NOLI DE CASTRO:  THE PINOY DREAM

MANILA, April 29,  2004  (STAR) By JOSE RODEL CLAPANO - In a country where almost 80 percent of the people live in poverty, where there is a big gap between the rich and the poor, where opportunities appear to be less for the less fortunate, one could easily stop dreaming and simply accept one's fate.

But Sen. Noli de Castro, running mate of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, went against the odds to achieve the Filipino dream.

Orphaned of his father at 10, De Castro helped his mother Nene raise his five siblings. Despite the hardships, De Castro continued his studies until he graduated with a degree in Bachelor of Commerce major in Banking and Finance from the University of the East (UE).

In 1976, De Castro worked as a field reporter for Johnny de Leon, a popular radio announcer at the time. De Castro later became a radio announcer in RPN's DWW from 1982 to February 1986. He joined ABS-CBN when it resumed operations in 1986, after the ouster of dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

De Castro made waves as an anchorman of DZMM, the radio station of ABS-CBN. It was in the program that he got his popular nickname, Kabayan.

In 1999, De Castro was promoted to vice president of DZMM and as overall head of production of TV Patrol, a popular television news program. DZMM achieved top ratings under De Castro's watch.

De Castro also anchored Magandang Umaga from 1987 to June 1998; Overseas Unlimited in 1988; and worked as a segment host for Good Morning Philippines from October to December 1986. De Castro then hosted Magandang Gabi Bayan (MGB), aired every Saturday night.

As a radio and television host, De Castro acted as an effective link between poor Filipinos and government offices. He was instrumental in the repatriation of many troubled Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), assisted indigent patients and helped missing persons be reunited with their families.

As executive anchor of both MGB and TV Patrol, De Castro exposed numerous instances of corruption, scams and scandals in government, environmental issues and other social concerns that led to an effective and expeditious resolution.

In 2001, De Castro topped the senatorial elections, garnering more than 16 million votes, the highest ever in the history of Philippine politics.

De Castro told PEOPLE Asia that he is extremely grateful to the Filipino people for their continued support and confidence in his leadership.

He admitted, however, that despite consistently topping vice presidential surveys conducted by reputable survey groups such as the Social Weather Stations (SWS) and Pulse Asia, he still needs to reach out to the people to present his programs.

"Even as I consistently topped the surveys, this does not mean that the election for vice president is already over. I still continue to reach out to the people and present to them my programs so they may be enlightened about my plans should I be elected as vice president," De Castro said.

De Castro urged the Filipino voters to take the time to know the vice presidential candidates more.

"Although everyone is entitled to his own opinion about the candidates in this year's elections, I just hope that these people take the time to research and find out who I really am and what I have accomplished for our people. I was brought up by my mother to be modest at all times. Thus, unlike other politicians, I rarely solicit media attention for my accomplishments as a private person and as a senator," De Castro said.

De Castro defended himself from his detractors' claims that he wasn't intelligent enough to be the next vice president of the country.

"If the capability to lead the country (is being questioned), I am a college graduate from a good university. As a journalist, I can consider myself as successful in the field," De Castro said.

De Castro said that he would not have been promoted vice president of ABS-CBN, the biggest broadcast company in the country, "If I am not effective and have no capability to lead."

"As a senator, I am one of those first-termers who have a long list of Senate bills that were filed and passed. That is why the claims that I have no capability and credentials to be the vice president of the country are baseless," De Castro pointed out.

De Castro said that he agreed to be the running mate of President Arroyo because he believes in the Chief Executive.

"I know President Arroyo as an efficient and hardworking president. I feel that we should give her a national mandate of her own and a full term to finish what she has started and follow through her initial accomplishments," De Castro said.

In a telephone interview, DZMM's station manager Angelo Palmones described De Castro as a hardworking radio and television journalist.

"We started working with each other in 1986 with me as his station manager in DZMM. He comes to the office about 5:30 a.m. He never comes late for work. He was promoted to vice president of DZMM, while I remained as station manager," Palmones said.

Palmones said that despite his numerous achievements and his present status as executive of DZMM and Channel 2, De Castro never changed.

"He is the same Noli Kabayan that I used to know. He keeps his feet on the ground. I used to be his substitute as anchor in DZMM," Palmones said.

In a separate telephone interview, newscaster Ces Drilon agreed with Palmones that De Castro has maintained a low profile despite his achievements.

"He stands out for having his feet on the ground. He is still the same guy (Kabayan) from before. He is dedicated to his work and to his craft," Drilon said.

Drilon said that despite his hectic schedule and the pressures that they encounter on and off camera, De Castro finds time to crack jokes. She said that De Castro would make a good vice president.

"He always keeps his sense of humor. He is always on top of the situation. He has the leadership," Drilon said.

"I think his edge over his rivals in the vice presidential race (including fellow ABS-CBN broadcaster and Sen. Loren Legarda) is that the masses can identify with him. He has a strong mass following," Drilon added.

For his part, Sen. Joker Arroyo, one of De Castro's colleagues in the Senate's so-called "Wednesday Group," said, "Before we were elected to the Senate, I had a sketchy knowledge of Noli De Castro, the leading broadcast journalist. However, five of us newly-elected senators, Manuel Villar, Ralph Recto, Francis Pangilinan, De Castro and myself, found ourselves meeting every Wednesday after sessions to discuss matters of public concern, thus the name Wednesday Club," Arroyo said.

Arroyo said that if the surveys would be used as a sole basis, De Castro would be elected vice president over his opponents. He cited that last year, every reputable survey placed De Castro as number one in two categories: for president and vice president.

"Noli weighed in both categories. After a month or two and even as he maintained the top position in both offices in the continuing surveys, he opted to run for vice president. Asked why he did not seek the presidency when it was his for the asking, he answered that he was not ready for it," Arroyo said.

Arroyo added that no one "influenced or pressured" De Castro to make such a decision to run for a higher post, "from our group or from the outside."

"That was his decision and probably concurred in by his wife, Arlene. That decision sums up Noli's personality. That after two years in the Senate, he was humble enough to acknowledge that he could not yet lay claim to the presidency. In short, one should aspire only for a position na kaya mo," Arroyo said. Arroyo said that De Castro is prepared for national office. He said that in De Castro's 20 years in broadcast media, he was not just a newsreader, contrary to the claim made earlier by fellow broadcast journalist Jay Sonza, who is running for senator.

Arroyo said that since De Castro did his work as a television and radio journalist in the morning and in the afternoon every day of the week, he learned a lot from his public interaction with him, "an education and experience no college could give."

"Noli's ears were cupped to the ground and over the years he responded to matters of public interest. Noli can hack it. People mistake his modesty and disinclination for fanfare as indications of immaturity for public office, which is not the case," Arroyo explained.

For his part, Villar defended De Castro over his detractors' claims that the latter lacked the necessary intelligence to become the next vice president. "He was a broadcaster, totoong tao siya and a college graduate. He is number one in broadcasting. He is a very supportive individual. He will be a good vice president," Villar said.