RAY OF RAIA: SINAG NEWSROOM VISIT NARRATIVE

Narrative Report
Submitted to Ms. Erica Charmane Batiles Hernandez
Department of Languages and Mass Communication
College of Arts and Sciences
Cavite State University
Indang, Cavite

In partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the subject
Journalism Principles and Practices

Aceveda, Ma. Allyssa M.

Batioco, Loren Jaycia
Montilla, Mark Brian
Mañozo, Ivan Khert
Paculanang, Dorothy
Tre-inta, Merilyn Rose D.
Moratillo, Mikaela Lhey D.

January 2023
 BIOGRAPHICAL DATA

Ma. Allyssa M. Aceveda, also known as “ly” or “sab” by her friends, was born on
February 23, 2003, in Las Pinas City. Her friends regard her as the group’s mother
because she’s mature at her age and she’s good at giving life advice. She loves
reading fiction books and watching horror/thriller movies, but lately, she has been
enjoying watching romantic comedy movies; in every line that struck her, she
immediately wrote it on her notes. Allyssa is a huge Taylor Swift fan, she dedicates
any drama in her life to a Taylor Swift song.

Loren Jaycia P. Batioco is an 18-year-old and a Journalism student at Cavite State

University-Main. On December 31, 2004, she was born. She goes by the name
Ciacia. Although she prefers neutral hues, yellow is her favorite color. Her most
notable achievement was when, in the fifth and sixth grades, she received first place
in the declamation category and best in the infomercial in radio broadcasting. She
enjoys music, and when still in junior high school, she wrote several songs.
Throughout her time in junior high school, she also developed into a student leader
for 4 years. Her life experiences played a part in shaping who she is now.

Ivan Khert C Manozo was born on April 28, 2003, he lives in General Trias
Cavite. He is 19 years old and a second child. When he was young he loved
listening to the radio and watching television. One of his favorite sports is Sepak
Takraw, he played from elementary school until junior high school. He continued to
play and when he was in senior high school at Trece Martires City School, he
became a DRMM secretary. As a student of Cavite State University, he likes road
trips after visiting the campus with his close classmates and other friends.

Mark Brian C. Montilla was born on September 24, 2003. 19 years old, currently
residing in Dasmarinas, Cavite, the second child of four children. He enjoys dancing,
singing, and watching drama series. Brian enjoyed playing with his neighbors as a
child. He was also a varsity volleyball player for his elementary school. Brian has
recently begun his studies at Cavite State University's Main Campus. Today, he is still
pursuing his dream of becoming a journalist, hoping to be successful someday.

Mikaela Lhey D. Moratillo was born on January 28, 2004, in Tagaytay, City. She's
the eldest of five siblings. She loves to sing and she also wants to learn to dance and
paint someday. She wants to be called by the name "Lhey". She is a First Year
College student at Cavite State University-Main Campus in the program of Bachelor
of Arts in Journalism.

Dorothy Jane C. Paculanang was born on July 28, 2003, 19 years old, a middle
child who currently lives in Dasmariñas Cavite. Her close friends and relatives
sometimes call her "doray, ray, rang," although she's okay with any names. She
enjoys listening to any kind of piece of music that connects to her emotions, she
enjoys exploring new things that she hasn't tried before. She finds comfort in animals,
especially cats.

Merilyn Rose D. Tre-inta was born on November 11, 2003, in Tondo, Manila. She’s
the second child among four children. Her friends and family love calling her "mer."
Mer discovered a passion for dancing when she was twelve years old; she simply
enjoys it. She loves the color green yet she doesn’t eat vegetables which are mostly
green. Her greatest experience in the field of academia is when she was awarded as
an outstanding student in Junior High School and was elected as the Secretary of the
Science Club. Those encounters shape her as a student and a member of society.
And now, she’s in the process of becoming a journalist.
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The Journalism students of Cavite State University would like to extend their
genuine appreciation and gratitude to the people who exerted effort and support in
the realization of this narrative.

First and foremost, we would like to thank and recognize Ms. Erica
Charmane Batiles Hernandez, our Journalism Principles and Practices professor,
for providing us with the opportunity to demonstrate our abilities in completing this
narrative. We could not have done this without her support and guidance. We
appreciate the time and effort that she exerted to make this narrative possible.

Secondly, we would like to thank and give our gratitude and appreciation to
the SINAG Publishing and Printing Company who made our newsroom visit
possible, successful and memorable.

To, Miss Raia Dela Peña-Landicho the CEO of SINAG Publishing and
Printing company for giving us the opportunity and allowing our request to visit their
newsroom.

Also the warmest thanks to Miss Jackielou Lirio for being nice and calm in
providing us time to answer our questions and for sharing her experiences with
SINAG company despite her busy schedule.

We would also like to give our sincerest thanks to Sir Marlon Borlagdan, who
welcomed and accompanied us when we arrived at Sinag, and also for being nice
and approachable.

Lastly, we'd like to congratulate and thank ourselves for persevering from
planning to newsroom visits until we completed this narrative.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

The Print Organizations

Background

Mission

Vision

The Newsroom

Department Function

Organizational Structure

Duties and Responsibilities of the Newsroom Personnel

Facilities

Equipment

Standard Operating Procedures

The Newsroom Experience

Task Performed

Insights

Problems Encountered

Suggestions for Improvements

Lessons Learned

Summary

Photo documentation

References
 INTRODUCTION

This Narrative Report contains the experiences, insights gained, learnings,

and documents required for the subject of Journalism Principles and Practices.

To be a journalist is both a profession and a duty, which is why the authors

hope to one day write a newsworthy story. As first-year journalism students, the
authors of this narrative report were given the opportunity to visit any newsroom in
the area. Its purpose is to provide writers with hands-on experience and knowledge
of what happens in a newsroom and how professionals create a news story.
Furthermore, writers will learn and understand the procedures for printing
newspapers as well as the experiences of those who work in a publishing company.

The writers were chosen to visit Sinag Publishing and Printing Services at
9:00 AM on January 17, 2023. It is located on National Highway, Brgy. Parian Purok
1, Calamba, Laguna. Sinag Printing and Publishing Services is a commercial printing
press servicing the greater CALABARZON area. They believe that journalism should
be harnessed, developed, and nurtured as a practice and vocation. The information
found and obtained by the writers during the newsroom visit will only be used for
academic purposes.

THE PRINT ORGANIZATION

Background

Sinag Publishing and Printing Services is a commercial printing press

based in Calamba City, Laguna that serves the CALABARZON region.

Sinag is a newcomer to the commercial printing industry, but they are one of
Laguna's oldest printing plants, Tambuli Press, which has been publishing the
provincial newspapers Tambuling Batangas and Ang Caviteno Newsweekly since
the 1970s. They continue to be a printing plant with Tambuli, but since starting Sinag,
they have made improvements and renovations to the offices and studio.

It was originally known as Tambuli Printing Press and was founded by

Victorina Dela Pena. In 2006, Tambuli was renamed Sinag by Raia Jennifer Dela
Pena, Victorina's daughter. She took over the ownership of Sinag.

According to Miss Jackielou, Executive Assistant, it was renamed Sinag after

the new owner's name, Raia, which means Sinag in Spanish. Tambuli expanded from
printing newspapers to printing yearbooks, handbooks, and magazines when it
became Sinag.

Sinag has distinguished itself as a company with a big heart and today, Sinag
is still working hard to establish itself as a small company with big dreams. They
remain true to their brand as professional printers who prioritize excellent service and
always go the extra mile.

Mission

To ensure our clients achieve their goals by providing affordable. Creative

and high-quality printing services.
Vision
To become the foremost printer in CALABARZON are capable of delivering
high-quality print jobs for both small and medium enterprises as well as the large
industrial organizations in the region.

THE NEWSROOM

Department Function

● Office
Each section of the newsroom has three stations dedicated to it at Sinag
Publishing and Printing Services. Sinag has a separate office for their customers'
convenience. Office accommodations include choosing the most suitable office
space, building, and other amenities needed for an office. A corporate goal can be
accomplished with the right office space. It aids employees in carrying out their
responsibilities successfully. This station is where they can accommodate individuals
for printing, publishing, or just visiting. To be able to assist customers with their
concerns, they have an entire area set aside for their office.

● Production
Sinag has a manufacturing station, allowing them to publish a whole paper.
Here, a processing area with a working point and a processing device are included.
The processing area is enclosed by a security partition, which has a safe entry point
for moving workpieces. A robotic automatic loading system is also part of the
manufacturing station. Production is where the paper is created, printed, cut, and
folded. They have a station inside their newsroom. Additionally, they employ various
printing and cutting machines.

● Binding
Sinag also has a binding machine. Print binding is the process of combining
separate sheets of paper to form catalogs, booklets, periodicals, calendars, books,
and more. Binding typically involves attaching pages with wire or plastic, sewing,
gluing, stapling, or punching holes that Sinag Publishing and Printing Services have.
They are making their final adjustments to the paper here. The papers are bound,
and then they mail them to their clients.

Organizational Structure
The organizational structure of Sinag Publishing and Printing is depicted below.
Duties and Responsibilities of the Newsroom Personnel
Listed below are the names of Sinag Personnel and their responsibilities.

Names Roles Responsibilities

Raia Dela Pena-Landicho Sinag Proprietors Mr. and Mrs. Landicho

Ruel T. Landicho are the ones who run
Sinag Printing and
Publishing Services. They
are responsible for
managing Sinag and
business transactions
which include debts and
liabilities.

Jackielou Lirio Executive Assistant Executive assistants at

Shara Jane Falceso Sinag answer phones,
Rachelle Joy Aquino screen visitors, make
travel arrangements,
prepare reports, fill and
organize documents,
coordinate with paper
suppliers and newspaper
and magazine delivery
services, record meeting
minutes, and expense
reports.

Ramir Garcia Chief Machine Operator Mr. Garcia leads and

assists machine
operators. He monitors,
maintains, and operates
the machines.

Noel Ala Machine Operators Machine operators

Joselito Bernardo configure, test, and
Matt Alvarez maintain machine
settings. They inspect
parts with precision and
measuring tools, repair
any problems that arise,
and maintain records of
approved and defective
units.

Mary Joy Lorica Bindery Personnel Bindery personnel

Marlon Borlagdan operate machinery that is
used to cut, fold, glue,
trim, bind, and finish the
final printed product.
Facilities

Sinag Publishing and Printing was founded in 1977 and was originally known
as Tambuli Printing Press. It was renamed Sinag Publishing and Printing Company in
2006. It has a vintage atmosphere because it was established nearly five decades
ago; its structure and ambiance could tell you that it has been through a lot and
witnessed how newspaper printing and publishing evolved over the years.

Its newsroom is decorated with deep red walls and vintage bookshelves; the
space is adequate for a newsroom. It was divided into three sections: office,
production, and binding. Sinag Personnel makes extensive use of every Department.
It is a small establishment, but it provides timely news as well as high-quality
newspapers and magazines.

Equipment

According to the Cambridge dictionary, equipment is the set of necessary

tools, clothing, etc. for a particular purpose. Usually, this equipment is used to make
tasks easier and create high-quality products. Sinag Publishing began as Tambuli
Newspaper in 1977.Though there was a change in branding in 2006, Sinag
Publishing and Printing Services never replaced their equipment.

Sinag Publishing and Printing Services have two printing machines, one for
the printing of textbooks, brochures, yearbooks, etc., and the other for newspapers.
One of its oldest printing presses is the Original Heidelberg Einfarben Offset
Letterset. According to Mr. Joselito Bernardo, the printing press operator, the
machine was already present even before he started working at Sinag. Aside from
the printing press, they also have a cutting machine, a binding machine, and a
paper folding machine that work to secure the quality and durability of the
newspaper. These three machines are responsible for the last process of printing
before the newspaper is published. Currently, Sinag is planning on investing in or
buying more printing machines to expand and produce more newspapers.

During our visit to the newsroom, we realized that it doesn't matter if you're
big or small. Sinag might only have a few pieces of equipment, but it was not a
barrier for them to limit their influence. We hope that someday Sinag Publishing and
Printing Services will shine not only in Calamba, Batangas, Mindoro, and Cavite but
also throughout the Philippines.

Standard Operating Procedures

Each company or corporation has its own set of rules that must be followed.
These sets of rules are called "standard operating procedures," a detailed outline
of a step-by-step process that helps them to prevent hazards that may affect their
employees, products, or services, and just like other institutions, Sinag Publishing
and Printing Services possesses this kind of rule set.

The whole process starts with gathering information, which is assigned to the
researchers. The researchers and writers are given 3–4 days to look for newsworthy
stories that they are going to pitch weekly, every Thursday. Aside from the news
written by the researchers, Sinag also took information from the Philippine
Information Agency (PIA). These stories will be analyzed or proofread by Ms.
Jackielou Lirio, the executive assistant and currently acting editor-in-chief of Sinag
Publishing and Printing Services. After the proofreading, the contents of the news will
be processed for CTP, or computer-to-plate technology. After that, the plates will be
sent to the Sinag production team to start the printing process.

Before printing, the machine operator inspects the printing press for damage.
After checking its physical condition, they will conduct a test run to identify whether
the machine needs troubleshooting. Together with this, they will also check the ink to
see if it needs to be refilled or not. If no problem is observed, the printing of the
newspapers will take place. While the printing is ongoing, the operators have to
check if the newspapers are printed according to the plates for quality control. After
printing, the newspapers will be processed for cutting, which ensures that they are all
the same size. Then it will undergo the folding, sewing, and binding process to make
the newspaper more durable. Finally, after this very long process, the newspapers
will be checked for the final quality control procedures.

This very thorough and long procedure made us think of the importance of
information. As journalists, we should keep in mind the power that we have within us.
To provide people or readers with accurate information, we should always stick to the
process and never skip a single step. But we also believe that this lesson could also
be embodied by us normal citizens, namely, that before we speak our minds, we
should take our thoughts and analyze them thoroughly so that we may not hurt or
ruin someone.

THE NEWSROOM EXPERIENCE

Tasks Performed

Before the newsroom visit happened, our group made a list of newsroom
companies we would like to visit. These include Manila Bulletin, Manila Times,
PhilStar, GMA News, ABS-CBN, and Rappler. After we made the list, we emailed and
messaged them for a newsroom visit request. Some of them responded but most did
not and we’re running out of time due to the final's quick approach. One of our
blockmates suggested Sinag Publishing and Printing. With that, we waste no time
contacting them and when they respond, they immediately scheduled us for a
newsroom tour.

Tuesday, January 17, 2023, we visited Sinag. Our eyes couldn’t stop roaming
around the place, as we sat on their office couch, a few minutes later Sir Marlon
invited us for a production tour. We are amazed by the types of machinery they used
for the production of newspapers, magazines, and yearbooks. As the tour happens,
we jot down notes and ask questions.

After the production tour took place, we went back to the office, where Sinag
personnel accommodated their visitors. Sir Marlon, advised us to make a list of
questions we would like to ask about Sinag, so Ms. Jackielou Lirio, the executive
assistant, could answer them through the mail. We didn’t prepare questions before
the visit, so we created them during the visit. Luckily, Ms. Lirio arrived at Sinag and
she would be able to answer our questions live. We showered her with questions
regarding the history of Sinag, the production process, Sinag personnel, the
gathering of news, news writing, and their website. We recorded the interview and
wrote down important information.
 When we have completed the visit and gathered the essential data for this
narrative, we delegate tasks to each member of our group.

Insights

Mornings are not complete without a cup of coffee and a pile of current news,
and to think of how it was made must be the least priority of the reader. As
Journalism students, our experience left us amused as we were given a chance to
visit Sinag Printing and Publishing Company. We are able to see and observe the
publishing office itself - the editors, the writers, the machines used, and how it
operates. We witnessed how it came from a piece of plain paper up to an
information-bearer. And that is how we enjoy the company and we really have fun
going there.

Our group unearthed how newspapers are made. It is not only about printing
but also about how news is distributed. We also discovered the significance of the
machines that every printing and publishing company possesses. We paid attention
to the printing process and realized that in order to publish a newsworthy newspaper,
a thorough process was required.

Problems Encountered

Our newsroom experience isn’t a smooth sailing journey, instead, it was a

tough one. Our group emailed, messaged, and called different newsrooms that we
could visit, and Sinag Printing and Publishing Services were the ones who accepted
our request. It took us a long time before we could finally visit a newsroom.

There would be no absence of conflicts in any process. We arrived

unprepared; instead of proceeding to the interview, we first created questions
because we had not prepared them prior to our visit, which prolonged our visit.
Additionally, one of our members wasn’t able to join us on our visit due to financial
instability, which saddens us; however, it doesn't pose a hindrance for her to
contribute to the realization of this narrative. Lastly, there are misunderstandings
among our group, such as confusion about where and when we will do the visit, yet
we managed to conquer every obstacle along the way in accomplishing this
narrative.

It was our first newsroom visit as aspiring journalists and we are anticipating
more, and when it comes we will be fully prepared and more confident.

Suggestions for Improvement

As a freshman, we didn’t expect a perfect newsroom visit or even a perfect

narrative because we are always a work in progress. The obstacles we encountered
aren’t a fall down for us but a rise up to better ourselves as aspiring journalists.

We believed that for us to improve as journalism students and members of

society, we had to be prepared not just when doing interviews and narratives but also
in the wake of challenges; to be open to constructive criticism, to widen our horizons,
to look at things from different perspectives, and not just communicate but also to
comprehend.
 The complexities we encountered taught us that, as journalists of the future,
we must be prepared to create and ask questions with conviction. There is no room
for hesitation, only for advancement. We demonstrated that communication is also
comprehension, which will enable us to work as one.

Lesson Learned

It is always a process. No one starts excellently, there would be failures and

disappointments yet there would be lessons gained. As we completed our tour and
witnessed the lengthy and thorough process of publishing a newspaper, we were
reminded of the importance of information.

As future journalists, we must remember the power that we have within us. To
provide accurate information to people or readers, we must always follow the process
and never skip a single step. However, we believe that this lesson can also be
embodied by ordinary citizens, namely, that before we speak our minds, we should
take our thoughts and thoroughly analyze them so that we do not hurt or ruin
someone.

SUMMARY

One of the most anticipated activities for a journalism student is a visit to the
newsroom. As freshmen, we admit that we only have a shallow understanding of how
a newsroom operates. That is why we believe this would be an excellent opportunity
for us to broaden our knowledge and learn more about the field of journalism. The
process of accomplishing this is not without challenges; for instance, we had difficulty
contacting each company that may be able to assist us in conducting this narrative.

Thankfully, SINAG Publishing and Printing Company accepted our request for
a newsroom visit. It is located in Calamba, Laguna. One of its personnel, Ms.
Jackielou, scheduled our visit, and then the visit happened. As we entered Sinag, we
immediately liked the scent of papers, as well as the old machines and the people
who had worked there for years and decades. The vintage ambiance made us feel
like we had witnessed it grow throughout the years. It was fun exploring the inside of
it. However, we came unprepared and disorganized due to a lack of time and
misaligned schedules. The questions were created on the spot, and despite the rush
and pressure, we gathered everything that we had to attain.

In the end, it was a difficult yet fruitful experience for us. After we had done
the visit, we acquired relevant knowledge which contributed to the success of this
narrative. Furthermore, we are amazed and proud that the newsroom—from Tambuli
to Sinag—is still standing strong to produce newspapers that contain relevant and
recent issues in our country, initiating the digital age in which everything is easily
accessible through media.
PHOTO DOCUMENTATION
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Machine Operator Job Description. (n.d). Resources for Employers.

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