Driven by credibility
B roadcast journalist Jamela Alindogan, a correspondent and producer for Al Jazeera English, tells stories with words that echo her passion. Her voice reveals courage that gives her enough strength to tackle every day with confidence and self- determination.
Jamela started working for television as a sportscaster for the University Athletic Association of the Philippines ( UAAP) and the now- defunct Philippine Basketball League while she was still studying Mass Communication at Far Eastern University. This experience did not only allow Jamela to hone her skills, it also put her through college using the money she earned.
After graduating from college, Jamela joined Al Jazeera as an intern for one year. When her internship ended, she was hired by then ABS- CBN news executive Charie Villa, who she considers one of her mentors, as a reporter for TV Patrol and Bandila, and as an anchor for the weekend news at ANC. After her stint with ABS- CBN, she was hired at Al Jazeera as a producer and now, as a correspondent.
Jamela, who covers the Philippines and most of Southeast Asia for Al Jazeera English for nine years now, has reported exclusively in many conflict areas especially in Mindanao. Recently, she was among 10 female journalists cited by UNESCO and the Swedish Foreign Ministry for their work in journalism as they “pursue their mission of providing citizens with the information needed to make enlightened decisions about their lives, their communities and their governments.”
“As a journalist, integrity is the most important character that you must have and what you should protect. That is basically your anchor. If you are driven by integrity-based principles, then everything that you do in your life, be it with family, personal, friends, especially with work, everything follows,” says Jamela, who considers her experience during typhoon Yolanda ( Haiyan) one of the most memorable in her career.
“Yolanda changed me mentally and emotionally. I saw so many things that revealed a lot about humanity and tested me. I always remember the victims’ faces, there’s permanent sadness in them,” shares Jamela, who has also reported the landslide in Compostela Valley in 2012, the 21- day Zamboanga siege in 2013 and did an exclusive sitdown interview with President Rodrigo Duterte in his first 100 days in office.
*** There is an immense amount of leg work required for Jamela to produce her stories for television. When she stands in front of the camera, Jamela delivers her reports with confidence and conviction. With this, she says that being presentable all the time is important.
“In our field, we are required to be as inconspicuous as possible so you don’t grab the attention away from your story. You cannot be going to a refugee camp and be glamorous because the people should be able to open up to you and you should be able to empathize with them,” says Jamela, who admits that this Ever Bilena shoot is a nice break from her usual “five-minute makeup” look that consists of simple eye makeup, blush, light lipstick and BB cream.
Jamela has mastered this five- minute makeup, which she says she can apply on her face while in a moving army truck, a hummer or even in a chopper. “I put minimal makeup so I don’t look pale. First, I make sure I put on sunblock,” she notes.
As Jamela is reporting from the field, it is unavoidable for her to have oily skin. She makes sure that before she goes in front of the camera, she removes excess oil on her face before she dabs on a light blush on her cheeks. The Ever Bilena Powder Foundation in Light Natural shade is the best choice for quick, hasslefree touch ups as this compact product works both as a powder and foundation that help keep oil at bay. The foundation’s sheer coverage gives the face that natural matte effect.
For simple eye makeup, it is important to have perfect eyebrows. Jamela has naturally beautiful arches that frame her face well. For those who want to achieve perfect brows, one may try the Ever
Bilena Matic Brow Liner in Earth shade, which is a slim, retractable and color-rich eyebrow liner that is smudge- proof and long-wearing. Its pigmented color payoff perfectly shapes and defines the eyebrows. Add a pop of color on the eyes with the go- to Ever Bilena Eyeshadow Palette in
Pink is the perfect choice with its colorcoordinated and shimmering shades one can choose from.
And to complete the look, Jamela puts lipstick, preferably light pink shade. But for this shoot, she used the pinkish plum shade of Ever Bilena Matte Lipstick in Posh Plum. It has a bold and rich shade that gives the lips a velvety matte finish while maintaining their moisture. “Makeup is an essential when I am
at work. But I don’t have a big beauty regimen. In keeping with my line of work, that five-minute makeup is best. Like in choosing clothes, it should always be a practical choice.”
*** Jamela cradles passion and determination that allow her to perform her many roles — as a wife, a mother, a journalist, a woman. These everyday roles are guided by the principles she strongly lives by.
“I’m ant i- cor r upt ion. Not just in monetary form but in values as well. I’m anti-violence. Violence in general — war, armed conflict. I don’t like it because I know the impact of it. It’s very easy when you watch it on TV but you don’t know the impact on the ground.
“As a journalist, you are as good as your last report. But even if you can span 20 years of work, if you make one mistake, people will only remember the mistake that you did. It’s human to make those mistakes but you need to make sure that those mistakes are not based on the fact that you took a different route far from what you were meant to do from the very beginning,” Jamela concludes.