Lost in Print

 

Photo courtesy: Pinoy Big Brother on Twitter

I recently stumbled upon a tweet about the “PBB Big 4” visiting Pardo National High School in 2015, and it immediately brought back a vivid memory. At the time, I was a news writer for The Campus Eye, the school’s student publication. I was entrusted with a major assignment: a cover page-level article. I was a Grade 10 Science Class student then, and I was deeply dedicated to writing, so the responsibility felt both exciting and meaningful. I can still recall standing anxiously along the corridor of the ICT Lab, looking out toward the stage where the guests were being welcomed. The atmosphere felt electric. I saw Bailey, Ylona, Jimboy, and Franco greeting the crowd, while Ylona even performed a song that made the moment all the more memorable for the students.

As the program drew to a close, I found myself caught in the rush of students hoping to get a handshake or even a brief moment with them. I joined the wave, hoping to at least ask a question for my article, but they remained just out of reach as they were quickly escorted to their vans. The opportunity slipped away before I could even say a word. Still, determined to complete my assignment, I turned to my fellow students — especially fans of Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) — and interviewed them to capture their reactions and experiences. 

Despite the setbacks, I still finished the article and submitted it on time, fulfilling my responsibility as a campus journalist. But when the school paper was finally released, what should have been a proud milestone turned into shock and disappointment: my article was published with someone else's name on it. Seeing my work in print without recognition was deeply disheartening.

I did not confront it at the time. I simply moved on and stayed silent. But the experience stayed with me for long. It changed the way I looked at writing and publication work, not just as something creative, but also something that demands fairness, ownership, and proper recognition. Since then, I have carried that lesson with me in everything I write: that effort should not only be expressed through words, but also acknowledged where it is due.