Araw-araw siyang nakikita mula umaga hanggang weekends! Pero ano nga ba ang kuwento ng karera ni Ivan Mayrina? Mas kilalanin pa siya sa 'Surprise Guest with Pia Arcangel!'
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Spotify: https://spoti.fi/491lC71
Google Podcasts: https://apple.co/3M7LzYG
Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3M5aAnc
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NewsTranscript
00:00 Hi everyone! Good day and welcome to a new episode of Surprise Guest with Pia Arkangel
00:06 where each and every episode is one big surprise!
00:10 And that's exactly what's going to happen today.
00:12 For this particular episode, I won't be giving clues to guess who our guest is.
00:17 So it's all up to me on how I'll guess who it is.
00:20 I'll just ask. I hope that the answer is pure truth.
00:26 I've been fooled a few times already.
00:29 Alright, hi Surprise Guest! How are you today?
00:32 I'm fine. I'm a bit tired but I'm not that tired.
00:36 Oh my gosh! I don't need to ask more questions.
00:40 I just need to know who our Surprise Guest is.
00:43 Partner, is that you? Hi Ivan!
00:46 What took you so long?
00:49 I couldn't understand what you said earlier.
00:53 That's your partner, right?
00:56 Wow! Wow! Wow!
00:57 I told them that I'll just use my voice because I haven't seen you in a while.
01:04 Two days to be exact.
01:06 Two days is too long, right?
01:08 Two days is too long. You might forget my voice.
01:11 I'm so happy that you're the Surprise Guest.
01:15 I've been telling them for a long time that we should invite Ivan as our guest.
01:19 We've been talking a lot in between gaps for the past 24 hours.
01:23 Can we talk about that?
01:25 There are things that you can only tell your close friends.
01:28 I'm part of the CF. Do you know what CF is?
01:33 Close friends.
01:34 Yes.
01:35 I see. Inner circle.
01:38 Wow! I only know CF because it's on Instagram.
01:41 CF when it's green.
01:43 Oh wait! Ivan, I've always told you this.
01:46 I'm not sure if you remember but I've told you this a few times that when I joined GMA,
01:51 you were one of the first people I met not just because of the flash report but because of the splash report.
01:58 Because you're the one who spoofed Michael V. in Bubble Gang.
02:02 Yes. Yes. Submarina.
02:03 Ivan Submarina.
02:04 Yes.
02:05 But tell us, was your first jump in GMA a flash report?
02:09 No.
02:10 No.
02:11 Although it came immediately after I first joined.
02:14 My first entry into television was really my first jump.
02:17 I was doing sports and travel segments at that time some 23 years ago.
02:23 I was actually hired to be an SP, segment producer, on-cam host for sports and travel segments.
02:33 Not really hard news.
02:34 So that's where I really started.
02:36 And then shortly after, there was a vacancy for flash report anchors.
02:42 At that time, it was called GMA News Live.
02:44 So you auditioned for that?
02:46 Wait. Good question. I don't remember.
02:48 Was there a VTR?
02:50 I think so. Yeah.
02:51 I also practiced how to operate your own prompter.
02:55 You managed to do that?
02:58 I managed to do the prompter.
03:01 I practiced that for a few rounds before I was able to do it right.
03:06 So that was your start.
03:08 Yes.
03:09 You left UH for a while but you came back, right?
03:13 Yes.
03:14 I'm curious about this.
03:16 When you started, did you really want to do news because you said your first assignment was sports?
03:23 Did you want to do hard news from the beginning?
03:25 To be honest with you, I did not.
03:27 In fact, I was in the College of Mass Comm at UP but I did not choose journalism or broadcasting.
03:33 I chose research.
03:35 Because among the four majors in the College of Mass Comm, it was the path to a corporate job.
03:41 That's the path I chose.
03:43 Four majors, by the way. Broad, journalism, film, and then research.
03:47 I went to research because I never really saw myself doing the news or being a reporter for that matter.
03:54 At that time, I did not really love it.
03:58 It wasn't what I was aiming for.
04:01 But then one thing led to another.
04:03 I did TV, I did features, and then the opportunity came to do news.
04:08 Initially, I was just in the studio.
04:10 And then I was able to cover actual coverage of Little Did I Know, which will be historical events.
04:18 23 years after, here I am, covering Malacanang.
04:21 Wait, what was your first big story, your first big assignment?
04:26 There, EDSA 3.
04:29 EDSA 3 in 2000.
04:30 Yeah, that was my first big coverage. I wasn't even supposed to be there.
04:34 Because it was a big news day, understandably, because there was a big rally of pro-era reporters in Malacanang and other places.
04:43 So all hands on deck, all deployed, even the non-regular reporters.
04:49 At that time, my original duty was just a flash report, a studio.
04:54 After my duty, I was released. I was covered.
04:57 I was just supposed to deliver my videos to our setup in Menjola.
05:02 And it was then that Jiggy got hit by a rock.
05:06 So he was injured.
05:08 Yeah, I remember that.
05:10 Our PM, our production manager, he handed me the microphone, "You'll report."
05:16 "Report what you see."
05:18 And then Mike Andriques at the time was on board the studio.
05:22 He pretty much guided me on what to annotate, what was happening there, what you could see around you, what you could hear.
05:31 That was my first big story.
05:34 Wow. I didn't know that your first was EDSA 3.
05:39 Because EDSA 3, I wasn't even working yet.
05:41 What were you doing in 2001?
05:43 I was still looking for a job.
05:46 I wasn't looking for a job.
05:49 At least you weren't in high school.
05:51 No, I wasn't.
05:52 But wait, so after that, EDSA 3, I'm sure you were a bit nervous.
05:59 What a big story.
06:01 It was your first time doing really hard news, and you had to annotate live.
06:05 More than the nervousness, it was fear, not for my safety, but fear of not knowing what I was doing.
06:11 Wait, wait, wait.
06:13 I didn't sign up for this. Nobody taught me how to do this.
06:17 Why am I here all of a sudden?
06:19 I was more afraid to be inadequate, to fail at the task at hand.
06:26 But like I said, I was guided by studio anchor, Mike Henriquez, and the production team.
06:33 And then I guess, like I always tell students, when I'm asked, journalism is really about storytelling.
06:39 So you tell them what you hear, what you see, what you smell, what you feel.
06:44 That's a good start. That's exactly what I did on that day.
06:47 I guess it worked because they repeated it, and I signed up for other stories.
06:54 You never really know what you're capable of doing unless you're thrust into it.
06:58 Sometimes, even when you're not ready.
07:00 And no turning back.
07:01 But wait, you said the course you decided on, or the track you chose, so it would lead you to a corporate path.
07:08 You did corporate work, right? I remember you telling me this.
07:11 I did. I was with a Nayala company after graduation.
07:14 It was a good first three years of my working life.
07:17 I was so low back then.
07:18 You know what my dream was?
07:19 After I graduated, I wanted to work in Makati, where I was wearing a tie and walking around Ayala Avenue.
07:24 It didn't matter where. It didn't matter how much I got paid.
07:28 But maybe it was just luck. I landed a job, a management training job at a Nayala company.
07:35 I had good training. I did sales. I did marketing. I did human resource.
07:40 I was exposed to many aspects of business operations.
07:45 It was through that job that I was able to travel.
07:48 It was my first time flying an airplane because of that job.
07:51 I went to a lot of places in the Philippines.
07:54 It was really a good first three years.
07:56 I had a good path, but then something came along, and GMA.
08:01 So I grabbed it.
08:03 What made you decide to apply to GMA? You were living the dream of walking around in a tie and wearing a tie in Makati.
08:10 I didn't force it.
08:12 I bumped into an old friend from college, from UT.
08:17 She told me that there was an opening for someone who was like me, a sports and travel host.
08:25 She said, "You can try it."
08:27 I said, "What will I do?"
08:29 "As long as you can do it."
08:31 No specifics, no nothing.
08:33 At that time, I was 23 years old with nothing to lose.
08:37 I was just thinking to myself, "Nothing to lose. Why not?"
08:42 A TV job is something that anybody, I guess, would want to try out.
08:48 So I tried. I tried.
08:50 The gamble paid off, I guess.
08:52 No looking back. No regrets.
08:54 Definitely no regrets.
08:56 So you didn't really dream of being an on-camp personality or a journalist when you were young, right?
09:03 No.
09:04 So what were you doing when you were a student?
09:07 Were you an athlete?
09:08 Because this is a standard question.
09:11 Were you a basketball player when you were young?
09:13 I was. I was.
09:14 Actually, I was the team captain of our high school team.
09:18 Oh, varsity.
09:19 Yes, varsity. High school varsity.
09:21 I got to play regional for Angeles City.
09:25 That's all. That's all I got.
09:26 And then, in college, I didn't pursue varsity anymore.
09:30 I feel like it was too much.
09:33 I couldn't balance my studies and sports because we all know the demands of varsity, right?
09:41 It's a lot of hours, training, and all that.
09:44 At that time, I really decided to focus on my academics.
09:49 So you didn't try out? You didn't attempt college?
09:53 I only went to college. I was in inter-college at the time.
09:57 But not UAAP.
10:00 You had a clear goal in mind and that's what you decided to focus on when you went to college?
10:05 Yes. Yes, definitely.
10:06 Although, I didn't really give up because I fell a lot because I was a flower boy.
10:13 Let's not talk about that part.
10:17 Yes, let's not.
10:19 But you said, Ivan, you've been in the industry for 23 years.
10:23 So, of course, in the span of 23 years, you've done a lot.
10:26 You've covered a lot.
10:27 I mean, we all know, those who've seen you on TV, you've done your fair share of covering the hard news.
10:34 You did a travel show, Pinoy Abroad.
10:37 You did a morning show and now you're anchoring.
10:40 Among all the things you've done, what for you is the most enjoyable,
10:45 that to this day, that's what will wake you up in the morning?
10:49 Because I want to do this when I get to work.
10:51 Pinoy Abroad definitely was a highlight of my career so far.
10:55 Unang Hirit, the friendships in Unang Hirit are something that wakes me up in the morning.
10:59 Because we're happy, I'm excited to be able to tease them again.
11:03 It's not work at all in Unang Hirit.
11:05 It's not just playing, but it ceases to be work when you get along really well with your workmates.
11:13 And then, in Pinoy Abroad, I mean, maybe anyone who's watched those episodes will be jealous.
11:20 Like, wow, lucky guy.
11:22 He's just traveling around the country and that's his job.
11:27 But, you know, aside from the sights and the sounds and all those enjoyable things that you do when you travel,
11:34 there are a lot of learnings.
11:36 You'll learn a lot from the stories.
11:39 It widens your perspective about things, about your own life, about yourself, about your work, and things like that.
11:47 So I learned a lot from Pinoy Abroad and I'm really very thankful.
11:50 Although it didn't last for one and a half years, but it was a really very fruitful one and a half years of my career.
11:57 And in Pinoy Abroad, did you go somewhere for the first time because of the show?
12:03 Everything, first time.
12:04 Because the first episode of Pinoy Abroad in Taiwan, that was my first ever trip out of the country.
12:12 Oh, really?
12:13 Yes.
12:14 So all my trips there, all of them were first.
12:17 Maybe the viewers there saw that I was seeing everything for the first time.
12:25 I was really wide-eyed and excited.
12:28 That show was really fun.
12:30 Of course, Pinoy Abroad was more lifestyle-ish, right?
12:36 It was lighter.
12:38 And how about when it comes to news?
12:40 What are the most, I don't know, I'm sure you've been asked this a million times.
12:45 We ask each other these questions, but I mean, not in regular conversation,
12:50 but what's one coverage that you're like, "Wow, I did that? Or I went there?"
12:57 My first real conflict coverage that really made a lot of headlines was the Saguanda siege.
13:05 That one really stands out as, wow, what an experience.
13:10 It was quite an experience.
13:11 It was draining, in fact.
13:13 After that coverage of, I don't know, 10 days, 2 weeks,
13:16 I think that's how long it lasted.
13:18 But every single day, like clockwork, it would be this time, it would make headlines,
13:23 there would be this, there would be that.
13:25 That was one coverage that I actually felt fear for my safety.
13:29 Because you can really hear the bullets passing by you.
13:33 And then people actually die with stray bullets,
13:36 even if they're in a faraway place or in supposedly safe space.
13:41 In a war zone, there's no safe space.
13:43 So, anyway, that's it.
13:45 So, for example, during the Zamboanga siege, where were you?
13:47 Were you stationed? Were you in a camp?
13:50 No, no, no. You stay in a hotel.
13:51 But that hotel, a few minutes from there, maybe within 5 kilometers,
13:57 the conflict area is already there.
13:58 So, it's easy to escape.
14:01 In fact, even if you're sleeping, you can hear the bullets.
14:05 Marawi was also like that.
14:06 But Marawi was just a totally different, you know,
14:10 it's even another level of scary.
14:14 Yes.
14:15 Because there, where we were holed up, in the provincial capital,
14:20 there were a few times when there were bullets hitting the door,
14:23 there were bullets hitting the windows or windows of cars.
14:28 Things like those happen every day.
14:30 You just really pray that you won't get injured.
14:33 Like, I hope I can go home uninjured.
14:36 Yeah, something like that.
14:37 How about stories that you want to cover,
14:41 but you haven't covered or done it yet?
14:44 Dream coverage?
14:46 Good question. I haven't really thought about that.
14:48 Because for 20 plus years in this job, I think I've seen it all, pretty much.
14:55 Maybe some stories, like for example, the conflict coverage.
14:59 Because we have other guys like Rafi, Jun Veneracion, Chirio Nogosto.
15:03 They are our go-to guys in war coverage.
15:08 Maybe they've had more experiences on those types of stories.
15:12 But I think it's okay.
15:15 There are also stories that you don't want to cover.
15:18 Not that you don't want to, but you would rather not cover
15:20 because you're not too confident.
15:22 Maybe you won't be able to do the story justice and things like that.
15:27 But so far, I'm happy where I am in terms of what I've covered
15:31 and my experiences out in the field.
15:33 So it's also important as a journalist to acknowledge your strengths and your weaknesses.
15:38 You have to know your strengths, but you also have to know your weaknesses.
15:41 Definitely.
15:42 You're ready to go cover areas of conflict, but let's say for example,
15:48 if you're covering Miss Universe, you might have to think about it.
15:52 Wait. I'm just going to put on makeup.
15:57 Like I said, I'm not confident to cover.
16:03 Maybe I won't be able to do it properly.
16:05 As a reporter, as a journalist, you owe it to your audience to give them something worth watching.
16:15 Something correct, something fair, something interesting.
16:19 If you can't do it yourself, if you're not confident to give it to them,
16:25 then maybe it's time to prepare so you can still do it right.
16:31 Now, you're busy covering Malacanang. It's not your first political beat.
16:37 No, definitely. I've covered that. I was also like you.
16:40 You're a bit older though.
16:43 Yeah.
16:44 So if you were to choose, what's harder, a political beat or a conflict story?
16:50 They have their own challenges.
16:53 The political beat is easy in the sense that you're in an air-conditioned room.
16:58 You're hardly ever exposed to the elements.
17:01 There's no physical harm, I mean threat of physical harm.
17:05 But there's a certain level of aptitude that you have to have to cover politics.
17:15 Because for one, you have to be interested in it.
17:18 For another, you have to bear with the politicians.
17:22 Well, you know, I mean you cover the house.
17:26 For me, in a conflict, there's the physical harm, but there's also a different thrill.
17:34 You know what journalists say, it gets your blood boiling, or it gets your blood running.
17:41 You're bleeding.
17:43 That's the thrill of conflict coverage.
17:46 It would be nice if every so often, it changes so that there's a variety of stories.
17:52 But of course, you have to focus on certain beats or coverage so that you can grow.
18:00 So that's what we do at GMA.
18:02 But this is the first time that you were assigned to Malacanang, right?
18:05 Yes.
18:06 You're the accredited reporter for Malacanang.
18:09 Yes, this is the first time.
18:11 I was hoping, because before this assignment, I haven't had a beat for a long time.
18:16 I thought, "Okay, I'm done with the beats."
18:18 General assignment.
18:20 And then all of a sudden, "Ivan, you cover Malacanang."
18:24 Ivan, life is not just all about work.
18:30 I mean, there are so many other things that I know keep you busy that we also like to talk about.
18:34 One of those is your hobbies, right? Like biking.
18:38 Because I can see the bike behind you.
18:41 There it is.
18:42 I'm sure that's just one of your many, many bikes.
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19:20 Ivan, life is not just all about work.
19:28 I mean, there are so many other things that I know keep you busy that we also like to talk about.
19:32 One of those is your hobbies, right? Like biking.
19:36 Because I can see the bike behind you.
19:38 There it is.
19:39 I'm sure that's just one of your many, many bikes.
19:44 Yeah, I love two wheels, period.
19:47 Bicycles, motorcycles, that's what I really like.
19:50 My love for motorcycles is the same as my dad's.
19:53 My dad, whenever possible, in fact, even if it was raining, he would just ride motorcycles.
19:59 He doesn't like cars.
20:00 So, yeah, I have the same love for motorcycles.
20:03 Bicycles, you know, more than, not more than, but as much as riding bicycles, I enjoy tinkering with them.
20:12 I am my own bike mechanic.
20:14 So, yeah, when you see a bike, there's a little difference or repair, I'm the only one doing that.
20:21 I don't really run to the bike shop and have things done.
20:24 Wow, that's a different level.
20:26 You're on a different level.
20:27 You're a bike enthusiast, right?
20:29 Yeah, yeah.
20:30 I'm kind of geeky now, but I really enjoy it.
20:33 That's how I tune out when I just want to run away from it all.
20:36 Naxx.
20:37 Naxx? Wait, does that mean you can restore a bike?
20:40 Yeah, I have an older bike upstairs.
20:43 I'm the one who restored it.
20:47 Wow.
20:48 Actually, I haven't taken you up on your offer to put cleats on my shoes yet.
20:55 That's just great.
20:57 I'll bring it on Saturday.
20:59 Of course, it's a few bolts.
21:01 I actually do stuff for friends.
21:02 Like, I built Jun Veneracion's bike.
21:06 I also built Chino's bike at some point.
21:11 I really enjoy it.
21:13 Wait, are you being sarcastic?
21:14 No, that's what I'm saying.
21:16 They asked me, "Why don't you make it a business?"
21:19 I said, "No, I might just give away the parts or free labor.
21:26 I might just lose money."
21:27 You might get pressured.
21:28 And you said earlier, Ivan, that your dream was to walk around in a hat with a tie, right?
21:35 But now, the dream that you're living out, you're riding a bike in an American style to go to the office.
21:41 Very New York.
21:42 Yeah, of course.
21:43 Yeah, you know that well.
21:45 It's just that I'll get there faster if I ride a bike than if I ride a car.
21:51 Because you know, you ride a car, you park, and all that.
21:55 But if you ride a bike, right outside the dressing room, you're already there.
21:59 Yes.
22:00 I'll tell those who are listening to us and those who are watching on video,
22:05 that even if it's raining, Ivan will still ride a bike.
22:10 He'll just ride a car when it's really deluvio levels.
22:13 When it's raining and you're really wet, you won't be able to blow dry your shirt.
22:18 Because it's fast, right?
22:20 It's funny because I think that I've been in the studio for less than five minutes.
22:24 I came from home.
22:25 So you said that you got this love for bikes from your dad, your love for two wheels.
22:31 Did you pass this on to your kids?
22:34 Any of your kids?
22:35 No, unfortunately not.
22:37 Well, my eldest, Elias, is a teenager now.
22:43 He still has a trip.
22:44 He used to play basketball, then he lost his interest.
22:48 Then he also rode a bike for a while, and now he's into K-pop.
22:51 But I'm not giving up.
22:55 Hopefully, in a few years, he'll like my bike and I'll ride it with him.
23:00 Vera sometimes rides, but not at the level that I'll really bring them with me.
23:07 They're very teenager, right?
23:09 Their love is still very teenager.
23:11 And you, what were you doing when you were a teenager?
23:13 That's why. I was different. I played guitar.
23:15 That's what I did when I was a teenager.
23:18 And now you want to make talent?
23:20 That's how you make cute to your classmates.
23:23 When you're singing, you play guitar.
23:27 Plus, how many poggy points does that get?
23:30 Poggy points, yes.
23:32 And you'll sing along?
23:34 No, I never really got to play and sing.
23:37 I'm not confident.
23:40 Maybe if I had tried harder, I might have learned, but I'm okay with playing the guitar.
23:45 I'm imagining the teenage version of Ivan Myrina.
23:50 So you play basketball, right?
23:53 You're in varsity, and you play guitar.
23:56 So I'm assuming you had a lot of girlfriends when you were in high school.
24:00 Isn't that how it is?
24:02 I had one serious girlfriend when I was in high school.
24:06 Wow.
24:07 Did you really answer her? Sometimes, they don't answer the others.
24:10 No, I mean, it's part of who we are now.
24:15 Naks.
24:16 Our life experiences.
24:18 These are really fond memories that I can talk about.
24:22 And this was, of course, in Pampanga.
24:24 Because that's where you grew up, right?
24:26 Yes.
24:27 Are you a proud person?
24:29 Wow. Very proud.
24:31 And until now, you're always going home.
24:33 Oh, sorry. What does that mean?
24:35 I'm proud of my parents.
24:37 Naks.
24:38 I go home regularly.
24:40 Every other week, I visit my mom and my siblings.
24:45 All of them are still there.
24:47 I ride my bike to Clark because Clark has a nice bike path.
24:51 And I know that you only came to Manila because you're going to study for college.
24:57 Yes. Until high school, that's where I studied.
25:01 I went to UP for college, and then I came here.
25:05 What are your favorite memories of growing up in Pampanga?
25:09 Or experiences that really stuck with you?
25:12 Oh, where do I even start?
25:14 I had a really happy childhood.
25:16 The typical provincial life.
25:18 Climbing trees, playing on the road.
25:22 In Pampanga, we had all these traditions.
25:24 Holy Week, Semana Santa.
25:27 We had a lot of that.
25:29 Every Christmas, we had kakanin.
25:31 We had these traditions where we would cook our own kalamay.
25:36 The fiestas.
25:38 And you know, typical things that 90s kids did.
25:43 I don't know.
25:45 There were a lot of things that were 90s.
25:49 Games of that time.
25:52 The bands.
25:54 I was a regular teenager.
25:56 I can't think of anything that changed my experiences while growing up in Pampanga.
26:03 And then, I was raised there in 1991.
26:05 Another unforgettable experience.
26:09 We were a direct hit during that eruption.
26:12 Sambales and Pampanga were the direct hits.
26:15 I remember that day. It was June 15, 1991.
26:18 I have very vivid memories of that day.
26:20 It was high noon, but it was pitch black.
26:23 Because it was raining sand.
26:26 Because the eruption was hard.
26:28 I can't forget that because it was our neighbor's debut.
26:31 We were supposed to go to a party.
26:33 So, they set up the party.
26:36 And then, that's what happened.
26:38 It's a shame.
26:39 Anyway, it was dark the whole day.
26:42 Up until midnight.
26:45 When we had to climb up a roof.
26:48 Because we had to remove the fallen sand.
26:52 Because we were going to cave in.
26:54 So, we had shovels in hand.
26:56 And you could see the eruption.
26:59 It was like red lightning.
27:01 That's how I described it.
27:02 It was like a red light coming off.
27:05 Out of control.
27:07 That's what we saw.
27:09 And then, it was a non-stop rain of sand.
27:11 And then, the day after, when it was all over, you could see the devastation.
27:15 We were one big desert.
27:17 So, you were just inside the house?
27:20 Yeah. We were just inside the house.
27:22 In the windows?
27:24 Yes. It was a pretty scary time.
27:27 But, yeah, we pulled through.
27:29 Looking back at your childhood, were there instances, like for example, that was such a big story.
27:36 Did you ever think, was there just a little speck in your mind that you imagined that one day you would report something like that?
27:45 No.
27:47 Nothing?
27:48 No.
27:49 I just thought, how does a town or city recover from this?
27:57 How do we rise from the ashes, literal ashes that covered us?
28:01 Because it was so desperate and hopeless at that time.
28:05 If you see it, it's so sad and hopeless.
28:10 Literally, what will happen to us now?
28:13 And of course, you want to go. It was just the beginning of the classes.
28:16 I think it was just the first or second week of classes.
28:19 And then, we didn't go to school anymore.
28:21 But, you know, it showed you how resilient people are.
28:26 More so Filipinos or Kapampangans.
28:29 Because the Kapampangans who lived through it, we are actually proud of that and how we rose from the ashes.
28:36 We rose even better and stronger.
28:40 If you see Kapampangan now, it's really proud.
28:46 They said, "It's great. It's great. How did it rise?"
28:49 And it's a nice event to know that even though you're so busy, right?
28:53 Monday to Friday, you have the first hit and then you cover.
28:57 And then Saturday to Sunday, we still have news on weekends.
29:02 But you still get home early, which means that you have that ability to balance, to juggle work and family.
29:10 I try. I try. Because it's important to me.
29:14 I grew up in a very close-knit family.
29:16 My siblings and I are very, very close to this day.
29:19 My older sister is abroad, our eldest, but we keep in touch regularly.
29:25 I know what's happening with them. They know what's happening with me.
29:28 That's the family I want to build myself.
29:33 We stick together. We go back.
29:35 No matter where we go, there's a connection.
29:38 It can't be lost.
29:40 And also my roots in Pampanga, eventually, I still want to retire there.
29:44 It's still home to me.
29:45 Even if you say, "I'm settled here. This is where I work. I live here."
29:50 But eventually, I will still settle there.
29:53 And the trip is not that long, right?
29:56 Sometimes you tell me, "How many hours is your trip?"
29:59 If it's a car, it's a bit long.
30:02 It's about one and a half, sometimes two hours if there's traffic.
30:05 But if it's a motorcycle, it's really fast.
30:07 How would you describe yourself outside the newsroom?
30:11 Because I'm sure you get this a lot, right?
30:13 When you meet people, they say, "Oh, you're different on TV."
30:17 Because on TV, you're serious.
30:19 Because that's the image of a news anchor, right?
30:21 Of a reporter, serious.
30:23 So how would you describe yourself behind the camera or off-cam at home?
30:27 I'm a pretty, what is it?
30:30 Pretty boy.
30:32 I'm a pretty boy.
30:35 Well, that too.
30:37 For a TV personality, I'm someone who likes to keep to himself.
30:44 For example, on my weekends, I like to go solo.
30:48 Tinkering with bikes or washing my own car.
30:52 I like that more because of public events.
30:58 I'm not really into that anymore.
31:00 At least these days, I'm not like that anymore.
31:02 Also, I'm a regular guy.
31:04 Like I said, I'm a kid from Pampanga, a big Pampanga.
31:06 I go home to Pampanga regularly.
31:08 That's where I come back to.
31:10 I'm very much connected to my roots.
31:12 That's something that will remain.
31:14 My closest friends are those who became friends with me in Pampanga.
31:18 Of course, I have friends at work.
31:20 You and the guys I work with.
31:22 But those are my closest friends.
31:26 Those are still the ones.
31:27 It's nice, right?
31:28 If you're high school friends, they're still your friends until now.
31:31 Yes.
31:32 And the way you talk is still the same.
31:34 Even if you repeat it, you're still laughing.
31:36 And then you call out the same names from back in the day.
31:41 It's just funny.
31:42 That's what I'm coming back to.
31:44 When I see you, it's like no one has changed in the span of how many years.
31:48 It's still the same.
31:49 Yes, it's still the same.
31:50 Even our looks, even if you say that his hair has grown,
31:54 he's grown up, but I think he still has the high school look.
31:59 They're still the same to me.
32:01 When I talk to them, when it comes to TV,
32:04 people believe me.
32:06 If you make fun of me, they're like that.
32:08 [Laughs]
32:09 Well, that's how it is.
32:11 I don't mind.
32:12 That's how it is.
32:13 Because your personality in high school is what really stands out.
32:16 You don't have a choice.
32:17 I love it.
32:18 It keeps you grounded, right?
32:21 Yeah, definitely.
32:22 And the moment you take yourself too seriously,
32:25 it takes away the fun in a lot of things.
32:29 Let it go.
32:31 It's still funny.
32:32 And since this is what we're talking about,
32:37 that your off-camp personality is different.
32:40 Of course, we won't let that pass without putting it to the test.
32:45 You're really Ken Koy in real life.
32:48 In every episode, we always have a special game
32:52 for whoever our surprise guest is.
32:54 So I'll read the mechanics.
32:57 This is a big surprise.
32:59 Okay, that's a big surprise.
33:00 Because it's a surprise, I didn't know you were our guest.
33:03 Let's go to the anchors.
33:04 Both of you, I challenge you.
33:06 I like that line.
33:08 I challenge you.
33:09 Deliver the news with a straight face and no laughing.
33:12 And these headlines are taken from Pinoy jokes of...
33:15 How do you pronounce this?
33:17 Celente of Wattpad and FilipinoRambler.com
33:22 We'll see Ivan in the chat box.
33:25 This is where your script will be shown.
33:28 And you have to deliver it with a straight face.
33:31 Because you know, have you ever been caught laughing?
33:35 Almost.
33:36 But I haven't.
33:37 You haven't?
33:38 If you can't contain it,
33:40 I haven't.
33:42 Okay, you haven't been viral yet.
33:45 You'll just be a meme.
33:47 Okay, let's read.
33:50 Can you see our chat box, Ivan?
33:52 Alright.
33:53 When you're ready.
33:54 Take it away.
33:55 Here are the latest news tonight.
33:58 Entrance, Pinaso.
34:00 Invisible Man.
34:01 We finally saw him.
34:03 Another storm is coming to the Philippines.
34:05 But it hasn't arrived yet because the weather is bad.
34:08 A garbage man filed a case.
34:10 He was destroyed.
34:11 A child jumped into a ditch.
34:13 He was found wet.
34:15 A burnt cemetery.
34:16 Everyone was killed.
34:17 A cattle factory.
34:19 It was flooded.
34:20 A vinegar vendor.
34:21 He was poisoned.
34:22 A teacher made a mistake.
34:24 He was taught a lesson.
34:26 A blood bank was filled with blood.
34:29 A chili vendor.
34:30 He exchanged spicy words.
34:33 And two calves.
34:35 He was stabbed because he fought with a sickle.
34:39 Ivan is a professional.
34:43 He's very professional.
34:45 Ivan is a pro.
34:47 Wow.
34:48 There are days when I'm okay.
34:52 I can suppress him.
34:54 But there are days when you're just ticklish.
34:57 You're just laughing at a joke.
35:00 Especially in the first round.
35:02 And then there's Susan Enriquez next to you.
35:05 But he's good.
35:07 He wrote a witty one.
35:09 Yes, he's good.
35:10 But Ivan is good at his poker face.
35:13 Because he's been doing it for 23 years.
35:16 You know, in the U.H. they really intend it.
35:20 You're laughing at it?
35:21 Ryan Agoncillo at that time will be next to your prompter.
35:24 He will make faces.
35:26 He will dance.
35:27 He will make you laugh.
35:29 You didn't give up?
35:30 No.
35:31 Wow.
35:32 I'm one of those who are strong.
35:34 These headlines won't really impress you.
35:38 But he's good.
35:40 He's witty, right?
35:42 But Ivan Meirena with his 23 years of experience,
35:46 he's really not a joker.
35:48 Ivan, thank you so much for saying yes to surprising us on this special episode.
35:58 But of course, before we go—
35:59 I'm not saying that to PR your health.
36:01 But Ivan, this is serious.
36:03 I mean, a lot of people are looking at you, literally and figuratively.
36:07 Because of course, they're watching you on TV.
36:10 And a lot of people want to follow your footsteps.
36:12 So what is something that you want to say to those who want to be a journalist like you someday?
36:16 And of course, to all our loyal Kapuso viewers who are really tuning in to the news you're bringing.
36:22 Let's start with those who want to be journalists.
36:27 If you're here to be famous or to be rich, forget it.
36:31 It doesn't necessarily follow.
36:33 Just the truth.
36:34 I look at journalism more as a vocation.
36:38 Because it's a big responsibility.
36:41 Imagine what you're going to say, people's beliefs,
36:44 and you're going to use it as a basis for their decisions.
36:47 Some daily decisions.
36:49 Some major decisions.
36:51 But that's how they're going to trust what you're saying to base their decisions on.
36:58 So you have to take it very seriously.
37:02 You have to commit to it.
37:04 Because it's not easy.
37:06 It's a jealous mistress.
37:07 You're the professional journalist.
37:10 So make sure you are all in before you pursue journalism.
37:16 It has its rewards, definitely.
37:18 So you just have to put in the work and the rewards will come soon enough.
37:22 And then to all Kapuso viewers, thank you very much.
37:25 Of course, GMA has been very good to me all these 23 years.
37:29 What can I say?
37:30 Everything I have, everything I am now, I pretty much owe to GMA.
37:34 So thank you very much for the support of our viewers.
37:38 And of course, you can expect the same commitment that we have given all these years.
37:43 We're giving you news that we don't deny, that we don't protect.
37:47 We say that all the time, but we really mean it.
37:51 We are serious about it.
37:53 We are committed to that mission, to that promise to our viewers.
37:58 Thank you very much.
37:59 And partner, thank you very much for having me.
38:02 Thank you.
38:03 It was just like a long gap story, right?
38:06 Yes, it was.
38:07 But it was more refined.
38:10 Yes, we can't be like that.
38:14 There's an image that we protect.
38:17 Let's save that for the gap on the weekend.
38:21 Ivan, thank you so much.
38:24 Thank you for being with us.
38:25 You're welcome. Thank you very much.
38:26 This surprise was planned by the team of Alan Ebora and Orby De Los Reyes,
38:33 edited by Shirley Pagiligan, with the wonderful people of GMA Integrated News.
38:38 Don't forget to like and subscribe.
38:40 Till the next surprise!
38:41 [Music]
38:45 [BLANK_AUDIO]