Media

KORINA SANCHEZ Korina Sanchez was born on October 5, 1964 in Hong Kong. Her father, Ramon P. Sanchez, Sr. (1919–2004), was the General Manager of the Hong Kong landmark, Ambassador Hotel. She is the only girl of Ramon and Celia Sanchez's five children. When the family came back to the Philippines, her father set up a successful carpet company, Woolcraft, Inc. She attended St. Theresa's College, Quezon City for her elementary and secondary education, and then Maryknoll College (now Miriam College), where she earned a bachelor's degree in Communication Arts. Her first love was writing, but she was also active in extra-curricular like singing, theater, public speaking, and high school varsity volleyball. In college, Korina excelled in courses related to creative writing, thesis writing and speech. She also completed a third-level French language course at the Makati-based Alliance Francaise de Manille. Sanchez dreamt to be in the performing arts, but she believed her "calling had always been in the field of information and communication". From being a station weathergirl at the then Marcos government-run Maharlika Broadcasting System under the supervision of former Information Minister Greg Cendaña, she advanced to be the hourly newsbreak announcer. In 1986, after the EDSA Revolution, Sanchez joined the reopened ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation as a reporter. President Ferdinand Marcos had closed down the Lopez-owned station but it was returned to the Lopez family in 1986. She became executive producer and host to programs such as 'Magandang Umaga Po' with then co-anchor Noli de Castro, 'Bayan Ko Sagot Ko', 'Hoy Gising!', 'Options', 'Balitang K', 'Isyu 101' and 'Pulso: Aksyon Balita'. When de Castro ran for public office in 2001, Sanchez became the station's first solo woman anchor for its flagship news program 'TV Patrol'. In 2003, Sanchez was asked to pinch-hit as co-host with actress Kris Aquino. The tandem clicked and what was supposed to be a two-week stint became a hit sixteen-month talk show. 'Morning Girls with Kris and Korina' ended in May 2004 after Sanchez was offered a slot on 'Rated K: Handa Na Ba Kayo'’ a Sunday newsmagazine show. Sanchez also had a successful career in radio through DZMM, ABS-CBN's Metro Manila radio station. She did socio-political commentary with long-time friend and colleague Ted Failon, who was also her co-anchor in Hoy Gising! Their program was first entitled Aksyon Ngayon, and then renamed Tambalang Failon at Sanchez. When Failon was elected Congressman of the first district of Leyte province, Sanchez hosted the program on her own and it was renamed Korina sa Umaga. Three years later, the show reverted to Tambalang Failon at Sanchez after Failon opted not to run for another term. In 2004, she was appointed ABS-CBN's Chief Correspondent for Philippine & Global Operations. After almost two years hiatus from news casting, she was re-installed as news anchor at Bandila, the news program of ABS-CBN (replacing Insider). Her pilot episode ran on 3 July 2006. On 10 July 2006, she debuted Korina Today on the ANC. On 8 May 2009, Sanchez took an indefinite leave from her DZMM radio morning program and evening newscast Bandila, in anticipation of her wedding to Senator Mar Roxas and his presidential bid for the 2010 Philippine elections. However, her magazine program Rated K remained part of the network's Sunday programming. On November 8, 2010, Sanchez together with former Vice President Noli de Castro joined with Ted Failon in TV Patrol. In her role as media practitioner, some of Sanchez's well-known advocacies have been Patients' Rights and Responsibilities and public awareness against medical negligence, population control, health, breast cancer-awareness, pollution control, and coral and marine life preservation. Sanchez has received numerous awards from various award-giving bodies for television, including the Gawad CCP para sa Telebisyon, Community Outstanding Young Achievers Awards, Catholic Mass Media Awards, KBP Golden Dove Awards, PMPC Star Awards for Best Female Newscaster which she shared with almost a decade winner and industry pillar Mel Tiangco. Her recent awards include Best Newscaster for TV Patrol, Best Talk Show Host for Morning Girls with Kris and Korina, Best Radio Program for Korina sa Umaga, Pipol of the Year 2004, best female newscaster award from UST TV Awards 2005, and Anak TV Seal 2006 favorite Female Personalities. For 2007, Sanchez was awarded as Best Magazine Show host by two award-giving bodies, the Philippine Movie Press Club and the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters ng Pilipinas. She was also awarded as one People Asia's Women of Style and Substance. She also ranked number one across all ten female TV personalities in Anak TV Seal's Most Admired Female Personalities for 2007 and 2008. In 2008, Korina Sanchez was given with the highest honor "Ka Doroy Broadcaster of the Year" by the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas. During the 2009 New York Festivals, Korina Sanchez was honoured with a Silver World Medal for Investigative Report for her expose on substandard food supplements. The New York Festivals also gave Sanchez a finalist certificate for the category Best News Reporter, while her public affairs program Rated K was also awarded with a finalist certificate. Sanchez was suspended by ABS-CBN for one week effective 21 December 2006, covering all her TV and radio programs. Sanchez was reprimanded by the network for “conflict of interest, several articles that called attention to her activities outside of the company, and an editorial lapse,” when she became a proponent of a firm that produces concerts for MYMP. In July 2007, Sanchez' name was among those of several celebrities brought up in the controversial case of FrancSwiss, a pyramiding scheme. On 10 July 2007, she released a statement saying, “I categorically deny making any investment in FrancSwiss. It was irresponsible for the National Bureau of Investigation to make the reckless allegation and destroy my reputation as a broadcast journalist, which I carefully built and protected through the years.” On October 27, 2009, Korina Sanchez and Senator Mar Roxas were married in a grandiose wedding ceremony held at the Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City, with performances by the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra and the Philippine Madrigal Singers. Food included humba, lechon, bagnet, and egg momo from sandwich station. CES DRILON Ces Orena-Drilon (born July 8, 1961) commonly known as Ces Oreña-Drilon is an award winning Filipino broadcast journalist. She graduated from the University of the Philippines Diliman with a degree of Bachelor of Arts major in Communication Research. She has presented several news and public affairs programs for the News and Current Affairs division of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation, which she had joined in 1989. She was the recipient of the highest honor given by the KBP Golden Dove Awards which is the "Ka Doroy Broadcaster of the Year" which was held last November 25, 2010 during the 19th KBP Golden Dove Awards and also included on the Top 7 mothers honored by Working Mom Magazine as today's most exemplary career women. Ces Oreña-Drilon is married to painter Rock Drilon, a nephew of former Senate President Franklin Drilon; they have four children. Ces Orena-Drilon began her career in television journalism in 1985 when she joined the Maharlika Broadcasting System (later renamed People's Television 4) as a news reporter. Her reporting on the capture of Army renegade Col. Gregorio Honasan caught the attention of ABS-CBN Network, which hired her in 1989 to cover the Philippine Senate. Ces would appear regularly on The World Tonight as the program's business correspondent. Together with Cathy Yap-Yang (now with Bloomberg Television Network), Ces Oreña-Drilon was assigned to host Usapang Business, a weekly business-oriented show which was soon cancelled due to budget cuts. She later presented several news and current affairs programs for the ABS-CBN Network and for the ABS-CBN News Channel, including Pipol and The Correspondents. Since the 2000s, Oreña-Drilon has served as a co-anchor of the ABS-CBN flagship nightly news programs ABS-CBN Insider and Bandila, and alternate anchor for TV Patrol. In 2007, Ces Oreña-Drilon was among several Filipino journalists covering the Manila Peninsula rebellion who were briefly detained by the Philippine military shortly after the mutiny was quashed. In June 2008, she was held for ransom for nine days after being abducted together with two ABS-CBN cameramen while in Sulu. Drilon's team was invited by Professor Octavio Dinampo, an academic at the Mindanao State University, Sulu. Dinampo, a Muslim, was also missing. Oreña-Drilon and news cameramen Jimmy Encarnacion and Angelo Valderrama were abducted in Maimbung, Sulu, Jolo, by al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf militants. The militants were led by Albader Parad, an Abu Sayyaf leader and Gapur Jundain, former member of the Moro National Liberation Front. Chief Superintendent Joel Goltiao, police regional director for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, announced that:"Pinapakain naman sila [They are being fed well], they are well and alive, hindi sila nakatali [they are not tied] and nakakalabas sila [they are able to move around] but they are being escorted." Ransom were allegedly asked, ranging from P 10 million to P 30 million (227,000 and 454,000 dollars). Drilon is the third local journalist to be kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf since 2000. A documentary on Drilon's kidnapping was made and is set for airing by ABS-CBN on July 13. The militants released Angelo Valderama on June 12 after a ransom payment of 100,000 pesos ($2,250). Negotiator Isnaji Alvarez stated that the abductors gave Drilon’s family until June 17 to pay 1.12 million dollars ransom, for her safe release, but a deadline for the other two hostages was unclear. Xinhua, however reported that the “militants has set a deadline of Tuesday noon for a ransom of 15 million pesos (337,079 U.S. dollars), local media reported Monday.” Isnaji earlier said “the abductors demanded 20 million pesos (US$450,000) in ransom.” Minutes before the deadline the kidnappers extended "Indefinitely" the deadline for the release of Drilon and her companions, the abductors are requesting livelihood products in exchange for their freedom. Ces Oreña-Drilon and her companions were released on June 17, 2008 at 11 pm Manila Time following negotiations with Philippine security and government officials. Drilon, Jimmy Encarnacion and Octavio Dinampo were picked up inTalipao, Indanan, Sulu Island, by Mayor Alvarez Isnaji at about midnight. After eating noodles for 9 days, under more than 20 abductors, Ces and her crew met Grechie and Frank Oreña, Drilon's siblings, with Loren Legarda and Maria Ressa on June 18 in Zamboanga City La Vista del Mar Beach Resort. They arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport from Zamboanga City around 2 p.m., for short press conference and underwent a medical checkup at the Medical City Hospital in Pasig City. Senator Loren Legarda, a negotiator, said "the refusal of ABS-CBN and the government to pay a ransom, and the deployment of troops around Indanan, prompted the release. Al Jazeera's reporter Veronica Pedrosa stated "a military offensive near the kidnappers' camp had apparently helped free the hostages." Ces, a mother of 4, whose face was scarred by mosquito bites, stated that she was betrayed by someone who delivered her to the kidnappers and the Abu Sayyaf militants threatened to behead them: "We came close to losing our lives; There was some betrayal involved and that is why we were kidnapped; I thought I was so reckless. I didn't think of my family who I put through a really terrible ordeal in the past 10 days. I would like to thank everybody - words are not enough to thank those who prayed for the professor, and Jimmy and Angel and myself. I put the lives of my team in danger so it was really a very sobering experience to me.” AFP reported that ransom was paid "following talks between the Abu Sayyaf and Senator Loren Legarda, who is expected to contest the 2010 presidential election." The Canadian Press stated that "There were speculations that as much as $337,000 in ransom was paid for their release. Drilon condemned the abductors, who tied them and slapped her during the dire detention." AHN, however reported that the release was made in exchange for livelihood assistance instead of a $338,000 ransom. Philippine National Police Chief Avelino Razon stated: "Sabi niya pasensya na general, pati ikaw ay nadamay. Sabi ko trabaho lang ito, kami talagang tutulong para sa inyong pagbalik (She told me, General I'm sorry you were dragged into this. I told her, it's not a problem, it's our job to ensure your safe return)." Octavio Dinampo on June 20 stated that Mayor Alvarez Isnaji alias "Larin-Larin," pocketed much of the "first" ransom of P 5-million (112,500 dollars). Isnaji's lawyer, Ernesto Francisco, however, said his clients were innocent and prosecuted for political reasons: "If you examine the background of Mayor Isnaji, there is no instance in the past that he was involved in any criminal activity." Raul M. Gonzalez said "Isnaji was a highly respected politician in Jolo who plans to run for governor of the Muslim autonomous region, which includes the island, in August." Gonzalez and PNP Director General Avelino Razon Jr. affirmed that Isnaji "kept to himself P 3-million (67,568 U.S. dollars) and paid the kidnappers P 2 million (45,045 U.S. dollars) (from the Drilon family)." Razon, Jr. showed pictures of Isnaji, his son, Haider, and Sulu Vice-Governor Lady Ann Sahidulla gathered around the P 5-million ransom, with Senior Superintendent Willy Quidato. Meanwhile, Dinampo and Sulu provincial police director Senior Superintendent Julasirim Kasim said that guide Juamil "Mameng" Biyaw betrayed the ABS-CBN team. The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) filed the complaint before the Department of Justice (DoJ) on June 20 against Isnaji, his son Haider and 14 Abu Sayyaf members, for the kidnapping. Ces Drilon, Jimmy Encarnacion and Angel Valderama personally signed the complaint. The pre-trial conference was set for 1 p.m. on Monday. They are currently detained at the PNP Crame headquarters. Razon, Jr. further implicated at least 3 relatives of Isnaji: "Three of the suspects are relatives of the mayor, di natin alam sino yan (At least three of the suspects are relatives of the mayor but we have not identified them by name)." Also, Razon affirmed inquiry into a supposed 2nd payoff / ransom concerning 2 duffel bags flown into Sulu via a South East Asian Airlines (SEAIR) flight hours before the hostages' release. DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno also said that Isnaji (and his son) may have masterminded the abduction: "The kidnappers themselves were double-crossed."  On October 11, 2008, Al-Qaeda members linked ASG Asma Awang, Makambian Sakilan, and Tagayan Sakilan, all from Talipao, Sulu, including Marcial Totoh Jabarot, alias Abu Cesar, were arrested by the Sixth Marine Battalion Landing Team in Jolo. Also, suspect Adjili Sakilan was killed and 4 fled. Meanwhile, the Sulu Philippine National Police and Task Force Comet announced probe of Asma Awang and relatives Makambian Sakilan and Tagayan Sakilan in Drilon's abduction. Further, Lt. Colonel Ernesto Torres Jr said Devaro is an Abu Sayyaf member from 2000 under Kumander Tahil Salih. A documentary on Drilon's kidnapping was made and set for airing by ABS-CBN on July 13.[2] However, the Department of Justice per government prosecutors warned ABS-CBN against airing any video footage, alleging that it would affect the pending preliminary investigation's outcome. ABS-CBN on July 5, 2008 punished Ces Oreña-Drilon with 3 months suspension as news anchor of Bandila and as Senior Correspondent, for disobeying orders not to go to Indanan, Sulu (violation of Standards & Ethics Manual). Earlier, Ces apologized "for unwittingly endangering lives." Maria Ressa noted the “grave consequences of her error in judgment.” On October 6, 2008, Ces Orena-Drilon returned as co-anchor of ABS-CBN's “Bandila” after the suspension's lapse. She announced the airing of a segment on the physical and psychological effects of the Mindanao conflict on Armed Forces of the Philippines's soldiers.