Hello world!

Hello, I’m Raissa Robles – a journalist for over 20 years.

I’m starting this blog upon the prodding of a fellow journalist named Alan who says he’s tired of hearing me mutter every day at breakfast about the Philippine political situation.

Can’t help it. Must be genetic – this knack for dissecting political events, asking the most embarrassing questions and getting the most unexpected answers.

I was a reporter before I even knew I was one. Must have been 11 or 12 at that time when my father, the late Professor Jose F. Espinosa of the University of the Philippines College of Law, carted the family over by bus to Baguio one December while he attended an “acculturation conference” – whatever that was.

Anyway, a group of conference participants decided to drive over to a resort in Pangasinan and one dean kindly offered us a hitch.

I remember asking my father very innocently and loudly for all to hear that the car was marked “for official use only”, then adding “but this isn’t official, is it?”

Oh boy, did I get it afterwards.

What I want to do with this blog, I guess, is share my questions and answers with all of you out there and hope you do the same.

I’ve often been asked why I haven’t migrated yet, given how bad the political situation is. My answer now is, why should I? Let politicians migrate first.

Oops, they don’t have to. Many of them maintain double lives – one in California and the other here.

Anyway, to get back to introducing myself, I currently report for the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong and Radio Netherlands. I used to contribute to Asiaweek and Asia Inc. magazines and have written for The Times of London.

I cut my teeth in journalism writing for Business Day, the Manila Chronicle and Philippine Star, plus I’ve contributed some stories to the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Professionally, I owe a debt of gratitude to the following – the late Raul and Leticia Locsin of Business Day and the late Betty Go-Belmonte of Philippine Star; Professor Concepcion Dadufalza of the UP English Department and Professor Joseph Galdon of the Ateneo English Department.

And of course to Alan.

There, Alan, stop blushing.