Mel Tiangco

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Carmela Corro Tiangco-Cornejo, popularly known as Mel Tiangco (born August 10, 1955), is a Filipino television newscaster and television host, one of the news pillars of GMA Network and a multi-awarded news anchor.

Biography[]

Tiangco was born on August 10, 1955 in Pilar, Bataan to her parents Arsenio Tiangco, Sr. and Florencia Corro.

After graduating from De La Salle University, she became one of the leading presenters in Philippine television journal programmes. She first gained fame by being one of the original anchors of ABS-CBN's flagship newscast TV Patrol from 1987 to 1995. Currently, Tiangco co-anchors GMA Network's evening newscast, 24 Oras with Mike Enriquez and since 2014 Vicky Morales. She was also the host of the weekly drama anthology Magpakailanman and a co-host for talk show Mel & Jay with fellow journalist Jay Sonza, and Mel & Joey with comedian-TV host-writer Joey de Leon.

She is involved in philanthropic work at the GMA Kapuso Foundation, the network's socio-civic arm. Tiangco served as the foundation's Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer until April 2016.

She is the mother of Wency Cornejo, a musician best known as the lead vocalist of Philippine rock band AfterImage (active in the 1990s). Her three other children^[2] are Ana Teresa, Melanie and Jose Miguel.

Suspension incident[]

Tiangco transferred to GMA Network after she was suspended for three years without pay from her former network ABS-CBN over her appearance in a Tide advertisement allegedly without her former network's knowledge. The move was in compliance to an internal company rule which prohibits news personalities from endorsing brands. According to , this is universally enforced in all print and broadcast media worldwide and is meant to avoid any suspicions of bias or favoritism.^[3]

A year later ABS-CBN filed a lawsuit against Tiangco, Jay Sonza, and GMA Network at Quezon City Regional Trial Court, but on June 26, 1998 the court declared the respondents' cancellation of contracts to their former network as valid and that GMA Network had no hand over their decision to transfer. ABS-CBN brought the case to the Court of Appeals, which upheld the lower court's decision in August 6, 2003. According to GMA Network, the network's act of suspension to Tiangco without solid proof and legal basis is a grave breach of contract, and supports her termination of the contract. ABS-CBN later took it to the Supreme Court, which then junked their appeal in 2011 "for failure to sufficiently show any reversible error in the decision of the Court of Appeals." The Supreme Court decision added: "There was no evidence that GMA had enticed Mel and Jay to break away from ABS-CBN because when the two transferred to GMA, they have already rescinded their agreements with ABS-CBN."^[3]

Despite the issue, Tiangco garnered support from the public. In the anniversary press conference for her show Magpakailanman on February 18, 2013, she said that she has already forgiven her former network. While she likened her experience in her former network similar to a cockroach being trampled on, she stated that she has already moved on from the suspension incident as she felt "vindicated" by her accomplishments in her current network and her program's success in the Philippine television.^[3]

Television Programs[]

Awards[]

2013[]

• Edukcircle MOPIP TV Awards^[5]

2012[]

• Anak TV Makabata Hall of Famers Award
• People of the Year, People Asia Magazine

2008[]

• Most Outstanding Female News Presenter, COMGUILD Center for Journalism

2006[]

• Most Outstanding Female News Presenter of the Year, COMGUILD Center for Journalism

2004[]

• Outstanding Broadcast Journalist & Social Servant, Gusi Peace Prize Award
• Outstanding Host for Partners Mel & Jay, 1st Golden Screen Awards for Television
• Woman of Distinction Award, Soroptimist International

2002[]

• Best Talk Show/Program Host-TV, Partners Mel & Jay, 12th KBP Golden Dove Awards
• Best Female Newscaster, Frontpage, Star Awards for Television
• Outstanding Citizen of Quezon City for Mass Media

2001[]

• Paralegal ng Bayan Awardee, 16th Huwarang Pilipino Award for Media & Journalism
• He & She (HAS) Club Awardee, Outstanding Woman of Bataan
• Woman of Distinction Award, Soroptimist International
• Best Female Newscaster, Star Awards for Television
• Best Female Broadcaster for Television, KBP Golden Dove Awards

2000[]

• Trailblazer Award, Outstanding Alumna, St. Theresa’s College

1998[]

• Finalist, Asian Television Awards, Singapore
• Ka Doroy Broadcaster of the Year Award, KBP Golden Dove Awards

1996[]

• Finalist, New York International TV Festival, Mel & Jay, TV Host

1995-1997[]

• Best Female Newscaster, Star Awards for Television

1994[]

• Presidential Awardee, Best Non-Government Organization in Public Service, Armed Forces of the Philippines
• Presidential Awardee, First Media People’s Award
• Best Magazine Talk Show Host, Star Awards for Television
• Best Female Newscaster, Star Awards for Television
• Best Female Celebrity Talk show host, Star Awards for Television

1994-1995[]

• Gintong Ina Awardee, Single Parent of the Year, Golden Mother & Father Foundation

1994[]

• Commendation: Humanitarian Concern, House Resolution No. 35-Series 1995, House of Representatives, Republic of the Philippines
• Lifetime Achievement Award, ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp.
• Gintong Ina Awardee, Celebrity Mother of the Year, Golden Mother & Father Foundation, Inc.

1990-1996[]

• Best Female Television Talkshow Host, Star Awards for Television, Philippine Movie Press Club (Hall of Fame)

1990-1993[]

• Pinakamahusay na Programa sa Telebisyon, Gawad Cultural Center of the Philippines Awards for TV, Mel & Jay

1990-1996[]

• Best Female Newscaster, Star Awards for Television, Philippine Movie Press Club

1991-1992[]

• Broadcast Journalism Award, Public Service on Radio (Mel & Jay DZMM), Rotary Club of Manila
• TOWNS Awardee, The Outstanding Women in Nation Service (Public Service & Journalism)

1990[]

• Presidential Medallion, Presidential Awardee for Work for the Welfare of the Disabled, Apolinario Mabini Award

1988, 1990[]

• Best Female Newscaster, Star Awards for Television, Philippine Movie Press Club.

References[]