Isang millennial pero batikang reporter ang surprise guest natin ngayon episode! Fresh mula sa kaniyang pagkapanalo ng bronze medal sa New York festivals para sa I-witness Documentary na Sisid sa Putik, ano nga ba ang pinagkaka-abalahan ni Mav Gonzales kapag walang trabaho? Pinakamahirap na istorya? At ano ang kaniyang ideal man?
Join na sa masayang kuwentuhan sa Surprise Guest with Pia Arcangel!
Join na sa masayang kuwentuhan sa Surprise Guest with Pia Arcangel!
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 Surprise everyone and welcome to a new episode of Surprise Guest with Pia Arcangel
00:06 where every conversation is what we would call unexpected because it's all one big surprise.
00:12 We don't know who the surprise guest for today is so that also means we don't know what we'll be talking about.
00:17 It can be anything under the sun. That's the best part of this conversation.
00:21 Alright, so we already know who our surprise guest for today is.
00:26 I will be receiving a set of clues. Ooh, the first clue is very impressive.
00:31 Class valedictorian of high school, dean's lister, and cum laude graduate of college in Ateneo.
00:38 Wow, that's very impressive.
00:41 Became a VJ or video jock in 2004, UAAP correspondent in 2008, volunteer in the church music team,
00:50 and a great singer. I already know who this is. Certified BTS ARMY and famously single.
00:57 And recently won a bronze medal in the New York festivals for the Eyewitness documentary "Sisid sa Putik".
01:03 I'm guessing our surprise guest is none other than Mav Gonzalez.
01:08 Hi Mav! That's you, right?
01:10 I feel like you guessed it from the first clue.
01:14 We're like a few pieces.
01:17 Actually, I don't know what year you graduated.
01:21 So I thought, "Wait, maybe I'm too old?"
01:25 We're not sure when it comes to that.
01:27 But what I don't know about this clue, Mav, is that you're a BTS ARMY. I didn't know that.
01:33 Yes, my sibling is addicted to BTS.
01:36 So I just got mixed up.
01:37 Okay, because I know that you sing in the church.
01:40 And I know that you're a UAAP correspondent.
01:42 Oh, I also didn't know that you became a VJ. You became a VJ?
01:46 Oh, VJ for a day.
01:47 So there was a network back then where they had that.
01:50 And I was the first one to do that.
01:52 But that was in high school.
01:55 Oh wow.
01:56 So forever ago.
01:57 Forever? That's a long time ago. I'm just kidding.
02:03 In the clue, it says "famously single", right?
02:06 But for me, you're famously beautiful.
02:09 So I see it across the screen right now.
02:12 When will we be able to be together again in the office?
02:15 Because during the day, you're the one who comes in.
02:18 Yes, sometimes during the weekend, we meet before Bentecoa.
02:22 Sometimes.
02:23 Because I know that you're very busy with the Senate beat.
02:26 It's hard to cover the Senate because your schedule is very unpredictable.
02:31 Because sessions can go on until late night, right?
02:34 Correct.
02:35 So we start at 8am, that's my call time in the office.
02:39 And then it's 8am to Sawa.
02:40 So usually, I'm out between 8am to 9pm.
02:45 But then, like what you said, the sessions are extended.
02:50 Sometimes it's longer.
02:51 Sometimes, they're even extended until dawn.
02:54 Would you believe?
02:54 So I was like, "What is this?"
02:56 But I don't have a replacement in the Senate.
02:59 So we just let it be.
03:02 Wow. Wait.
03:03 How long have you been assigned in the Senate?
03:05 Since pandemic, right?
03:07 It's not the start of pandemic.
03:08 Before pandemic.
03:10 So maybe 5 years.
03:12 Wow. So you've been in the Senate for a long time, ma'am.
03:14 Yes.
03:15 Oh, right.
03:16 But actually, I noticed that you're very close with the Senate reporters.
03:20 Hmm.
03:21 You know our joke here, Ate Pete?
03:23 Shared suffering really makes the best friendships.
03:26 We always say that.
03:27 Our work is so hard.
03:29 If we don't get along and make friends, it's even harder to work.
03:33 So because I think we both go through the same thing every day,
03:38 we became super friends with other reporters.
03:40 Not just with the GMA reporters,
03:42 like Double B and GMA News Online,
03:45 but even the other networks, we're all friends now.
03:47 Actually, that's something people probably don't realize.
03:51 Because when you're assigned to a beat,
03:53 you can see the people from other stations more
03:55 because you're with the reporters.
03:59 Correct.
03:59 You know, the GMA reporters I'm with,
04:03 I saw them for the first time in a very, very, very long time,
04:06 during Holy Week.
04:07 Because during Holy Week, we only have limited skeletal deployment.
04:12 So we only had like 10 reporters deployed.
04:15 And then after duty, we all saw each other
04:18 because of course, people are on vacation,
04:19 their families are on vacation,
04:21 and we're the only ones here.
04:22 So we're like, "Let's just eat together outside."
04:25 So for the first time, we saw each other in a very, very long time.
04:28 We're asking your fellow beats,
04:30 "Every day, are you with them?"
04:32 That's why also, I think you really become friends with—
04:35 But I think I'm lucky because my fellow beats are super nice.
04:39 Of course, you're also nice to other beats,
04:41 but I really get to be with my fellow beats.
04:43 Yes, it really helps when you get to be with reporters
04:47 from the other networks in your beat.
04:49 Because of course, you're always together.
04:52 And like you said, shared suffering.
04:54 Yes.
04:55 But I see that you even go out of town together.
04:58 Not for work, right?
05:00 For pleasure.
05:01 I mean, for holidays.
05:02 Yes.
05:03 Yes.
05:03 I think also, because we're almost the same age
05:07 as many reporters in the Senate now.
05:09 So we're all between the mid-20s to mid-30s.
05:14 So we're almost all millennials.
05:16 So we're both on trips in life.
05:19 And I think, for example,
05:21 there's only one husband out of ten of us.
05:23 So all of us, if we want to go on vacation,
05:26 "Okay, I'm free."
05:27 So we can easily go on vacation
05:30 if we're together.
05:32 Yes, it's a game.
05:33 It's not hard to play.
05:35 Yes, there's no need to ask.
05:37 Is this the longest that you've been assigned
05:40 to a particular beat?
05:41 I think so, yes.
05:43 Because "Graveyard" is only a year and a half.
05:47 Actually, "Sports" took a while.
05:49 It's long, but for me,
05:52 if there's no fighting,
05:54 I don't really cover a lot of sports.
05:56 So you don't really get to be with
05:58 the people in your "Sports" beat.
05:59 But then in the Senate,
06:01 you're with them every day.
06:03 So I think,
06:05 you're with them every day.
06:06 That's the longest.
06:08 So how many years have you been covering, Mav?
06:10 As in GMA, in general?
06:12 Yes, yes.
06:13 12 years.
06:14 12 years.
06:15 Wow, so almost half of that is in the Senate.
06:19 Yes, almost.
06:21 So almost half of it is in the Senate.
06:23 So have you ever become a favorite beat?
06:27 Or the one you had the best time in?
06:30 I'm a sports fan.
06:33 During the time I was covering Manny Pacquiao,
06:36 I went into GMA.
06:38 Manny was still fighting.
06:40 Like you, you were covering Pacquiao fights.
06:42 But it's really fun because you go to the training,
06:44 you go abroad, you watch the fight,
06:46 and you have camaraderie with the team.
06:50 I feel that because Manny and I have a big gap,
06:54 they're like little sisters to me.
06:57 So when you're in the training camp,
06:59 you really feel like a big sister.
07:01 Like, you get the first dibs on everything.
07:04 "Oh, you need this and that?"
07:06 They're so nice.
07:08 And that's what I miss now,
07:11 because the work was light,
07:13 and I really love sports.
07:15 That's why that's what's most memorable, I think.
07:19 Actually, when you're covering a Pacquiao fight,
07:23 you're like embedded, right?
07:25 As in you're embedded,
07:27 and you're really with them the whole time.
07:29 And it's a different experience
07:30 because you're in another country,
07:32 and it's like 24/7 coverage.
07:35 Yes.
07:36 And there was a time,
07:38 because Manny's training was in Jensan,
07:40 there was a time that I was in Jensan for almost 2 months.
07:44 And after that, I was able to understand Bisaya.
07:47 That's how he was.
07:48 I don't know why I wasn't able to switch.
07:51 It felt like it was a long time ago.
07:53 And it's also funny because you're forced
07:56 to have healthy living when you're with Team Pacquiao.
08:00 Because you eat the same food they eat,
08:02 of course, it's healthy because you're in a training camp.
08:04 And when he jogs,
08:06 it's like, "Oh, you're already there in the racetrack.
08:08 Okay, you ran already."
08:10 So you're able to exercise,
08:12 and I am actually at my fittest
08:14 every time Manny has a training camp.
08:16 Wow, you're with him when he runs.
08:18 Yes, but I was with him first.
08:20 Before he came, I was already running
08:22 so that when he's there, I'll have a cool down.
08:25 Because it's hard to be with him.
08:27 Wow, yes.
08:28 You know, that's something I never did.
08:30 Well, even now, I still can't do it.
08:32 Wow, because it's intense.
08:36 And actually, you still have energy to exercise
08:39 in the coverage.
08:41 Because if you cover the training camp abroad,
08:44 while he's resting,
08:47 you're feeding your materials
08:49 and you're the one reporting.
08:50 So you're also a bit fat, right?
08:52 Yes.
08:53 Wow, you're good.
08:54 You were able to do everything.
08:55 Actually, the exercising happens here in the Philippines.
08:58 When you're in another country,
09:00 you don't have the power to do it.
09:03 Yes, how can you do it?
09:06 Right.
09:07 Wait, you said, Mav, that you really love sports.
09:10 Are you also an athletic?
09:12 I mean, what sports do you do?
09:14 Now, honestly, not much.
09:16 If I would exercise, I would run.
09:18 But I think the most competitive I ever was
09:21 was in high school going to college.
09:23 I was a swimmer.
09:24 So there was a point
09:27 where I was chosen to join the NCR.
09:31 Are you going to play?
09:32 Or are you going to join the Regional Schools Press Conference,
09:35 which is the competition for campus journalists.
09:38 And they both happened at the same time.
09:39 So what did you choose?
09:40 I chose campus journalism.
09:42 So I think I went to the right place.
09:45 I was also a fan.
09:47 But that was also the reason why
09:51 when I became a journalist,
09:53 even in Tineo, in Guidon, and Win,
09:56 in 107, New Rock,
09:57 I was really doing sports.
10:00 Because that's what I was living vicariously
10:04 through the athletes that I covered.
10:05 Because I didn't get to pursue that.
10:07 So I would just write about you
10:10 or I would report about you.
10:12 And it was really fun.
10:13 Because I grew up in a house
10:15 where I was the eldest, with a grandson and a son.
10:18 And all the people in our house were men.
10:21 My dad, their four brothers.
10:23 So I grew up watching basketball.
10:25 So it was a sporty and boyish upbringing.
10:29 So that's really what I was interested in growing up.
10:32 So you were interested in sports,
10:34 but then you ended up choosing campus journalism press conference.
10:40 Does that mean that at that time,
10:43 you already had an inkling that this is what you wanted to do?
10:46 I wanted to write.
10:47 I didn't know that I would become a TV reporter.
10:50 I never sought out to be a TV reporter or to appear on TV.
10:55 I wanted to write.
10:56 Actually, back then,
10:58 our journalism was mostly in English.
11:01 So our training was writing in English.
11:05 I was surprised that I went to GMA,
11:07 I went to TV reporting.
11:08 But I guess the Lord opened certain doors for me.
11:14 That's why I went here.
11:16 And I think it was the right decision.
11:20 I've been here for so many years and it's still exciting even now.
11:24 And you're able to bring the best of both worlds together when you cover sports.
11:28 Yes, that is true.
11:29 Was there ever a time when you were much younger,
11:32 when you were a little girl,
11:33 that there was something else that you wanted to do?
11:35 Because you're also a great singer.
11:37 Did you dream of being a singer at one point?
11:39 No, actually, my parents were very strict when I was young.
11:43 When I was young, you know, in the mall,
11:46 you'd be asked to be an artist or a TV commercial.
11:50 My parents were very strict.
11:52 They'd say, "She's not going to study."
11:54 "She's not allowed to do showbiz."
11:57 So I think growing up, I was really studying.
12:01 And when I was in college,
12:04 that's when I was forced to choose what I wanted to do.
12:07 Because you have to choose your course in college.
12:11 But I never really had a dream job.
12:15 Is that a sad thing?
12:16 I never really had a dream that I wanted to be like this when I grew up.
12:21 If I would be honest, I wanted to be a travel photographer.
12:25 When I was in college, that's what I wanted to do.
12:27 But I went to writing,
12:29 so I didn't know what happened to being a travel photographer.
12:32 So I just traveled and took pictures.
12:35 You can still do it.
12:37 Yes, you can still do it.
12:39 It's not the career.
12:41 You can still do it.
12:42 Just take your photos while you travel.
12:44 And speaking of traveling,
12:47 you get to travel a lot for work.
12:49 That's something that you do as a reporter, of course.
12:52 But also now that you're in Eyewitness,
12:54 it takes you to different places.
12:56 How long have you been doing Eyewitness?
12:58 Eyewitness, a year and a few months.
13:01 I started January last year.
13:03 Wow, and what a perfect way to celebrate your first year
13:05 by winning the New York Festival.
13:07 Congratulations on that, ma'am.
13:09 Thank you.
13:10 Which story did you get the award for?
13:12 The title is "Seeds of Putik."
13:14 So these are young boys from Butuan
13:17 who are literally sowing seeds of putik.
13:19 Because their community, their industry is for grass.
13:23 For some reason, the grass doesn't grow on their land.
13:26 You need putik to grow the grass.
13:29 So now, putik is under a river,
13:32 or under a creek,
13:34 and it's hard to get.
13:36 So the locals there are used to
13:39 having young boys aged 10 to 16
13:44 sowing seeds of putik
13:46 to deliver to the grass farmers.
13:49 And the seeds they sow are dangerous.
13:52 For example, one creek,
13:54 it's full of weeds, full of trash,
13:56 and it's deep.
13:58 And the kids I talked to,
14:00 I only have half their body.
14:02 And they sow seeds that are 6 feet deep.
14:04 And then when you take out the mud,
14:06 of course, they'll load it up with the peels,
14:09 the buckets.
14:10 And then, it's like cement, it's heavy.
14:13 So I'm pretty sure it's heavier than their body weight.
14:17 And I asked them, "Why do you do this?"
14:20 Because life is hard.
14:22 So a lot of the boys, they skip school
14:24 to get a job,
14:26 time for mud,
14:28 and we can only hope that
14:30 there comes a point that
14:32 the kids don't have to do that anymore.
14:35 And hopefully, one step closer to that goal
14:37 of not having to do it anymore
14:39 is when you bring light to stories like this, right?
14:42 Which is exactly what you did.
14:44 Where were you when you heard the news
14:46 that you had gotten the NYF for this?
14:48 I was at home.
14:50 Because their announcement happens early in the Philippines.
14:54 Like 5 or 6 PM.
14:55 So you were waiting.
14:56 Sir JC Rubio, the early PM,
14:59 he was the one who was waiting.
15:00 He was a tom yuck.
15:02 And then, I woke up around 7 or 8 AM.
15:05 He already had a message,
15:06 like, "Congratulations!"
15:08 I was like, "What?"
15:09 But when the announcement came,
15:12 he was still in an embargo.
15:14 So we couldn't tell people
15:16 that we won.
15:18 I was so excited,
15:19 but I couldn't tell them.
15:20 I was like, "This is so corny."
15:22 But you could tell your mom, right?
15:25 I could,
15:27 but I had to tell her,
15:29 "Mom, don't post anything."
15:31 Because she was the one who posted it on Facebook.
15:33 So I told her not to post anything.
15:35 "This is a secret."
15:36 And a week after,
15:38 he was announced.
15:39 So we had actually shot all the acceptance speeches
15:42 and everything.
15:43 And it's bittersweet, I think.
15:47 Because, one,
15:48 of course, you're happy that
15:49 I'm one of the new hosts of Eyewitness.
15:51 These are all my idols,
15:53 the hosts of Eyewitness.
15:55 And now I am one of them.
15:58 I'm very new,
15:59 but I'm now in the roster.
16:02 But it's bittersweet because
16:04 Sir Clyde Mercado,
16:06 he's our boss in public affairs,
16:08 and he passed away last year.
16:09 He's actually one of the people
16:11 who chose me to be part of Eyewitness.
16:13 And when I got in Eyewitness,
16:16 he promised my producer
16:19 to make sure I win an award.
16:22 It doesn't matter when,
16:24 as long as I win an award,
16:26 one local and one international.
16:28 So when we found out that we won,
16:30 the two of us and my producer,
16:32 we were like, "Oh!"
16:34 This is such a nice tribute that
16:37 on our first year together,
16:39 we were able to do this for Sir Clyde.
16:42 It was his wish for me,
16:45 and we actually made it happen.
16:48 So, I was super happy,
16:51 and sad to a certain point
16:53 that he wasn't able to see it.
16:54 But I'm sure he's seeing it from heaven now.
16:56 I'm sure he's very proud and very happy.
16:58 And I'm also sure that this is just
17:00 the first of many more to come, Mav.
17:03 You mentioned earlier that
17:04 your most fun stories,
17:06 the most fun stories you've done
17:07 are your sports stories.
17:08 How about the most difficult?
17:09 I think the war on drugs.
17:11 At that time, it was at night.
17:14 So I really covered the brunt of the deaths.
17:20 And there was a time that
17:22 we were covering minimum 10 bodies a night.
17:25 I was the type of kid who grew up in the CSI, NCIS.
17:30 So I was used to seeing bodies,
17:32 fine, that's okay.
17:33 But there comes a point that,
17:36 "Oh, wait, this is too much."
17:39 And more than the bodies that I saw,
17:42 what really stressed me out were the families.
17:45 When you see them crying,
17:47 when you see that they're saying
17:50 that they're not really druggy
17:52 or that they don't sell drugs,
17:55 and you're helpless.
17:58 Regardless of whether the accusations
18:02 are true or not,
18:03 a lot of the people were just killed
18:06 or out of the process.
18:08 So I feel that that really took a toll on a lot of us.
18:13 Actually, some reporters that I was with that night
18:16 resigned because they were having panic attacks.
18:19 Anxiety attacks, they would dream about it,
18:23 and they couldn't handle it anymore.
18:25 But thank God, I had a good set of friends
18:29 of the reporters then during that time.
18:31 So whenever it was too much,
18:35 we would say, "Come, let's eat outside.
18:37 Let's debrief."
18:38 We would debrief because we felt like
18:41 what was happening to us wasn't good for our mental health.
18:45 That's the scariest part.
18:49 I also received death threats during that time.
18:52 It was a time when my parents were resigning me
18:56 because they said, "It's not worth it to die
18:59 just because of the stories you're covering."
19:01 But I stayed.
19:03 We got through it,
19:06 and I feel that if we didn't cover those stories
19:11 when we covered them,
19:12 then we wouldn't have gotten a little bit of justice
19:16 and a little bit of comfort for the families
19:19 who were victims during that time.
19:22 We can't really tell.
19:24 There are times that you can't really tell the truth.
19:27 But to lose a loved one,
19:29 it's something I would never wish on anyone.
19:32 It's a thing that we journalists encounter all the time.
19:36 You need to protect yourself during those times
19:42 because otherwise, you would break down with the family
19:45 and nothing good will come out of it.
19:48 It's great to see that you are soldiering on now, Mav.
19:51 How difficult is it to soldier on
19:54 with one story and one coverage?
19:57 That in itself is our bigger mission
20:01 and our broader service to the country.
20:05 Correct.
20:06 If you don't do it, who will?
20:09 So I said, "Okay, I'll do it."
20:11 With everything that you've covered so far,
20:14 whether for your documentaries or in the news,
20:17 is there still something that you want to cover
20:20 that you haven't had the chance to?
20:22 ♪ ♪
20:26 Interesting topics and insightful conversations
20:30 with one of the country's veteran
20:32 and most award-winning journalists.
20:34 Howie Severino.
20:36 The Howie Severino Podcast
20:38 was hailed as one of Spotify's best new podcasts
20:43 and has consistently been one of the top Philippine podcasts
20:47 since its launch.
20:49 The Howie Severino Podcast
20:51 new episodes streams every Thursday
20:54 on major streaming platforms.
20:57 ♪ ♪
21:01 With everything that you've covered so far,
21:04 whether for your documentaries or in the news,
21:07 is there still something that you want to cover
21:10 that you haven't had the chance to?
21:12 Actually, one of the stories that I really dream of,
21:14 even as a reporter, is the Olympics.
21:17 It's a chip on my shoulder because
21:19 I didn't get to be a very competitive athlete
21:24 and that's the next best thing for me,
21:28 to cover the athletes.
21:31 I've covered a lot of trainings
21:33 and what they do here in the Philippines.
21:36 I've covered the SEA Games, Asian Games,
21:39 but it's really different.
21:41 When it's the Olympics, that's the real challenge.
21:44 So I think if ever I get the chance to cover this,
21:49 I would be so mind-blown.
21:52 But if ever it doesn't happen, as a reporter,
21:55 I think I will just watch the Olympics.
21:58 Maybe not this one because it's too near.
22:00 We'll see if it happens because it's a bit far,
22:02 it'll happen in Paris.
22:04 Maybe the next one, LA.
22:06 So maybe I'll just be a spectator.
22:08 But it's really an experience that I really, really
22:11 want to happen before I die.
22:13 And I really like doing stories
22:17 about kids, women, and animals.
22:22 I feel that we have a lot of human stories,
22:26 but not too many animal stories.
22:30 I'm an animal welfare advocate.
22:33 We have a pet, so that story is close to my heart.
22:37 So I'm really hoping I get to do a story
22:40 about animal welfare soon.
22:43 Fingers and toes crossed.
22:45 What do you have at home? Do you have a dog?
22:47 Are you a fur mom?
22:48 Yes, I have a dog.
22:50 He's my brother because my mom adopted him.
22:52 He's a son.
22:53 So he's the new dog?
22:55 He's Jude.
22:56 Oh, wait, I haven't seen him.
22:58 Yeah, he's over here.
22:59 Oh, there he is.
23:01 How old is Jude?
23:03 Jude is 9 years old.
23:05 He's a Chihuahua.
23:06 He's a blue-haired Chihuahua.
23:08 So he's the new dog?
23:09 The real dog doesn't complain, right?
23:11 He doesn't care because he's our baby.
23:14 Our dog.
23:18 You thought he was just being jealous.
23:21 He's my only son.
23:23 Because I have two kids.
23:25 So he's my only son.
23:26 He's my favorite.
23:28 You know, ma'am, I see also, and I can tell
23:30 based on the way you're telling the story,
23:32 you come from a very close-knit family.
23:34 Is my impression correct?
23:36 Yes, actually, super-duper close.
23:39 I still live with my parents.
23:42 We all live together.
23:43 We're that traditional Filipino family
23:45 where you're always with your husband.
23:46 You're always here at your family's house.
23:49 And even the extended family,
23:50 we're actually super close.
23:52 Why is that?
23:53 Sure, why?
23:54 But I grew up that every weekend,
23:57 you go to church together.
23:59 And then until now, when we're older,
24:01 we have a job that almost all of our grandchildren,
24:04 we're the ones who are going to be the cousins.
24:05 We would still go on trips together.
24:07 We spend the holidays together.
24:09 I think a lot of it is because the grandparents
24:12 really made sure that we would spend time together,
24:16 a lot of time together when we were growing up.
24:19 So you're used to it.
24:20 Even when we're older,
24:22 we're always looking for our cousins.
24:25 So even when we're older,
24:27 we still spend a lot of time together.
24:30 Not really doing anything.
24:31 Sometimes, we just watch TV or eat.
24:34 It's just really the presence of the other person there.
24:37 But that's such a blessing,
24:38 because sometimes, right?
24:39 Of course, other cousins are very close when they're younger,
24:42 but when they're older,
24:43 they're the ones who are separated because they're busy with work.
24:46 Do you guys live near your house?
24:48 Is that why you see each other often?
24:50 Or do you really just make an effort?
24:51 Some of them are in Quezon City.
24:53 We live in Quezon City.
24:55 But there are two that live in Malabon,
24:57 which is our hometown.
24:59 So we don't get that close.
25:02 But when we go on trips,
25:04 we'll just hang out in this place.
25:06 And then after work or after school,
25:08 because some of them are still in school,
25:10 we would all meet.
25:12 It doesn't really happen every week like we used to.
25:16 But whenever we get the time together,
25:19 and it's fun now because there are plus ones already.
25:22 So it's like, "Oh, new faces!"
25:24 We're a very small family.
25:27 Oh my!
25:28 What about your plus one?
25:30 When will you have a plus one?
25:32 I have a lot of plus ones that I brought to them.
25:34 Maybe you should have one, too.
25:36 Because I'm the eldest.
25:38 I'll just have a different one.
25:40 So I think what we need to fix is
25:45 to have a permanent plus one.
25:47 Wait, let me just clarify.
25:50 The only reason I'm comfortable to ask that question
25:52 is because it's in the clues.
25:54 You're the one who's asked.
25:55 Well, they said that you're famously single.
25:58 Otherwise, I'll be shy to ask.
26:01 Because you might think that I'm just making fun of you.
26:04 No, Ate P, you know a lot of secrets about me.
26:08 Like this, even my friends.
26:12 I think I'm missing the screen.
26:17 You know, I'm trying to be very professional here, ma'am.
26:24 It's hard, right?
26:26 It's hard.
26:28 No, but here's the thing, ma'am.
26:31 The people we're talking about are happy.
26:33 That's why we're talking about them.
26:35 You're updated, ma'am.
26:37 I'm talking about you, ma'am.
26:39 Oh, I said it.
26:41 I said it.
26:44 I'm so retarded.
26:46 But anyway, here's the thing, ma'am.
26:50 I can't watch this.
26:51 No, here's the thing, ma'am.
26:53 The best part about it is because
26:55 when you talk about it, you have no qualms talking about it.
26:58 And also when you talk about it,
26:59 you're not iffy about it.
27:03 It's just the fact that you're comfortable enough to tell everyone.
27:08 And because also you're comfortable in the situation that you're in right now, right?
27:12 Yeah, and that's true.
27:13 I think also because a lot of my friends are single.
27:18 There are more single.
27:19 Actually, in my college batch,
27:21 even I think high school batch,
27:23 there are more single than married.
27:26 I'm not sure what happened to the millennials.
27:28 Why are we like this?
27:29 But we're like this.
27:30 So I think there's not really a feeling that you're missing out or you're leaving.
27:35 Because you see people your age, you see your colleagues.
27:39 Even in GMIF, there are so many colleagues that are like,
27:41 "We're all on the same boat.
27:43 So let's all be on this boat together."
27:46 Yes, that makes it more fun, right?
27:50 Because you have someone with you.
27:52 That's true.
27:53 I also have a sister.
27:54 She has a boyfriend but she's still single.
27:57 So we're very close.
27:58 So if I want to do something, she's my plus one.
28:01 What is it, Mav, that you look for in a guy that will make you say,
28:09 "I don't want to be single anymore. This is it. It's you and me forever."
28:13 Of course, he needs to be attractive to me, right?
28:17 Yes, of course.
28:18 He needs to be subjective but has to be attractive to me.
28:21 And I don't have a time.
28:22 If you're infusing the people I've dated with a look, I don't know why.
28:27 I'm curious. Let me see.
28:29 I'm sorry. We've already seen each other's makeup.
28:32 But that's correct.
28:34 In a family feud, that's the top answer.
28:36 He needs to be attractive to you.
28:37 Not necessarily to others but to you.
28:39 Sometimes, people are so hypocritical.
28:42 "He just needs to be kind, smart, and all that."
28:47 Of course, if you end up together, you wake up every day and see that person.
28:51 So he needs to be attractive to you, right?
28:54 And you'll see him before he takes a shower, right?
28:57 Before he wakes up.
28:58 Yes. Life is already hard enough.
29:01 I need to be happy right away when I see your husband.
29:04 And funny.
29:07 Okay, that's the second.
29:09 Let's do the top four answers.
29:13 For the final round of family feud.
29:15 Top four.
29:16 He needs to be funny.
29:18 He needs to be smart.
29:19 He can hold a conversation, a good conversation.
29:23 And maybe the last one would be loyal.
29:27 Very important.
29:28 I think that's a really hard thing to find now even with friends.
29:32 A person who's really ride or die, who will stick with you through all the good and the bad.
29:39 And as journalists, we spend a lot of time away.
29:46 We spend long hours at work.
29:48 So you want someone that you're sure you don't need to watch over or check.
29:53 I'm sure you're loyal to me and I know that you would be.
29:57 Because loyalty is not just fidelity.
29:59 Loyalty is also this person supports you in what you want to do in your life.
30:05 I think that's very important for women who want a career.
30:11 I want to be a wife and a mom but I also want a career.
30:16 And I think the right person would support that and would even encourage me to do it.
30:25 Because if that's what makes you happy, at least he won't be the only one who makes me happy.
30:29 He won't be pressured because there are others who make me happy.
30:33 So I think loyalty is the top 4.
30:36 Actually, if you're supposed to be the top 4, you're already at the top.
30:38 I think that's the number one thing that you need.
30:40 Because there's no particular order.
30:41 Yes, that's it.
30:42 But I think, Mav, what guys will find most encouraging from your answer is the fact that you said you don't have a type.
30:50 So it totally opens up the playing field.
30:53 Yes.
30:54 Yes, really.
30:56 I was thinking about it.
30:58 I was thinking that I don't have a type.
31:02 They're really different.
31:03 They're really different.
31:04 Even though they're different.
31:05 But I think, Ate Pia, what I've proven is that I'm not good with Ateneans.
31:11 So let's skip the Ateneans.
31:13 Wait, who's your ex-Atenista?
31:16 I'll just zoom in on you. Let's stop.
31:20 Okay, maybe she'll say, "Maybe your ex-Atenista is the only one."
31:23 Then she'll know that he's the reason.
31:25 No, no.
31:26 No?
31:27 Oh, that's why. Because more than one.
31:30 Yes.
31:31 Okay. Oh, so the playing field is not limited anymore.
31:34 You're letting it be. It's okay. There are still a lot of schools out there.
31:39 There are a lot of choices.
31:42 So when you go to family reunions, you said you're very close.
31:49 Because there are always these memes and posts and stories that always ask, "Do you have a husband? Do you have a boyfriend?"
31:58 Do you get asked this a lot?
32:00 I think they're already married.
32:02 Just this month, my grandmother had her 82nd birthday.
32:10 So she's looking for someone who will never be married again, but she wants to be an apostate.
32:17 Those are the levels of questioning.
32:19 Even if she doesn't have a husband.
32:21 I told her, "Ma, what's wrong with you?"
32:24 And my family is very conservative.
32:26 So I said, "Ma, what's wrong with you?" And she said, "Oh, you're just like that."
32:30 It's hard to raise a child who has a husband.
32:34 And then I'll raise him alone.
32:36 And just like that, they're already married.
32:42 And my parents, I think when I was older, I didn't let them go.
32:49 They were like, "It's okay. You're just here with us."
32:54 They're still young.
32:56 They're very young because my parents are very young.
32:58 So I think that's why they're not excited to have grandchildren.
33:00 Wait, it's hard to say that you're old. You're not old.
33:04 You know, the age range of marrying age is different from before.
33:12 So you're just there at the right age for marrying, right?
33:16 I'm still in.
33:17 Yes, you're still in.
33:18 I'm not yet at the ideal age to get married.
33:22 So I'm okay.
33:23 Do you think that somehow your work makes it difficult for you to go out and meet other people?
33:28 Definitely.
33:30 Because number one, you don't have time to meet other people.
33:33 Oh my God, Ate Pia, do you know that one time, I was going on a date, Valentine's Day,
33:38 on Feb 13, the office called me and said, "You're getting deployed out of town."
33:45 Oh no!
33:46 I finally got to have a love life like this, right?
33:50 So I think it's really important for a person to understand the nature of our job.
33:57 You really get these last minute calls and you have to be flexible with your plans.
34:04 So I think that affects it.
34:06 This thought just entered me.
34:09 Next time we'll give a career talk, Mav, to young students,
34:13 when they ask, "What advice will you give?"
34:15 Usually, the answer is serious, the advice is, "Be prepared for whatever."
34:20 Always be ready to pursue whatever story.
34:22 The advice is, if you want to get married, before you become a reporter, you should have a love life.
34:28 Yes, actually, she told me that when I joined GME.
34:32 She said, "Hey friend, look at the older people here, they're all grown up and married."
34:41 I said, "How encouraging."
34:44 But the people who are senior to me, when I came in, they're already married.
34:50 So the curse ends at some point.
34:54 Yes, don't believe them.
34:57 We have a lot of married people.
34:59 Yes, that's right.
35:00 We'll catch up to you.
35:03 It's not the end all and the be all for you anyway, right?
35:08 Yes, that's true.
35:10 I think I'll be sadder if I don't have a child.
35:13 I wish I could always adopt.
35:14 So that's fine also.
35:16 I'm not really in a hurry to do anything irreversible.
35:20 Because it's harder to do something and then regret it later,
35:25 than to just wait until you're super, super sure that you want this.
35:30 Correct. You have to sit on it, think on it, wait on it, and you'll be fine.
35:34 You said, Ma'am, that of course, obviously, work really takes up a lot of our time.
35:40 This kind of work that we do takes up so much time.
35:42 But what is it that you like to do when you're not at work?
35:45 When I'm not at work, I...
35:47 Actually, I like to do the auntie things in life.
35:52 Like I have a small garden outside the house.
35:57 Oh, you're a plant auntie.
35:58 Yes, you know the paid by numbers.
36:00 My God, I'm addicted to it.
36:02 I've finished so many paid by numbers.
36:05 What's that? It started during the pandemic?
36:07 Yes, there was this reporter, Ateneum Faravello, not Double D.
36:12 She gifted me a set of those.
36:15 I was addicted to it.
36:16 I think I've finished seven of them.
36:20 These are big paintings.
36:22 So I think I'm really addicted to it.
36:24 Do you frame them?
36:25 No, they're really canvassed.
36:28 They're not hung on the walls.
36:32 So painting, planting.
36:34 And watching TV when I'm sleeping.
36:40 And I sleep a lot.
36:42 When I sleep, I'm really oily.
36:45 I think all reporters are like that.
36:47 I wake up at lunchtime and sometimes after lunch, I'll take a nap.
36:53 Which is exactly what I did earlier.
36:55 That's so nice.
36:58 It's so nice to take a nap.
36:59 A nap is really such a treat.
37:01 When we're young, we don't want to be asked to sleep in the afternoon.
37:04 But when you're old, you really want to take a nap.
37:07 That's true.
37:08 When I was young, I didn't want to eat vegetables.
37:12 When I was young, I was like, "Vegetables are expensive."
37:15 I wanted healthy stuff.
37:18 It's hard to buy.
37:19 Yes, you just want to eat salad.
37:21 It's expensive.
37:22 Yes, it's expensive.
37:25 I remember the last time I saw you, your order was a salad.
37:30 Yes, I remember.
37:32 I saw you in the makeup room and you ordered a salad.
37:34 Salad is expensive now, right?
37:36 Ma'am, thank you so much for sharing all these stories with us.
37:41 We know you're busy.
37:42 I mean, we're intruding on your day off.
37:45 No, it's okay.
37:47 We'll make this quick.
37:49 Before we let you go, we have a surprise game.
37:52 I'll read what this game is about.
37:55 It's called "News Advisory."
37:59 Okay, so it's advice because you'll be given advice.
38:02 You'll read a news headline and you'll give advice, a la Tita Mab.
38:08 Oh my God, okay.
38:10 I'll read and you'll give advice.
38:12 "A Filipino woman found her prince in the middle of a storm. The love story is not over."
38:19 Wow, Mab, what advice can you give to a woman who found her prince in the middle of a storm?
38:27 That's amazing. Where is that storm?
38:29 We can cover that.
38:31 If you're happy and she makes you happy, go for it.
38:35 You're the only one who knows what the haters around you are saying.
38:42 If you think that prince in the storm is the one for you, try it.
38:46 You never know, it works out.
38:48 Very well said, Tita Mab.
38:50 If that happens to you, tell us.
38:53 Yes.
38:54 Next, "Finding love during a pandemic. Nurse found her forever in the ICU."
39:02 Have you ever encountered that?
39:05 In the place that you least expect, you can find love or at least something that you think might lead to love.
39:12 Actually, I think I've experienced that.
39:15 What happened?
39:16 She's from another country. It was a mobile game during the pandemic.
39:22 We met there.
39:23 Is that Candy Crush?
39:25 I don't think there's a two-player game there.
39:29 I have Candy Crush players.
39:32 Really?
39:33 Yes.
39:34 I didn't know you can play live.
39:36 I didn't know you can play multiplayer.
39:39 But the profile of the Candy Crush players might be different.
39:43 I think it's hard to find love there.
39:48 Wait, so what happened? You met someone. You chatted.
39:52 Yes, but this is a pandemic.
39:54 So, there were no closing borders for how long. It was like nothing until it just disappeared.
40:01 You didn't talk again. Maybe you can still rekindle.
40:05 Where did you go?
40:07 Across the ocean?
40:09 Yes.
40:10 It's a bit far.
40:11 It's a bit far.
40:12 Sorry.
40:13 Yes.
40:14 Let's check first. Maybe she's not single anymore.
40:17 Let's find someone closer.
40:20 Anyway, my advice to her is if she's in the ICU, meaning she's a patient,
40:25 it's likely that she's struggling in the ICU.
40:28 You know, in relationships, there are problems that you think are really hard and unsolvable.
40:35 But if you find the right person, it will be worth all the effort.
40:40 You know, you'll make the patient in the ICU better.
40:44 Wow, your answer is not just built from out of nowhere.
40:49 Okay, this is the last one.
40:51 Love that changed overnight.
40:53 The story of a student and writer who ran into an open mic night and can't forget that night.
41:01 It's like a May-December affair.
41:03 The student and the writer are already working.
41:06 That's possible.
41:07 It's hard. When there was a May-December affair, it was like she was there struggling.
41:13 But you know, I believe that the hardest thing to forget in life is the "what if".
41:21 So I think even if there are barriers, even if there's an age gap or geographical gap in your relationship,
41:29 I think it's best that you give it a try.
41:32 So if it fails, at least you won't have regrets like, "Oh, I messed up. I might have made a mistake. I might have been happy."
41:40 And if it works out, then it would have been the best surprise if it worked out.
41:48 So for 2024, let's avoid "what ifs".
41:52 So let's risk it for 2024.
41:55 Just go for gold, ma'am.
41:57 Yes, yes. It's the Olympic year. Go for gold.
42:00 In the spirit of Paris Olympics, go for gold.
42:04 Yes, yes. And even if it goes, maybe you get the bronze.
42:07 Yes. But actually, because you already have the bronze, our wish for you, ma'am, is gold.
42:14 Gold, yes.
42:15 Not just in New York festivals, but...
42:19 Wait, what are we going to prioritize? Gold in New York festivals or gold in love life?
42:25 One more year before New York festivals, let's go for love life first.
42:29 Oh, so love life first, okay.
42:30 Yes.
42:31 Ma'am, thank you so much again.
42:33 Before we really, really let you go, can you invite everyone to catch you on Eyewitness?
42:38 And where can they find you on social media as well?
42:41 Please watch Eyewitness every Saturday, 10.15pm on GMA.
42:45 We're all rotating, but all the hosts, all the episodes are good.
42:49 So watch all of them.
42:51 And on social media, Facebook, it's @mavgonzalez.
42:55 And on Instagram, @mav_gonzalez.
42:58 So there are blue checkmarks so you won't get confused.
43:02 Thank you so much, ma'am!
43:04 Thank you! I hope to see you soon!
43:06 This surprise was planned by the team of Nikki Del Mundo and Aubrey Deles Reyes.
43:11 Edited by Shirley Paghiligan with the amazing people of GMA Integrated News.
43:15 Don't forget to like and subscribe for the next surprise!
43:18 [Music]
43:24 you
43:26 [BLANK_AUDIO]