REMEMBER #YSPEAK?

I became emotional when I heard that Studio 23 was going off the air. It was home to three major shows that I did: first was alternative morning show Breakfast, next was Blog, my first solo show that really gave me a big break as an entertainment host, and of course, the show I still hold so close to my heart, YSpeak.

Our first ever pictorial for YSpeak way back in 2003!

I was insanely lucky. I was a senior in college, I was modeling, doing hosting gigs on the side, and was working in production in ABS-CBN, when I was told that they were looking for a young female host to join THE Karen Davila and THE Ryan Agoncillo for a youth-oriented debate show. Can you imagine how lucky I was that my first major TV hosting job placed me stand alongside these two industry greats?? I never really found out if there was anyone else in the running for the show (haha!), but when the brainchilds of the YSpeak, Fr. Tito Caluag and producer Noel Ferrer asked me if I wanted to do it, I immediately said YES. 

And that was the start of a journey in life I never thought I'd take, but now hold dear to my heart as a personal advocacy.

We were at a 1AM then 4PM weekend timeslot on ABS-CBN for a few months, when the bosses decided to move us to Studio 23. When we moved, Ryan and I became the main hosts of the show, as we welcomed in a new batch of co-hosts to join our cause. When Ryan moved to GMA, it was me left to hold the fort, and it was just a complete honor to do so. The show evolved from a debate program to a weekly documentary, and eventually the show ended in 2010.

We did all topics from politics to sex, showbiz to friendships. It was amazing.

The show became an amazing opportunity for me to meet countless people from all industries and walks of life. It opened my eyes to so many issues and helped me come out of my shell and be confident in voicing out my own opinion. It became a platform for me and our team to win many awards, including my first ever Best Host award, and I am forever grateful.

Thank you Anak TV, KBP, CMMA, USTv, Gandingan, and
all the other award giving bodies that recognized our work!

I got to hone my hosting skills by being given one tough (and intimidating!!!!) assignment after another. Bawal yung wala kang sasabihin o wala kang opinyon! Bawal to show that you are scared if you are faced with a big time personality! Bawal to not research because if you don't know your stuff, you'll end up humiliating yourself! It was the best training any host could ask for.

I got to interview many politicians, youth leaders, advocates,
and one of our biggest series was the 2010 Presidential Elections
where I got to do a one-on-one with the Presidential and
Senatorial candidates,  including then-Presidential Gibo Teodoro.

I also got to tackle many sensitive topics and do exclusives and exposes,
like this episode we had where I interviewed a sex worker.

I will FOREVER be grateful for having been blessed with a show like YSpeak. It was truly a dream program to do. I have our amazing, passionate and hardworking staff to thank for this, our other producers and headwriters who also became my good friends like Mori Rodriguez, Karen Almeida, Mark Salamat, Xavier Gravides, Mae Manalac, all our writers, SPs, and researchers, our OJTs, our correspondents, for being part of the show's success.

Thank you also Jen, MA, Apol, LA, Tiya Pilits, Rona, lahat kayo!

And of course I am also extremely thankful to all the boys who lent their time and heart to YSpeak as well.

Now-Senator Bam Aquino who I still call Bammy Wammy!

All-around guy TJ Manotoc who is still a kuya to me until now.

He-who-knows-it-all Kuya Kim Atienza, who I turn to for help until now.

DJ Mo, Mohan Gumatay, who is one of the best hosts in my opinion.

Forever crush ng bayan Atom Araullo, who I still work with everyday today!

And of course, my original partner, the amazing Ryan Agoncillo.

I always say that I wouldn't be the host I am if it weren't for Ryan. So much of what I know, how to phrase thoughts, how to handle live shows and the blunders that come with it, how to listen, I learned from him. I had the privilege of working with him in four shows: Review Night on Cinema One, Breakfast, YSpeak, and Magandang Umaga Pilipinas. I am still hoping that the day comes that I will get a show with him again. Idol kita forever, Ry!

And the biggest thank you of all goes to every single person who watched YSpeak, and with us, believed in the power and voice of the youth. Even though its been years since the show went off air, it fills my heart with JOY to have people come up to me until now to say "I loved YSpeak!" or "That was a great show! Bakit wala nang ganun ngayon?" Every time I see our generation voice out their opinion, fight for a cause, or stand up to what they believe to be wrong, it makes me feel that we in YSpeak did something right. This show really changed my life.

Sorry for the long, senti post, I just realized that the show never got to say goodbye properly, so I'd like to do that now. Thank you for reading!

We used to end every show saying:
"Ito ang boses ng kabataan na walang inuurungan, ito ang YSpeak."

WHY JC AND I DECIDED TO GET INTERVIEWED TOGETHER

"Sana sila pa at the end of our show," said Coach Richard del Rosario. We all broke into laughter.

Our best pose for the "kunyari magkagalit kayo" situation.

It may not seem like it but I am very shy. As a person. Meaning when I am not in work mode. And JC is also very shy. So although we are extremely flattered to be invited to guest in certain shows for interviews, we always respectfully decline because aside from being shy, we just really prefer to keep our personal lives private. Unti JC got a message from Mico Halili asking if we could guest together on the season ender of their podcast, The Bro Show.

Why The Bro Show? I guess it was a big factor that the show was not too showbiz, it was from a basketball bro point of view, and was really mostly light and fun. JC is more private compared to me (by virtue of my job), so he was more comfortable in this kind of show. I am also admittedly a fan of the Mico Halili and Jason Webb tandem when I watch games (Pag sila commentators, laugh trip pero may substance! Makes it easy for people like me to understand the game better.) Plus throw in Coach Richard, and its a super riot trio.  

We were very nervous before the show started, but just kept laughing as soon as it did! Naluha ako sa kakatawa I swear. Thank you, bros for the hilarious interview! We talked about how we met, plus the bros try to make us argue, and we play "How well do you know each other?" Sharing the video with you here. Enjoy!!!!

THE STORY BEHIND MY 5 "MOST LIKED" INSTAGRAM POSTS

Many of us uploaded instavideos from statigram.com of our "most liked" Instagram posts last year. (Thank you to all those who "liked" those photos!) Allow me to share a bit about the story behind each one of them.

5. Tokyo #OOTD

I hardly ever post outfit shots on Instagram! First, because I am not exactly a fashyon person. I looove clothes but I am far from fashion bloggers who followers on social media get outfit inspiration from. Second, nahihiya ako! As weird as that may sound, its true, again, probably because of my first reason.

So why take an #ootd this time? You know those moments that you just see this corner and you seem to fit in so well that you just have to take a photo? JC and I were in Tsukiji Market in Tokyo, Japan that morning as early as 6AM to line up a good 45 minutes (the longer the line, usually, the more amazing the food) for the freshest seafood in town.

JC ordered the rice bowl of salmon with ebi tempura on the side, and I ordered the rice bowl of tuna and uni! Aaaaaaaaaaah, ang sarap! Really one of my favourite places to eat in the world.

We were sooo busog after that we just had to walk around the market to let the food down. In one of the alleys, they had a row full of bright red Coca Cola vending machines and we decided to have a Dr. Pepper. (Because everywhere we went that trip, the locals we saw always bought Dr. Pepper at the vend!) And there came the picturesque moment. Plus, I was wearing my all-time favourite Raybans and Chuck Taylors, and new local brand The Daily Clothing Co., I decided it was #ootd time.

It was such a photo op moment that even JC had his photo taken! Decked out in all Air Jordan.

4. Giant Oishi

A couple of weeks before Christmas, I received this insanely cool package. It was a giant Oishi! So big I can literally fit inside the bag. What's inside? No, its not giant pieces of Oishi, it was this giant bag full of Oishi junk food inside. I love it!!!! I am a super junk food lover (I absolutely love Kirei and the Oishi Wasabi flavoured chips!) so this was such a treat! I happily shared it with friends. (By the way, with me is Sky, she's a Bichon Frise!)

3. The Damsel in Distress and the Knight in Shining Armor

It was one of those horrible, horrible days when Metro Manila traffic was just insane. I had been stuck in traffic for 2 hours (for a trip that usually takes 20 minutes) and when you're extremely exhausted after a whole day of work, all you want to do is eat dinner and rest. I was messaging JC at that time, so frustrated, and probably super whining. I happened to be a few blocks away from his place at that time (stuck in the same spot and the car hasn't moved for around 30 minutes, as in not even one meter!) so to my surprise, my driver Richard goes, "Ma'am, si Sir JC po ba yun?" pointing to the nearby street corner. I look closely, and yes it was! There was my boyfriend on a bike (not a motorbike, as in a bisikleta), with an extra raincoat (yes, it was raining at that time), to pick me up! Stuff movie scenes are made of.. they happen in real life! (Plus, I am such a lucky girl.)




2. That SATC moment

We all flipped when we heard that Sarah Jessica Parker was coming to Manila, as the face of SM Aura. I flipped out even more when I got an invitation from my good friend and ate Lani Cayetano, who happens to be the mayor of Taguig, where conveniently, SM Aura is! As the mayor, part of her duty was to "welcome" SJP to the city, and I was just so insanely lucky because she invited me to join her!!!!

I remember just going into this private room in the mall, with just SJP, her team, and a couple of SM Executives. We all got to chat and have a few photos taken, and it was so surreal because she really, really IS Carrie Bradshaw in real life! Hahaha. My hands were so cold when I shook her hand:

Me: I'm sorry, may I see your shoes? (with a giddy, fangirl look and tone)
SJP: (raises her skirt) Manolos!

Aaaaah! Man, I am so lucky.




1. Alas de la Ciudad by Jorge Marin

I decided in December 2012 that my theme for the coming year would be #Fearless2013. I started off with jumping off a plane on January 1, 2013 in Skydive Monterey Bay. (Skydiving checked off the bucket list! Woohooooo!) 

From California, I traveled to and explored Mexico City alone for 3 days. I super loved the experience, and Mexico City is absolutely beautiful!!!!

On my last day there, I decided to walk around the Paseo de la Reforma, which was near the hotel I stayed in. Along that main avenue were museums, parks, and cultural centers. It was so beautiful to see the centre isle of the avenue lined with beautiful, bright red flowers and different interactive installation art works that kids (and well, kids-at-heart like me) can actually play with! Apparently, they change the art works every few months to be able to showcase different young Mexican artists. (I really hope we can do that somewhere here in Manila! In BGC maybe?)

Right across the Museo Nacional de Antropologia is this huge bronze sculpture of wings by artist Jorge Marin, where tourists and locals alike can pose to have a photo taken. My newfound Mexican friend Maria was the one who took my photo, and another person in line for a photo took our photo.

It was really a beautiful photo spot!!!!

Pictures do paint a thousand words and I can only hope to get to post or blog about more interesting photos (sana more travel photos!!) this 2014. 

PEOPLE OF MY YEAR 2013

What is this list all about? The belief that what matters most in life is not how many people you can affect and influence, but how deeply you affect and influence even one person. You need not be famous to make a difference in someone's life. Being a positive influence on even just one person you know, that is what counts! 

On my 5th year of doing this, I've decided to do a "best of" type of list for these people who really have made me who I am now. Here are the People of MY 2013:

1. JC Gonzalez

My brother JC, and his mini me, 4 year old Roco.

Everyone who knows me knows I am a certified Kuya's Girl. His interests, music, and hobbies when I was younger, I adopted as my own interests, music, and hobbies. And now that he is an amazing husband and father of two, I look at him and can only wish that I have a family as beautiful and love-filled as his. Ever since my godson Roco was born, and now with goddaughter Sabine as well, I make it a point to visit every year and it is TRULY the highlight of my year. Being with family, physically, beyond just Skype and whatsapp, is PRICELESS.

2. Tracy Pamintuan Gonzalez

Tracy and her mini me, 2 year old Sabine.

She is the best sister-in-law ever! Yes, she may be my only sister-in-law, but God has blessed my and my family with the best addition ever. She is beautiful, smart, strong, fun, and super cool. Plus, she is a super mom to Roco and Sabine! Really. She gave birth to both kids with no anaesthesia whatsoever, she juggles a full time job but manages to bring the kids to school and day care and cook them dinner and tuck them in bed at night, and manages to organise and squeeze in a family trip every so often. 

3. Kuya Alan and Ate Lani Cayetano

The always malambing and fun-loving Kuya Alan and Ate Lani.

One of the most hardworking, generous, and loving couples I know. They have grown to become a kuya and ate to me, and to this day they continue to guide me and extend a helping hand whenever I may need it. I admire how they balance the stress of work with relaxing and unwinding. I truly look up to how God is in the center of their relationship, and how they are never selfish with what they have and with their love.

4. Pamela Picazo Garcia

Pam with her cutiepatootie son, my inaanak Diego, and husband Maui.

My best friend since college, this hot momma is a woman of style, substance, and strength! She has bloomed these past few years into an admirable wife and mother, without ever losing the fun in her! She still knows how to have crazy game-face-on-fun, she still is the life of the group, and most admirable is how she puts family time first.

5. Boy Abunda

He's really one in a billion. Ikaw na, Tito Boy!

I always talk about how blessed and lucky I am to have this man as a mentor, friend, and manager! How many aspiring media personalities gets to be as lucky as I am? Whenever I feel lost, or down, or when I am wondering about my fate and my future, his simplest words of wisdom always make everything better. I wouldn't have survived 2013 without this man, as well as my hardworking and caring team, Weng Salido and Jamie Almario.

6. Pepel Santos

Pel and his gorgeous wife, Pat.

Another best friend I had since college, who has been living in the US for a decade now. The way he has dealt with the highs and low blows of his life, of how he changed career path in his mid 20s, and how he pursued his passion is just so inspiring. I'm super proud to be ninang to his beautiful panganay Viviana, and so happy that he's gotten close to my brother who is ninong to his son Stephan.

7. The Esguerras

Chely with adorable son Adi and husband Bong.

My good friend Chely was part of my People of my Year list last year, but as more months passed, I have come to admire her beautiful family even more. Chely and husband Bong's love story was stuff MMK is made of. With son Adi, and Andres who is coming soon, I see how pure love and laughter, and nothing material or superficial at all, fill their lives every single day.

8. JC Intal

My best friend, best enemy, and best sweetheart.

He has called me his "sweetheart, confidante, and best friend" and he is all that to me as well. Its so comforting to know that after a long, tiring, difficult day at work, you have someone to talk to to share your feelings with, to laugh with, to embrace, and everything becomes better. In the same way that when you wake up in the morning, you have that extra purpose to get up and go on. I am thankful and I feel very blessed to have this kind, kind soul in my life.

9. Ofel Malasmas Gonzalez

Our latest family photo, first time we were all together for Christmas in 9 years.

My mom is 65, does not look it at all, despite having been through it ALL. When I look at how strong my brother and sister are, I know they got it from my mother. Just this 2013, a new chapter of her life unfolded and she fearlessly decided to go for it and see what life still has to offer for her. It gives me so much joy to see her so happy with her apos Roco and Sabine, and it is my fervent wish that God surprises her with a special someone to take care of her, and for her to take care of, this 2014.

10. Aissa Gonzalez

Aissa with our super lovable godkids Sabine and Roco.

My sister never ceases to amaze me. If some people say they are impressed by what I do, the answer is, "wait til you meet my sister." She is the bravest, most adventurous, fearless, most creative, and kindest soul I know. She is on her 3rd year living in London, has been doing so well, and my wish is that she find a man as amazing as her (with nice blue or green eyes to have the cutest kids ever!?) because no one else deserves it more than she does.

Who are the people of YOUR year?