Journalists covering 31st Asean Summit get top amenities

The main press briefing room of the International Media Center (Photo from an RTVM video)

Journalists from all over the world are in for top amenities as they cover the 31st Association of South East Nations Summit this week.

The 16,000 square-meter World Trade Center in Pasay City was transformed into an International Media Center (IMC), the center of operations for journalists covering the three-day summit.

Here, amenities – such as free-flowing meals and drinks, fast Internet speeds, and a lounge complete with colorful throw pillows – are available to both foreign and Filipino journalists and bloggers.

On entering the air-conditioned IMC, both media delegates can immediately access the Internet much faster than the average speed in the Philippines through three wifi networks.

Journalists can work in the main briefing hall equipped with three wide-screen projector screens that show live-streams of ongoing ASEAN-related events.

The main briefing hall has chairs, desks, and work-stations which can accommodate around 4,000 people.

Aside from the main briefing hall where major briefings are held, there are smaller briefing rooms for other press conferences.

Broadcast journalists doing live reports can do so from broadcast booths with the main briefing hall as a backdrop, while the editing is done in another booth inside the IMC.

Others who may prefer a more casual work environment can choose to sit and relax in a lounge complete with sofas and throw pillows outside the main briefing hall.

They can also do their work while sitting on sofas or cross-legged on the carpeted floor, or on several computers available to all.

Not everything is about work, however for journalists covering their country’s delegates to the ASEAN leaders’ summit this week.

To relax, they can savor the free-flowing food, juices, coffee and sweets available at the dining hall which serves meals from breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner until Tuesday.

The meals are catered by three well-known restaurants: Ilustrado, Cravings and Hizon’s.

And to relax their tense nerves after a day’s work, massages are offered at a relaxation booth inside the IMC until 9 p.m. /atm