MEDIA members who have been covering the airport beat for a good number of years were all in agreement that what happened during the Customs ETravel launching last November 21 at the lobby of the NAIA Terminal 1 offered the worst experience for them, in so far as coverage is concerned.
Based on the invitation sent to the in-house media, the whole event was to begin at 4 p.m.
So, the members of the Airport Press Club (APC) went to the venue 30 minutes early.
To our surprise, the venue was cordoned off and the media was relegated to the area behind the said cordon, with two Customs personnel even assigned to the entrance apparently to block the media from going beyond the cordon, as if covering the event was a super privilege being accorded to us.
There were three very small round tables for the media. There were no chairs and places where we could at least put our things down while waiting for the event to begin. since each table is shared by three to four persons.
It would have been alright if the event began on time or if the delay only took several minutes, but no. The launch was delayed for nearly an hour. This means that for about a total of an hour and a half, we were all standing while carrying our things.
When the program finally began, so did our worst ordeal. Those inside went to and fro, with some even raising their cellphones, to take photos and videos of the goings-on in front, blocking whatever pitiful view the media had. Thus, all we were able to document were the heads, arms, backs and shoulders of those inside.
The media members separately aired complaints to some of the Customs personnel near them, including the one who asked them to register, but the sentiments fell on deaf ears.
The inaction prompted the APC members to walk out of the event in protest of the fact that while they were supposedly invited to cover the event, they were denied a good spot to be able to watch and document the entire proceedings.
In fairness to the BOC-NAIA, the office of District Collector Yasmin Mapa reached out to apologize upon learning of what happened, although the shabby treatment of the media, both in-house and outside media, was something not of their doing.
We know that the ones who handled the botched launching were from the BOC-Main Office and not from the NAIA.
How is this so? When some APC members asked those handling the event if certain BOC-NAIA officials would be present, they said they did not know the officials mentioned. Hahah.
In fairness to those from the BOC-NAIA, they never treated the media, especially the in-house ones, the way that those from the BOC-Main did.
The BOC-NAIA is generally nice to the media. By the way, the in-house media —those from the APC— are those covering the airport beat regularly while the outside media are those who cover the airport on assignment only.
All the while, we thought that an invitation was extended to the media because the BOC-Main would like to properly and widely disseminate the Customs ETravel for the awareness of air passengers, especially since the expected Christmas influx is just around the corner.
With what happened, it was evident that the launching was meant to be seen by the Customs people among themselves only. They should just have kept it to themselves instead of wasting the time of the media.
Well, we should have seen the sign. When the program began nearly an hour late, it was already obvious that the BOC-Main people did not respect the media by making them wait that long and without anyone at least apologizing for the delay or at least offering chairs or water. It was as if their time was important and the media’s is not. Being on time is a sign of respect. Plain and simple.
In addition, when we arrived, someone made us sign our names, contact numbers, and email addresses, but we did not receive any statement or release about the said event after the walkout. So, what was that for?? Why the need to register when we were not even allowed to enter in the first place and were not emailed after the launch??? So ridiculous. Worst PR, hands down.
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