Part 5: What a journey it has been...the finale!

The last time, the Team
Maila Santiaguel, JD Del Rosario, Jake Remphsey Dy, Andrew Nacino,
The Manila Times Tevision
Intramuros, Manila. Philippines.
14th of June 2019

It is actually normal for us to plan things.
Whatever it is a trip, what meal to prepare, and even us in the broadcast industry thinks of an angle of the story before pushing for a coverage.
Because there's really a beauty about planning, no doubt it will surely help you achieve what you are aiming for.
But sometimes eventhough you exactly knew what to expect because that is your expertise...a big surprise will come your way.
I know I am now somehow giving you the premise of what would be the gist of my blog today.

With Dante A. Ang (DAA) meeting with The Manila Times Television staff
13th of June 2019

We were all attention that day and supposedly the meeting with DAA will begin around 10:00 in the morning.
So most of us were ready and very much aware of it.
We do not often see DAA because his office was located at the 2nd floor building while the News and Public Affairs team were situated on the lower ground.
And because we do not see him most of the time, the meeting with all of us, set the tone that there will be an important announcement happening that very moment.
But he was never around in the morning and until 3:00 in the afternoon.
DAA came to us past 4:00pm and at the time he opened the door...he was having a very serious tone.

Our VP Clift Daluz was there, I and another Executive Producer Lara Sen from the Public Affairs,  our Desk Editor/Writer Andrew Nacino, JD Del Rosario our reporter, three cameramans, plus two more important people that was part of the company just before we came in.

DAA started to get to know us one by one by asking what was our posts and what company we previously worked for.

But believe me DAA at the time was meticulously asking each staff present in the conference room.

Until he finally breaks the important announcement and told us that we are not ready yet to launch.
Not ready because we do not have content available in our website.
And surprisingly brought out some of DAA's fear (might be a bold truth) about launching and competing with existing television networks now.
And eventually told us that for the meantime he will be suspending the operation and that most of us in the room will no longer come to the office to report for work.
But not closing the windows for possible grouping again but when the proper time comes.

This all disheartened us. It took me and some of us to absorb this.

The sad truth still leaves us all a smile
The Team
The Manila Times Television
14th of June 2019

The following day, some part of the team bids goodbye like Maila Santiaguel, Jedidiah Del Rosario, Jake Remphsey Dy and even the cameramans who was also asked to work as on-calls.
At the time the running show before we came in for Public Affairs were temporarily suspended for were actually working for a new program look.

The following day, there was a turn-over.
And the following week, I and Drew Nacino were the only remaining people in Mr. Clift Daluzes team.
We were asked to stay and that week period we still push through with accomplishing requirements for President Rodrigo Duterte's 4th SONA.
And still continued thinking segments for the News program and other help that we could extend to support other public affairs program like that of "Veronica Files".

And then came in the 29th of June an ordinary day as it seems. But definitely one unforgettable day.
We were actually bothered that our check wasn't released yet, time checked it was already 4:00 in the afternoon.
To cut the long story short our check was given to us around 4:59 pm and the very time we came in to the bank was already 5:00 pm...bank closing time.
We are closing our fingers for if we loose the chance to encash the check...that means we have to do it again by next week.
Too bad for both of us Drew and I who has financial obligations.
But we never left for the bank. We stood at the door outside begging for the bank to be considerate and approved our requests.
I felt there was some sort of rights that was taken away that very moment because the guard became arrogant and got irritated asking us to leave the premise.
But another guard from the bank came out and open the door, asked questions closed the door again.
But a few seconds the bank door opened again and we were allowed to encash our check.
I remember our boss spoke to DAA but he was told that he was about to leave the office.
But 30 minutes before that DAA's daughter came in to our boss office and gave him a letter informing that he already signed our check.

But going home, the remaining team decided not to go back to work again.
There was supposedly meeting that was called for Monday next week but we never attend.
The meeting with DAA summarizes a capitalization that he will be suspending the network's whole operation...and the rest is history.

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The Part 5: What a journey it has been...the finale, was the last part of this blog.
The first 4 parts came-in earlier last July of 2019.

Thank you for coming with me in this roller coaster ride...until the next big adventure!