On November 18, long-serving broadcast host Mel Tiangco revealed to the press that co-news anchor Noli de Castro checked up on her when she stopped appearing in the evening news program 24 Oras during the pandemic.
“Tinawagan ako ni Noli De Castro, ha. ‘Hoy, Carmela. Ano ka ba. Bakit nandyan ka? Bakit hindi ka pumapasok?’ Kala niya may sakit ako.” she narrated.
Tiangco continued, “Sabi ko, ‘Hindi. Wala akong sakit. Bakit nga ba ikaw ang pumapasok?’”
Despite the time when live-production got halted, the multi-awarded news anchor learned that the other network got allowed to go to work as long as they secured a special permit.
She recalled, “Sabi niya, ‘Eh samin, bubuo lang naman ng special permit. Kumuha ka na. Papayagan ka non.”
According to Tiangco, de Castro emphasized their role as journalists, “Sabi niya, ‘yung profession daw namin, papayagan.”
The Magpakailanman host disclosed that it had been roughly three-six months when she was asked not to come in for work to adhere to the protocols.
“Tatlong buwan ako walang trabaho, ako ang naiinip. Gusto ko na pumasok. Hindi ko na kaya ‘yung nasa bahay lang,” Tiangco recounted.
“Actually, it was six months–three months in 2020 and three months in 2021. Hindi ako pinapapasok.”
However, the 24 Oras anchor tried to find the silver lining during the time she was on lockdown, she joked, “Pero sa bagay, natututo ako mag Netflix. Ang galing ko na mag Netflix ngayon.”
The Philippine television drama anthology show, Magpakailanman, hosted by Tiangco, currently celebrates its 20th anniversary on the air.
