national issue, picked up by major television networks. At one point, furious executives from the delegation caught red-handed stormed the main press center of the Naga Sports Complex looking for me. I wasn’t there. I was out on the field, busy interviewing more athletes to reinforce my upcoming follow-ups.

Of course, I also had my miscues.

The biggest happened on the lazy afternoon of 31 October 2007. I interviewed a veteran sports official who told me that their skipper would be excluded from the lineup for the 24th Southeast Asian Games to give way to a new breed of stars.

His statement carried massive news value. Aside from being a star player, she was a multi-medalist, and there was clearly a deeper story behind the federation’s decision to drop her from the roster.

Later on, I learned that the official and the star athlete had been bickering over her attitude and poor attendance in training, which ultimately led to her sacking. Given that she was already 41 years old, the federation found it easy to let her go as they transitioned into a new era.

Two years later, she filed a libel case against that sports official. And you know who was listed as the co-accused? Me. Yes, I was dragged right into the mess for writing the story of her expulsion and for calling her “dowdy” whatever that means. Wow!

The case was dragged out for 13 long years before it was finally dismissed. Looking back, I have to be honest: I have some regrets. Part of me felt I never should have written what sportswriters brand as a routine “attendance story.” It felt like it wasn’t worth my time, my effort, or my freedom.

But eventually, I realized that those brutal hours spent sitting in a courtroom waiting to clear my name made me stronger. It shaped the person I am today. I had to go through that harrowing experience to learn to be more precise, more careful, and more mature in handling a story.

And through all of it, the DAILY TRIBUNE stood by me. It became my comfort zone and my safe space, whether I win big or lose it all. To me, this is not just a news organization — it is my family, the sanctuary where I have felt loved, trusted, and appreciated.

So, cheers to our 26th anniversary. Thank you for keeping up with this deadline-beater who once got sued for being too lazy to check the dictionary.