Lolita Lachica has been in the media and journalism industry for 25 years and counting. She is currently working on “What is this Justice?”, a digital series that explains the nitty-gritties of the West Philippine Sea, fulfilling her purpose as a truth-teller who is able to communicate across even younger generations. 

What contributed to shaping her to create meaningful projects now? How has her career in the production industry evolved to what it is today? Now confidently producing news magazines and informative documentaries, she is able to make works with the kind of impact that aligns with her purpose as a journalist. 

Dating back to the mid 90s, Lachica was a Communication Arts student in De La Salle University.

“I remember the rigor and discipline that the professors instilled in us. There’s a set there, you know, we were students, but we were held to a very high standard.”

Her Lasallian experience was crucial in priming her character for her upcoming pursuits. Even as undergraduate students, their outputs were upheld to professional standards outside the classroom. Despite the difficulty of meeting the standards of the teachers, the deadlines just had to be met. The professors instilled taste, aesthetics, hard work, rigor, and discipline; for her, character and competence have become their anchor in navigating this field. Beyond hard skills such as technical excellence in writing, lighting or even music, the need for developing interpersonal and soft skills persists throughout. It might take several failures and feedback to truly improve. “Practice with an aim in mind—ask people about your blind spots. See things from their perspective and see if you can adjust.”

Now as a respected producer and director, she sustains the same standards and values that allow promptness and quality in her creative practice. She had worked on an analysis of COVID-19 in the Philippines, which helped connect a donor to a certain profile struggling to pay her tuition; she had produced several broadcasted content (from topics ranging from economics to human rights) that educated and empowered viewers. But Lachica did not secure such significant roles and projects without the need for perseverance in advancing her career. Her first stepping stone was landing a job as a production assistant for Reister Lamit’s TV show, before being promoted as a producer. Afterwards, she would get referred to several job openings. 

It’s not all uphill from there–after these career jumpstarters, she had to undergo several applications and rejections in a span of two years, during her stay in Singapore. Fortunately, she got offered a job as a TV producer for a marketing agency. It might have been an unexpected detour, but it was a necessary one. Afterwards she reapplied to Channel News Asia and by that time, she was already accustomed to the Singapore experience, essentially readying her for the work culture in CNA. Amidst the success and influence of her works, Lachica emphasizes on the importance of listening to the perspectives of the viewers above one’s ego. In times where they do not value or understand your content, ask why. We are, after all, storytelling for them and not for us.

In her 25 years of working in creative media production, Lachica has also noted industry developments and transformations that entail the need for adapting. 

“I’ve seen a lot of changes from TV to social media, from Facebook to TikTok, from TikTok to AI. And I regret not learning and understanding deeper about how these changes impact our industry.” Just recently, she has delved into journalism through digital storytelling. Although long-form broadcast documentaries are fundamental to journalistic practices, right now there is a bigger demand and consumption to shorter online content and Lachica chose to be agile to these changes. One may develop an audience, but even then this audience might have a shift in preferences and in the platforms they use.

Lachica has experienced a lot of redirection and would always gain clarity afterwards. But there has always been a need for adapting whilst maintaining character and competence. Her story reinforces that regardless of the massive adjustments that one must deal with in the changing and demanding media production landscape, there are principles and standards that they can anchor themselves to. For Lolita Lachica, these are to be purposeful, truthful and responsible. And she is hoping for the same qualities for the younger generation.

Here are some of Lolita Lachica’s notable works you can find online:

• What Is This Justice?
• Trot or Charot: Golden Age of Infrastructure
• Undercover Asia – S7E3: The Dark Side Of Skin Lightening
• When Children Break The Law