Dear Colleague,

First, let me congratulate you for choosing the path of business journalism.

Many young reporters find it intimidating. After all, the beat deals with numbers, policies, boardroom decisions, and markets that move with dizzying speed.

But behind the data and jargon are stories that shape livelihoods, jobs, and the direction of the economy. Your work, if done well, will help readers understand forces that affect their daily lives.

So instead of writing about my experiences as a journalist (which, I’m sure, narinig niyo na sa yabang kong ito), allow me instead to share some lessons.

1. Learn the basics, then keep learning.

Business reporting rests on a foundation of financial literacy. You need to know how to read balance sheets, central bank reports, and government budgets.

But mastery comes with constant practice and curiosity. When you encounter a term you don’t understand, look it up immediately. When an executive or policymaker speaks in acronyms, ask for clarification.

Never pretend to know more than you do. Your readers will thank you for translating complexity into clarity.

2. Cultivate sources, not just contacts.

Anyone can gather press releases. But a good journalist builds trust with people who matter.

This means showing up consistently, listening more than talking, and protecting confidences when warranted.

Remember that sources range from CEOs to union leaders, from regulators to small entrepreneurs.

Treat them all with respect. Some of the biggest stories I’ve written and some of the most valuable insights I’ve gained came from people who were not on stage but in the audience.

3. Balance access with independence.

When I left the Inquirer at the end of 2023 after working there for almost two decades, my take home pay as business news editor stood at only P70,000 a month (and we had the best pay scale in the print industry back then). Many junior employees in the communications departments of listed companies make more than that.

Everyone knows we don’t make a lot of money. As such, you will be offered favors, early tips, or even outright incentives. Weigh them carefully. Turn down those that put you and your audience at an unacceptable disadvantage.

The value of your byline depends on credibility. Once lost, trust is hard to regain.

Be cordial with your sources, but temper this with the knowledge that they are fallible human beings. They sometimes make mistakes. They are sometimes wrong. And sometimes, they lie.

Our role is to report facts, provide context, and, when needed, ask uncomfortable questions.

4. Deadlines are non-negotiable.

Business stories often break quickly. Markets move in real time, regulators issue policy changes at odd hours, companies disclose earnings late at night.

You must be ready to write fast and accurately. Speed matters, but never sacrifice accuracy for it. A wrong number or misquoted statement can damage reputations and mislead investors.

Develop the discipline of fact-checking even under pressure.

5. Think beyond the daily story.

While you will spend much of your time chasing news, don’t neglect the bigger picture.

Why does a rate hike matter to households? How will a new law affect industries five years from now? What risks lie beneath the optimism of corporate announcements?

Your ability to connect dots — like how Miguel Camus writes — will distinguish you from reporters who simply rewrite press statements.

6. Remember whom you write for.

Business journalism is not just for bankers and CEOs. It is for the commuter who wonders why fares rise, the small entrepreneur seeking credit, the retiree trying to stretch savings.

Always ask: How does this story matter to ordinary people? When you write with them in mind, your stories gain relevance and impact.

Our job is not done as long as there are Filipinos who don’t understand why the economy behaves the way it does, or why the money in their bank accounts evaporates faster than they should.

If more and more Filipinos are unable to improve their lives despite the insights we publish, we are failing in our jobs, and we are failing them.

7. Don’t measure yourself against the past.

Every generation of journalists is told it is less capable or less disciplined than those who came before. Don’t be distracted by this narrative.

You are coming of age in an era of unprecedented change. You already carry skills older generations could only wish for: adaptability to new technology, an instinct to embrace change, and the energy to work at the speed the world now demands.

The task is not to imitate the legends of yesterday, but to build the journalism tomorrow requires. Use your advantages well, and you will find that the so-called weaknesses of your generation are, in truth, its greatest strengths.

Finally, never lose your sense of mission.

Business journalism is about more than numbers; it is about accountability, transparency, and giving citizens the information they need to make decisions.

Do your job well, and you will not only build a career—you will contribute to building a more informed and fair Philippine society.

Yours sincerely,

ChatGPT, with prompts, inputs and editing by

Daxim L. Lucas
Past President
Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines