Telum Media caught up with Remedios Lucio, a journalist for over 10 years working with local and international media, such as theSun and Octomedia, among others. Her experience led her to a Correspondent role at Maritime Fairtrade. Aside from daily editorial tasks, Remedios also manages The Hodgepodge Lifestyle, starting from a blog and growing into a book series. We caught up with her to talk about trends in the maritime industry, and more.

What sparked your interest in journalism?
I started writing in elementary novels (unpublished) since I love reading books but I never saw myself in journalism. My grandfather's influence as a child is probably where it all really began without me realising it early on. I remember we would always read together the newspaper on his favourite hammock back in the day.

Fast forward to a pivotal life-changing moment in my life in college led me to change course from an international business school to journalism after learning there is a specialised journalism college by the oldest newspaper in the Philippines, The Manila Times School of Journalism (now The Manila Times College). 

I was exposed early in my internship at the journalism school and witnessed how the newspapers were printed, events covered and reported and how a TV show is produced. This hands-on approach enticed me more than the usual theoretical way of teaching in most universities. Those were fun times before working in the real world. We had veteran industry practitioners such as the late Mike Enriquez and Benjamin Defensor; Dante Ang II, Boots Anson-Roa, Ambeth Ocampo, etc. to learn from. I also interned at Probe Team witnessing working with the legend, Cheche Lazaro, and in Summit Media for PEP.ph. I had the opportunity to choose between hard news, investigative journalism, or lifestyle beat after those experiences. I still remember the day I was asked by my professor, where do you want to work after graduating? I replied, “The Reader's Digest”. Though it never came to fruition, my career has led me to wonderful experiences and met aspiring colleagues.

Were you assigned to other beats before? How or why did you choose to focus on the maritime industry?
Yes, I’ve done a couple of beats on business, investigative, political, and lifestyle news in local and international media outfits. I’ve focused on the business beat in recent years before joining Maritime Fairtrade as a Correspondent. The maritime industry is quite new to me and I’m looking forward to digging stories in a different beat. The publication also features stories on business and sustainability/climate change thus fitting my background in journalism. My heart also lies in human interest stories.

Could you share with us what a typical day of work is like for you as a Correspondent at Maritime Fairtrade?
Being a Correspondent is different every day, making it exciting and certainly won't bore you to death. Being a curious person and having a nose for news, you’ll see me hunting for stories piquing my interest and new trends in the region; researching story angles to pitch; chasing interviews; talking to PR, and updating my editor in Singapore. On other days you'll see me covering presscons, roundtables, or various events. When I have free time, I love joining trainings and webinars in journalism. Learning is continuous no matter how long we've been doing this.

Any particular trends or topics that are getting your attention at the moment?
Currently news on the Davao earthquake, COP28, the Gaza-Israel conflict, and the West Philippine Sea. Immersing myself in maritime news with shipping lines and head honchos. I’ve been reading about AI and how it’s changing the media industry. Certainly, the landscape has changed a lot over the years since I began writing about augmented/virtual reality, robots, and tech innovations. I wrote on sustainability years ago and now we're sadly facing the harsh reality of the impacts of drastic climate change we’ve written about. So yes I’m catching up on the recent developments in this sector. I’m also checking out on my colleagues’ industry movements in the communications sector.

Do you work with PRs at all? Any top tips for them if they want to engage with you and Maritime Fairtrade? 
Yes. It’s always good to build a relationship between PR and media practitioners over the years. Send constant PR seeding and press invites. I’m reachable online and always looking for possible interviews. We may not always reply but when something piques our interest, you’ll definitely hear from us so keep it going. Always send complete press kits like the olden days from press releases to high res images.

What's the best advice you've had from your mentors and what advice would you give to aspiring journalists?
The calibre of veteran journalists has always been admirable and I know I'm far from what they have accomplished in the industry. In my practice as a journalist, I’ve learnt from my mentors to have strong morals and values early on, particularly from the newspaper. Apart from having strong morals and values, I was raised to have word of honour, integrity, and respect. It's a two-way street. Though we’re not living in an ideal world and sadly times are rapidly changing, nonetheless try to keep these instilled in you. We were trained to have no biases but without these traits, one can be easily swayed. 
For aspiring journalists, tell stories to create impact. Don’t be afraid to take risks and see where it leads you. At the end of the day, it’s always fulfilling and rewarding to see how your stories have touched lives anywhere across the world. You need to be a tough cookie and fast in delivering the news. Always fact-check and research well, don't rely entirely on AI and technology.

Telum Media gives journalists a platform to share their experiences in the newsroom and out in the field. If you would like to share your story or nominate someone to be featured, email us at philippinesmedia@telummedia.com