Mel Tiangco

Born

1955-08-10

Birthplace

Bataan, Philippines

Biography

Carmela "Mel" Corro Tiangco (Tagalog pronunciation: [ˈtʃaŋkɔ]) is a Filipino television newscaster and television host. She is one of the news pillars of GMA News and Public Affairs and a multi-awarded news anchor. After graduating from De La Salle University, she became one of the leading presenters in Philippine television journal programs. Tiangco's media career began in the last years of Marcos presidency. She began in broadcasting when she was hired by government-owned MBS-4 as a newscaster after being discovered in an audition in RPN-9 by its network's news director Edwin Fargas. After the People Power Revolution in 1986, the former did not renew the workers' contracts. Meanwhile, she began in radio through DZXL of Radio Mindanao Network. She joined ABS-CBN Corporation for a decade since 1986 — at that time, the network was newly-resurrected and the station shared the same building with Channel 4 which later moved to its present site. Working first at DZMM, with Jay Sonza, they later hosted the program Mel and Jay, which later had its television counterpart, a Sunday talk show, since 1989. Meanwhile, she co-anchored the network's primetime newscast Balita Ngayon; and gained fame being one of the original anchors of the replacement program TV Patrol, which was premiered in 1987. As Tiangco and Sonza transferred to GMA Network in 1996, they continued being the duo through the television program, yet renamed as Partners: Mel and Jay, and a program in DZBB-AM. In 2004, as Sonza sought for his failed senatorial bid, Tiangco went solo, and later hosted Mel & Joey with Joey de Leon. Tiangco became the anchor for flagship newscasts; first being part of Saksi in 1996. She became the first solo anchorwoman for Frontpage: Ulat ni Mel Tiangco, a nightly newscast which premiered in 1999. She was the first to conduct exclusive interviews in 2001, especially of former president Joseph Estrada in the beginning of his detention in Camp Crame, and of his successor Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo upon her declaration of state of rebellion following a a siege near Malacañang. She has co-anchoring 24 Oras since its premiere in 2004. Tiangco also currently hosts a weekly drama anthology Magpakailanman, whose first incarnation premiered in 2002. Tiangco was also a co-host for public affairs show Sanib Puwersa with Arnold Clavio. She also hosted Powerhouse from 2011 to 2013 on GMA News TV. Even prior to being part of GMA, Tiangco has been involved in public service and philanthropic acts. While in GMA, she served as the executive director of the network's public service arm Bisig Bayan; in 2002, she became part of the GMA Kapuso Foundation, the socio-civic arm, where she served as the executive vice president and chief operating officer (until April 2016).