Lessons in ‘dressing down’ from CNN’s Veronica Pedrosa

I remember Veronica Pedrosa (Mrs. Mark James Phillips), CNN anchor person, everytime I watch (some) local newscasters who have the bad habit of wearing clothes in loud, attention-arresting color, complete with equally distracting accessories, and thus divert you from the news they’re delivering.

At CNN, I remember Veronica saying in a previous interview, "We are trained to ‘dress down,’ with a minimum of accessories, so we won’t distract televiewers’ attention from what they are supposed to focus on – the news." In short, news anchors are there not to flaunt their fashion sense (although necessary, it has to be subdued) but their, well, nose for news.

The next time you watch local newscasts, check out who the "over-dressers" are and who the honest-to-goodness true/real deliverers of the news are. They’re easy to pick out. Try it.

Back to Veronica...

Formerly with ABS-CBN as newscaster, Veronica moved to CNN in the early ’90s, starting as associate producer for the CNN World Report before graduating as news anchor. She left CNN for BBC but moved back to CNN after only several months. And stayed.

She was named Best News Anchor or Presentor by the 2004 Asia Television Awards held in Singapore, beating one nominee from India, one from Singapore, one from CNBC and another guy (Andrew Stevens) from CNN.

Asked what her edge is over the other nominees and other international news anchors, Veronica said modestly, "It’s not for me to say. Ask other people. All I can say," added Veronica who’s one of the few Filipinos at CNN (also including Maria Ressa who’s now also connected with the ABS-CBN News Department), "is that people who work at CNN are among the best in the world. The award was a recognition not only of my own work but of the commitment that CNN has to Asia."

Based in Hong Kong these past few years, Veronica finds the region much more exciting than Atlanta, Georgia, where she used to be detailed.

"I believe that Asia is where things are happening. China has an incredible growth rate and so has India. You know, they talk about the Pacific Century and I believe that this is really where the action is. I’m lucky to be in this part of the world at this time of growth and energy."

Assigned to the evening shift, Veronica arrives at the CNN office at 3 in the afternoon and stays there until 11 p.m. Before she leaves home, she shall have read the papers and regular supply of news magazines (Time, Newsweek, etc.), surfed the Internet, checked the Google News and went over other news sources.

"I must know what’s happening around the world before I go on board," she said.

Still and all, despite her busy work schedule, Veronica sets aside precious time with her and Mark’s two children, one aged 5 and the other two-and-a-half.

Veronica and Mark (who’s from Sydney) were married on June 14, 1997 at an ivy-covered chapel at the Central Azucarera in Nasugbu, Batangas. Mark also works at CNN as cameraman/editor covering usually war-torn spots such as Bosnia.

How did they meet?

"Through the Internet," said Veronica (whose mom, Carmen Navarro-Pedrosa, writes a column for The STAR).

The CNN is such a huge organization that most people working in it don’t really know one another personally.

"(Our romance) started in 1995," recalled Veronica. I have a good friend, Pierre Pairin, a field producer for CNN who worked with Mark in Bosnia. After the war in Bosnia, they started playing ‘mind games’ with each other. There was no more fighting and all the guys were playing ‘mind games.’ They played practical jokes on each other. They were watching me on television and Pierre said, ‘I know that girl. She’s a good friend of mine. Mark couldn’t believe it."

The teasing led to match-making, still via the Internet. And soon, Veronica and Mark became cyber friends. To make a long story short, the "mind games" ended with Veronica and Mark getting together and exchanging "I do’s" not long after.

Some people make beautiful music together (in the case of singers) and others, like Veronica and Mark, make news together and do so right where the action is.

Guardian Angels

Several Funfare readers have been requesting for the list of Guardian Angels to be reprinted. Believe it or not but some readers said that they have named their children after their own guardian angels. So here’s the complete list (better clip it and keep it for posterity), from Who Is Your Guardian Angel? by Veronique Jarry, with the "family" each guardian angel belongs to:

• Jan. 1 to 5 – Nemamiah (Family of Archangels)
• Jan. 6 to 10 – Ieilael (Archangels)
• Jan. 11 to 15 – Harahel (Archangels)
• Jan. 16 to 20 – Mitzrael (Archangels)
• Jan. 21 to 25 – Umabel (Archangels)
• Jan. 26 to 30 – Iahhel (Archangels)
• Jan. 31 to Feb. 4 – Annauel (Archangels)
• Feb. 5 to 9 – Mehriel (Archangels)
• Feb. 10 to 14 – Damabiah (Family of Angels)
• Feb. 15 to 19 – Manakel (Angels)
• Feb. 20 to 24 – Eiael (Angels)
• Feb. 25 to 29 – Habuiah (Angels)
• March 1 to 5 – Rochel (Angels)
• March 6 to 10 – Jabamiah (Angels)
• March 11 to 15 – Haiaiel (Angels)
• March 16 to 20 – Mumiah (Angels)
• March 21 to 25 – Vehuiah (Family of Seraphims)
• March 26 to 30 – Jeliel (Seraphims)
• March 31 to April 4 – Sitael (Seraphims)
• April 5 to 9 – Elemiah (Seraphims)
• April 10 to 14 – Mahasiah (Seraphims)
• April 15 to 20 – Lelahel (Seraphims)
• April 21 to 25 – Achaiah (Seraphims)
• April 26 to 30 – Cahethel (Seraphims)
• May 1 to 5 – Haziel (Family of Cherubims)
• May 6 to 10 – Aladiah (Cherubims)
• May 11 to 15 – Lauviah (Cherubims)
• May 16 to 20 – Hahaiah (Cherubims)
• May 21 to 25 – Ieiazel (Cherubims)
• May 26 to 31 – Mebahel (Cherubims)
• June 1to 5 – Hariel (Cherubims)
• June 6 to 10 – Hakamiah (Cherubims)
• June 11 to 15 – Lauviah (Family of Thrones)
• June 16 to 21 – Caliel (Thrones)
• June 22 to 26 – Leuviah (Thrones)
• June 27 to July 1 – Pahaliah (Thrones)
• July 2 to 6 – Nelchael (Thrones)
• July 7 to 11 – Ieiaiel (Thrones)
• July 12 to 16 – Melahel (Thrones)
• July 17 to 22 – Hahuiah (Thrones)
• July 23 to 27 – Nithaiah (Family of Dominations)
• July 28 to Aug. 1 – Haaiah (Dominations)
• Aug. 2 to 6 – Ierathel (Dominations)
• Aug. 7 to 12 – Seehiah (Dominations)
• Aug. 13 to 17 – Reiiel (Dominations)
• Aug. 18 to 22 – Omael (Dominations)
• Aug. 23 to 28 – Lecabel (Dominations)
• Aug. 29 to Sept. 2 – Vasariah (Dominations)
• Sept. 3 to 7 – Iehuiah (Family of Powers)
• Sept. 8 to 12 – Lehahiah (Powers)
• Sept. 13 to 17 – Chavakiah (Powers)
• Sept. 18 to 23 – Menadel (Powers)
• Sept. 24 to 28 – Aniel (Powers)
• Sept. 29 to Oct. 3 – Haamiah (Powers)
• Oct. 4 to 8 – Rehael (Powers)
• Oct. 9 to 13 – Ihiazel (Powers)
• Oct. 14 to 18 – Hahahel (Family of Virtues)
• Oct. 19 to 23 –Mikael (Virtues)
• Oct. 24 to 28 – Vevaliah (Virtues)
• Oct. 29 to Nov. 2 – Ielahiah (Virtues)
• Nov. 3 to 7 – Sealiah (Virtues)
• Nov. 8 to 12 – Ariel (Virtues)
• Nov. 13 to 17 – Asaliah (Virtues)
• Nov. 18 to 22 – Mihael (Virtues)
• Nov. 23 to 27 – Vehuel (Family of Principalities)
• Nov. 28 to Dec. 2 – Daniel (Principalities)
• Dec. 3 to 7 – Hahaziah (Principalities)
• Dec. 8 to 12 –Imamiah (Principalities)
• Dec. 13 to 16 – Nanael (Principalities)
• Dec. 17 to 21 – Nithael (Principalities)
• Dec. 22 to 26 – Mebahiah (Principalities)
• Dec. 27 to 31 – Poiel (Principalities)

Fr. Corsie’s healing sked

Here’s Fr. Corsie’s healing schedule for the month of June.

• Today, 1 to 5 p.m. at Don Bosco Parish, Sta. Rosa, Laguna

• June 8, Wednesday, 1 to 5 p.m., at the Coming Home Retreat & Meditation Center, Binakayan, Cavite

• June 10, Friday, 1 to 5 p.m., at the Coming Home Retreat & Meditation Center, Binakayan, Cavite

• June 15, Wednesday, 1 to 5 p.m., at the Coming Home Retreat & Meditation Center, Binakayan, Cavite

• June 16, Thursday, 1 to 5 p.m., at Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Harrison St., Pasay City

• June 17, Friday, 1 to 5 p.m., at the Coming Home Retreat & Meditation Center, Binakayan, Cavite

• June 20, Monday, 1 to 5 p.m., at the Coming Home Retreat & Meditation Center, Binakayan, Cavite.

(For further inquiries, call 046-434-8759 or 046-878-0069 and look for Richard, 1 to 7 p.m., Monday to Friday.) * * * E-mail reactions at [email protected]