These days, Leo works for People’s Television, which is owned by the Philippine government. In this blog post, he gives us some insight into his work as a journalist in the Philippines.

What was the most exciting topic that you worked on in the recent past?

The installation of Pope Francis as the new head of the Roman Catholic Church.

Is there an interview or story that has changed your life? 


For me, every story is life changing, because I learn a little bit more about myself and the world from every story that I write.

What do you love about your work?

Since I love to learn, I love the fact that I learn so many things about the world without really trying.

Your journalistic dream would be… 


To cover conflicts in the most dangerous places on earth.

Your most important tool is …

My laptop.

Do you have a blog or website? 


Yes. http://ljubomirgatdula.wordpress.com/ is a by-product of one of DW Akademie’s trainings.

How much time do you spend online every day?

About 12 hours

Do you use social networks? Twitter, Facebook or others?

Yes. I have Twitter and Facebook accounts

What makes social media special for you?

Social media allow me to communicate with people from around the world, especially from friends I met at DW Akademie’s trainings. Without social media, I would find it hard to send messages to people from Germany, Bangladesh, the Maldives and many other places.

If you could write a text message to the world, what would it be? 


I wd lyk 2 c u 

The powerful earthquake that rocked Japan on March 11, 2011 is big news in the Philippines not only because of the extent of the disaster itself, but also because there are about 300,000 Filipinos in Japan.

The Philippine media have focused their coverage on the plight of Filipinos working in the richest country in Asia. Every day, Filipinos in the Philippines are provided with reports about how much some Filipinos in Japan want to return to the Philippines and how they are coping with the tragedy.

Focusing on Filipino workers in Japan

Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Japan and other parts of the world send billions of dollars back home, helping keep the Philippine economy afloat. It’s one of the reasons why they’re called “modern-day heroes” in the Philippines.

Thus, an OFW-related event is bound be an emotionally charged issue in the country. Whether it’s Filipino sailors seized by Somali pirates or Filipino workers fleeing violence-torn Libya, an OFW-related event will get big-time coverage in the Philippines.

This is even more true if the OFW-related event happens in Japan, which is located only a few thousand kilometers away from the Philippines.

This proximity has also raised radiation fears in the Philippines. The Philippine media have reported on the radiation issue, from hoax text messages claiming that radiation would affect the country, to assurances from scientists that radiation would not affect the Philippines.

How prepared would the Philippines be for a similar disaster?

Since both Japan and the Philippines are completely surrounded by water, and lie on what is known as the Pacific Ring of Fire, a part of the world that is prone to earthquakes, questions regarding preparedness have been asked in the Philippines: How prepared is the country to deal with such a catastrophe? What is the government doing to make sure that buildings are structurally sound? Do the people know what to do during and after an earthquake?

The Philippine media have extensively covered the issue of preparedness. They have dealt with earthquake drills in schools, for example, and inspections of buildings.

Leo Gatdula, Manila, Philippines