WATCH: The #DuterteSONA LIVE Transcribers Are “Da Real MVPs!”

Few days back, President Rodrigo Duterte delivered his first State of the Nation Address. It was an uplifting speech filled with hopeful statements that we all hope get implemented in time. Personally, it was a SONA that is refreshing to hear.

Prior to the SONA, I’ve read that the president had a prepared speech that will last for 38 minutes. Yet, we expected it to go longer. If I remember correctly, the SONA actually lasted over an hour.

Anyway, putting the spotlight to the people who document everything the president said during his SONA to ensure that we have a reliable document to reference to, this is where the transcribers do all the work.

Transcribing may sound easy but it isn’t. I’ve had personal experience as a freelance transcriber. I did a few transcription gigs on audio recordings and I found that difficult already. Imagine if you were to do LIVE transcription.

Live transcription for SONA is necessary because it ensures the integrity of the document. Transcribing a recording opens the potential problems of having audio issues on the recording, or worse, having it altered. That is why we have transcribers who are within earshot of the president. You cannot just rely on the microphone or recorded audio.

The Presidential Communications released a video featuring the transcribers during the president’s first SONA. Watch how they handled the job to ensure that their transcription is “true and correct”.

“Ngayong nakapahinga na sila, pinuntahan namin ang transcribers ng #DuterteSONA. Kamusta kaya sila?”

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To the the transcribers, you’re “da real MVPs!”

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