Always a step ahead

 DZMM anchor-reporter Anthony Taberna thrives best in covering political controversies and scandals.

At the height of the NBN-ZTE scandal last February, Anthony got a scoop when he did a live phone interview with Violet “Vicky” Lozada at a time when the whereabouts of her husband Jun was uncertain and amidst reports that Jun was allegedly kidnapped by the police.

He later learned from Jun that his handlers had panicked when they heard Vicky crying on air. That interview apparently helped save the life of the NBN-ZTE whistleblower.

“When Jun saw me covering a rally in Makati City, he stopped and told me, ‘If not for you, I’m dead,’” he said.

Knowing how his work has made an impact on society and changed people’s lives gives Anthony the satisfaction in being a broadcast journalist. In 2005, he scored a coup by being the first reporter to air the controversial Garci tape.

“We took the gamble and I am thankful to my bosses Angelo Palmones and Peter Musngi who agreed to air it. Three hours after I aired the Garci tape, Malacañang came out saying it has two CDs in its possession. If we didn’t air it, the public would not have known about it,” he said.

Anthony’s achievements and influence have not gone unnoticed. This year, he was chosen as the recipient of Benigno S. Aquino Jr. Fellowship for Professional Development for Journalism by the Embassy of the United States of America.

ABS-CBN news stalwarts who are past recipients of the prestigious study grant include Tina Monzon Palma, Cheche Lazaro and Marites Vitug.

Anthony will join journalists from other countries in a US study tour in August to exchange views and gain insights that will be of lasting use to them.

“I was surprised and humbled when I got the news,” he said. “It will be the best time for journalists to visit the US this year because of the presidential elections.”

Anthony had been selected to participate in the International Visitors Program of the US last year but had to turn it down because of the launching of Umagang Kayganda, wherein he hosts the daily opinion segment Punto por Punto.

This year, DZMM station manager Angelo Palmones of DZMM and ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs head Maria Ressa have allowed him to join the study tour.

Anthony has become ubiquitous in Philippines households as he is heard on DZMM doing live reports, giving the time in Hokkien dialect, and hosting two radio programs daily. He is also seen on DZMM TeleRadyo when he is on board. He starts his day at 3:30 a.m. and ends work at 9 p.m.

“My wife has somehow adjusted to my lifestyle. She understands the nature of my work since she belongs to the same profession,” said Anthony, who married Net 25 newscaster Rossel Velasco last January.

Anthony started his career in broadcasting as an intern writing news for DZEC in 1992. He joined DZMM in 1997 and became the youngest Radyo Patrol reporter at that time.

He has come full circle as a reporter after covering Malacañang, Congress, Supreme Court, Defense, police and other important assignments. He got his first break as a radio anchor in 2000 via the weekend program Ito Ang Radyo Patrol and later, the daily early morning radio show Gising Pilipinas that was also shown on ANC.

In 2003, Dos por Dos was created on DZMM with Anthony and Gerry Baja hosting the 30-minute political commentary program that calls a spade a spade, interviews the newsmakers and ends with the anchors’ own stand on the issue.

“They took a gamble by putting us on morning primetime and the gamble paid off,” said Anthony.

To date, Dos por Dos is one of the top-rating radio programs in primetime morning and the No. 1  program in its timeslot. The program has earned a good following. Both Anthony and Gerry live up to the title of their programs as hard-hitting commentators who are forthright with their comments, direct with their questions and honest with their opinions. No wonder public officials and listeners either love them or hate them.

“While we receive many favorable text comments, we also read the negative ones, including derogatory remarks. We take it in stride,” he said. “People like our program because they feel like they are listening to a conversation and banter between friends. We use simple terms and develop our own editorial spontaneously at the end of the program. Nothing is scripted.”

Because of the program’s success, DZMM turned it into a one-hour program in the morning and later came up with an afternoon edition aired every 5:30 p.m. As one of the few young radio journalists, Anthony hopes to give a voice to the Filipino youth.

“We know that AM radio listeners are not young. We hope to attract young listeners and represent them through our program, which some describe it as satirical because of the way we deliver our punches. We want to encourage the young to think big and speak out,” he said.

Anthony considers himself a radio man and sees himself staying in broadcast journalism despite offers for him to join the political fray.

“I will be able to serve the public better by being in the media as a watchdog,” he said.