The Kapamilya journalist is shifting to Canada to meet a promise to his spouse and spend extra time together with his household
MANILA, Philippines – Henry Omaga-Diaz, one of many 4 anchors of ABS-CBN’s flagship information program, TV Patrol, bid farewell to the present on Friday evening, August 30.
On Friday morning, Omaga-Diaz instructed radio station Radyo 630, previously DZMM TeleRadyo, that he can be returning to Canada to spend time together with his household, who migrated there years in the past.
Omaga-Diaz stated he had lengthy promised his spouse, Gigi, that he would completely be returning to Canada, however saved breaking it.
“‘Oo, subsequent 12 months, uuwi na ko,’ palagi subsequent 12 months…. Matagal na kong nangako, ‘Oo, sasamahan kita diyan.’ Ngayon, tutuparin ko na ‘yung pangako ko sa kanya,” he stated.
(I saved telling her, “Sure, I’m coming residence,” all the time subsequent 12 months. I had lengthy promised her, “Sure, I’ll be with you there.” Now, I’m fulfilling my promise to her.)
Omaga-Diaz, nonetheless, stated he would proceed being a journalist, apparently nonetheless for Kapamilya platforms, in Canada the place there’s a large Filipino neighborhood.
“‘Di na ko araw-araw makikita sa [TV] Patrol, pero ‘di aalis ‘yung pagiging mamamahayag…. ‘Yung gagawin ko do’n ay associated din sa journalism,” he stated.
(I received’t be seen on TV Patrol on a regular basis, however I’ll nonetheless be a journalist. What I’ll be doing there’ll nonetheless be associated to journalism.)
“Pansamantala lang [ito], kailangan ko nang gawin para sa pamilya,” he added.
(That is only a non permanent absence, I simply have to do that for my household.)
Earlier than leaving for Canada on Saturday, August 31, Omaga-Diaz reunited on Friday with former Kapamilya colleague Julius Babao, who now anchors TV5’s flagship information program, Frontline Pilipinas.
Babao recalled working alongside Omaga-Diaz and the late Kapamilya leisure journalist Mario Dumaual, and wished him one of the best within the subsequent chapter of his life in Canada.
“It’s Henry Omaga Diaz’ final day on TV Patrol. He will probably be leaving for Canada tomorrow to start a brand new life there together with his household,” Babao stated on his Instagram.
“Henry and I’m going a good distance. Halos sabay kaming na-assign as police reporter within the Nineteen Nineties and would usually see one another sa mga protection at gimmick midday kasama ang namayapang si Mario Dumaual (We obtained assigned as police reporter nearly on the similar time within the Nineteen Nineties and would usually see one another in protection and gimmicks with the late Mario Dumaual).”
Omaga is Henry’s father’s surname, however he and his siblings adopted their grandfather’s surname, Diaz, because it was his lolo (grandfather) who reared them, he as soon as instructed the late leisure columnist Ricky Lo.
Omaga-Diaz or “Lolo Henry” to these within the ABS-CBN newsroom, has a married son, Niko, in addition to three grandchildren. Niko and his spouse Gela had a civil marriage ceremony ceremony final January within the Philippines.
Omaga-Diaz first grew to become an everyday co-anchor of TV Patrol after his mentor, longtime chief anchor Noli de Castro, left ABS-CBN in 2000 and received a Senate seat in 2001. Omaga-Diaz co-anchored the information program till 2003.
He was changed when anchors Ted Failon, Karen Davila, and Julius Babao teamed up for TV Patrol, however returned as co-anchor in October 2020, rather than Failon, who joined TV5 after the Duterte administration shut down ABS-CBN’s broadcast enterprise in Might 2020.
ABS-CBN thereafter grew to become obtainable solely on-line and on cable tv and has since pivoted into being a content material supplier for numerous platforms.
TV Patrol, nonetheless, is now again on free tv and radio, significantly on former Senate president Manny Villar’s AMBS Channel 2, and on Home Speaker Martin Romualdez’s digital channel Prime TV.
“Ang motivation ko lamang ay ‘yung makapag-serbisyo sa tao. Kahit na lumiit ‘yung platform, ang importante eh nakakapag-connect kami sa mga tao na naniniwala pa rin sa tunay na pagbabalita,” Omaga-Diaz stated of his return to TV Patrol in 2020 after 17 years.
(My solely motivation is to serve the general public. Though our information platform is now smaller, what’s vital is to have the ability to join with individuals who nonetheless imagine in real reporting.)
“He’s all the time been a no-frills, no-nonsense, old style reporter; it’s no shock that he’s returning to our flagship information program,” then-ABS-CBN Information chief Ging Reyes stated.
Omaga-Diaz began his journalism profession in 1979 within the Roman Catholic station Radio Veritas the place he labored for 10 years earlier than becoming a member of ABS-CBN’s radio station DZMM as a area reporter in 1991. He has been a Kapamilya ever since. – Rappler.com
