Meeting with the Editor!

Editor-in-chief might be the highest position on publication staffs and it is not so easy job. You may need high time management skills, strong decision-making and lot of passion for the job.

Last November 18, 2012, half-confident and half-nervous I came in Discover Philippines magazine office at West Ave. Quezon City with my camera on the compliance to the set date of my meeting with the editor, Mr. Oliver Quingco II. With the welcoming office ambiance, he friendly accommodated me to sit and start the interview I requested on him in email. Well, I’m still feel so intimidated on this opportunity to have a one-on-one interview with the magazine’s editor-in-chief. However, I should not let this chance passed. 

Mr. Quingco graduated of Art Studies in University of the Philippines in 1994 and became lifestyle journalist in Manila Times before he held the job in Discover Philippines, a travel magazine. Currently, he was the editor-in-chief and I am so fortunate to listen how magazine thing works.

Things we need to talk about.

You should work hard to maintain your responsibilities well done. He described the duty as a father who oversee all things in its household and provide source for the magazine to work. 

“Mahirap s’ya in the sense na para kang tatay sa bahay, may asawa, may mga anak, may helper sa bahay, tapos ima-manage mo ung schedule ng lahat, tapos ‘ung budget ng lahat. [Kung] may coverage, mag-a-allot ka ng budget, at kung kulang ang budget nyo, maghahanap ka ng mga sponsors at ng advertisers.. so para nagma-mange ka ng isang bahay.”

He added that editor-in-chief should be strict on every deadline because it will affect the relationship of your magazine and the advertisers. It is the main challeges in print industry, most especially to the newly debuted magazines. “Mahirap kumuha ng advertisers kung hindi pa kilala ang magazine mo,” he stressed, “so kailangan kung sinabi mong lalabas ito [magazine] sa ganitong petsa, kung ano ‘ung prinamis mo sa advertisers mo, gagawin mo (s’ya).. Para hindi sila mawala sa’yo.” 

However, there’s a lot of advantages to work for a magazine, most especially in travel magazine. “Masarap sa travel magazine kasi… nakakalakwatsa ka, part kasi ng job mo iyon, tapos ang gumagastos ng lakwatsa mo ay ang company…so marami kang nakikilalang tao tapos idi-discover mo kung anong food ang meron sa lugar na ‘to…marami kang mae-experience.”

Working on the field you’ve always wanted might brought you self-satisfaction. “Personal satisfaction s’ya kasi nakikita mo ‘ung efforts mo, makikita mo sya in print kasi… accredit sa’yo e, whether writer ka, photographer ka, or artist ka.”

Obedience and believing in work ethics are the main frame in doing the job. And if you worked hard for it, you may also achieve his success.