Tuesday, August 15, 2006

The Railroad Project

August 15, 2006


Mr. Estelito A. Nierva
Department Manager and Operations
Philippine National Railways


Dear Sir.


My name is Punks Tuyor. I dropped by your office last week because of my intention to write a story about PNR. I would like to inform you that my professor has reviewed my proposal and she gave me the go signal to push through with my plans.

In line with this, I would like to formally request for an interview with your office regarding some technical subjects that would be included in my story, such as but not limited to:

I. History

a. When it all started
b. The original line
c. Changes throughout the past administrations (presidents)
d. Relevant events that happened in its history.

II. Operations

a. Maintenance
b. Cost of Maintenance
c. Railroad Tracks
d. Where do PNR import its spare parts
e. Trains/Engines
f. Number of fleets and carriages
g. Technical assistance from other countries.

III. Finances

a. Government Funding
b. Other sources of income
c. Employees
d. Communications
e. Safety Plans and Precautions

IV. Future

a. Rehabilitation
b. Engines that would be used
c. Stations
d. Ticketing Schemes
e. Track expansion

I would also like to ask your permission to interview some of the people who works with PNR regarding their personal experiences and how does working in such a close-knit family like yours changed their lives. My professor has emphasized that my essay should put a human story of what PNR is to everyone. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated especially on subjects that most of us don't understand about our railway system.

Our deadline of submission is on September 1. Please feel free to schedule the interview at a time most convenient to you. Thank you very much Mr. Nierva. Now that big changes would soon happen to PNR, it would be heartwarming to cover a human story of things that may never happen again.

God Bless!


John Paul Alexis Tuyor
UP Diliman

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Not a long time ago, I wrote an entry about my train ride from Alabang to Tutuban. That entry was briefly mentioned in Manuel L Quezon III's blog, which in turn became my third sample article that I submitted as a requirement for my application in the graduate school.

Since I've always believed that my PNR entry carried my application through screening, entrance exam and final deliberation process, it would be nice to go back once more and expand such piece that deserves another look - this time, it would become a feature story.

Submission of the first draft is on September 1. Right now, I still have to conduct an interview with the Operations Manager, some of his staffs that also work in the PNR system, ride a train once more to have a personal feel of being in the great machine and interview some people who live by the riles. As a person who never submit mere drafts, I need to rush things up and do whatever necessary is needed to complete my story.

The formal request has been sent tonight. I hope that the interview will be granted before the week finally ends.

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