Broadcast journalist Pia Arcangel has had many memorable assignments throughout her years-long media career.
But when asked which one stands out, as difficult as it is to choose, she goes back to that fateful late September in 2009.
"I remember when Ondoy hit Manila. I was on my way to the studio to anchor Balitanghali when the rain first started to really pour," Pia tells PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) in an email interview.
"As the newscast progressed, we began to see the effects of the downpour on different parts of Metro Manila.
"We all stayed in the studio and mounted a special newscast later in the day.
"That was the first time I experienced anchoring a special news coverage, and I learned the importance of tying stories together and contextualizing stories not just from the field, as I had done in the past, but also from the studio."
Pia’s constant drive to learn has served her well throughout the years, beginning with her early days watching intently from the sidelines as a wide-eyed courtside reporter.
HOW SPORTS PREPARED PIA ARCANGEL FOR THE GRIND
Pia got her start in media as one of the pioneering courtside reporters for the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) during Season 63 in 2000, which aired on ABS-CBN's Studio 23.
She served as the courtside reporter for the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles seniors basketball team, delivering huddle insights, locker-room stories, injury updates, and other team and player-related information to viewers.
Being a courtside reporter, while surely fun and exciting, is no easy task.
To begin with, they have only a few seconds to deliver their report during the game, requiring them to share information—such as coaches’ instructions or key quotes— clearly and concisely.
In a 2012 interview, Pia confided that, although she was fond of watching UAAP games as a student, she was reluctant at first to try out for the role, saying, "I wasn’t that confident of my basketball knowledge."
Looking back on the experience, Pia remarked: "Usually, when you’re from the media, players feel like they have to keep secrets from you. But when you’re a courtside reporter, they treat you as part of the team. They’re very welcoming.”
But more importantly, the gig exposed the Ateneo AB Communications graduate to the intricacies of news reporting in a friendly yet intense environment of competitive sports.
Pia learned how crucial it is for reporters and journalists, in general, to keep their emotions in check and stay neutral to ensure fairness.
She learned this firsthand after Ateneo squandered its twice-to-beat advantage against Far Eastern University in the playoffs that season, derailing the school’s hopes of competing for a championship.
“I remember it was so hard for me to interview the players after that because everyone was so heartbroken, including us. I was a young journalist, so to speak, and I didn’t know yet how to separate emotions from actual coverage, so it was a difficult thing for me to do," recalled Pia.
She then noted: "I remember Sev Sarmienta, who is a sportscaster and was also my professor, would always say that sports is really the greatest training for news because it has all the same elements.
“You have to be factual, you have to not be biased; the elements of coverage are the same, but in sports, the pressure is not yet as high—there’s more elbow room in sports, so it’s the perfect place to start."
MOVING UP THE LADDER
Armed with knowledge and experience from her UAAP stint, Pia moved to GMA Network to pursue her dream of being a news reporter.
Since joining the Kapuso network in 2002, Pia has been seen in the programs Unang Hirit, Balitanghali, and currently on 24 Oras Weekend and Saksi.
A dedicated journalist, Pia understands the importance of showing up daily to work prepared and in the loop with the national issues hogging the headlines.
Given that Saksi airs late at night each day, Pia makes it a point to watch the early news programs to stay informed about events from the previous hours.
The challenge for the team and the anchors is finding ways to present new information and updates that give the news a fresh perspective.
"In the past, we were focused mainly on providing news recaps and summaries of events that had happened during the day.
"But these days, with news that is more accessible throughout the day with the help of social media, viewers already know what's happening or what has happened even before the newscast airs," Pia reasoned.
"So what the viewers need at night isn't so much just a recap anymore—what they need is a clearer understanding of the news of the day."
Incidentally, Saksi celebrated its 30th anniversary in October this year, a milestone that witnessed key moments in the nation's history as presented by some of the country's esteemed broadcast journalists, including Karen Davila, Mel Tiangco, Luchi Cruz-Valdez, and Mike Enriquez, to name a few.
Pia is honored to follow in the footsteps of these media luminaries and to help carry forward the legacy of Saksi.
"There’s still so much to do and to learn," said Pia, not resting on her laurels.
"The landscape of journalism constantly changes, and we have to stay on our toes and keep up."
A PROUD KAPUSO
Pia's range as a journalist is broad—from producing documentaries to covering politics, crime, breaking news, sports stories, and anchoring news programs.
And her hard work had not gone unnoticed.
Pia's local and international broadcast journalism awards include Best Female Anchor from Gawad Tanglaw and the Best Female Anchor and Female News Personality of the Year from the Platinum Stallion National Media Awards, among others.
She was also shortlisted in the Presenter of the Year category at the 2024 Association for International Broadcasting Awards (AIBs), joining the company of respected journalists from international outlets such as ABC, CNA (Mediacorp), and Al Jazeera English.
Pia was also nominated in the same category in 2023 for her GMA Integrated News podcast Power Talks, an avenue she hopes to explore further as more people turn online to consume information and entertainment.
It came as no surprise that GMA Network renewed its ties with the award-winning broadcast journalist last August.
“Ano man ang audience, basta mayroong may pangangailangan, may bumabagay. Siya [Pia] bagay sa lahat. When there is a special event or special coverage—maging eleksyon iyan o maging sa Buckingham Palace—si Pia.
"Maging audience ngayon sa digital o audience sa telebisyon—si Pia.
"Maging Tunay na Buhay, Art Angel—si Pia. Kaya’t isa akong tagahanga ni Pia," GMA Network President and CEO Gilberto R. Duavit, Jr. said in a statement.
The network executive added: "At nagpapasalamat sa pagkakataon na pasalamatan ka dahil isa kang ehemplo ng tunay at inaasam-asam na Kapuso.
"You are the ideal, you personify it, you exemplify [it], and you make us all proud. We are very grateful na minabuti mong manatiling Kapuso."
Pia understands the enormous responsibility placed on her shoulders as her credentials and reputation continue to grow in an industry that has changed significantly over the past years and now faces greater challenges brought about by misinformation.
She said: "I think it's great that news can be reported and delivered faster because of social media, but this also means that people who consume news on social media must be more careful in sifting through the news."
While the landscape of journalism has shifted drastically, Pia believes that the core values journalists should adhere to remain the same then and now.
"I always remind them [aspiring reporters and journalism students] that they have to put in the hours, and put in the hard work," said Pia
"Journalism is a tough profession, and it requires grit and determination."
And what is she most grateful for in her career as a media personality?
"I am thankful for a purpose-driven job—I’m also grateful that I had the opportunity to get into this line of work, and that more than twenty years later, I’m still doing it."