#StridingStrong
The life, the work, and the thinking of Alexander Duca.
ABS-CBN’s Hadji Rieta Now A Kapuso
Hindi lang sa mga celebrity uso ang pagtawid bakod from their previous TV network to another. This phenomenon also happens even with the serious people of News and Public Affairs: Mel Tiangco, transffered from ABS to GMA News. Erwin Tulfo from ABS to TV5, Aljo Bendijo from ABS to IBC 13, Karen Davila from GMA to ABS, Cheryl Cossim from ABS to TV5, and more. Considering these cases, it is not surprising to know what Al Hadjie Rieta did.
Al Hadjie Rieta is a former News Anchor of TV Patrol Laoag of ABS-CBN Northern Luzon. I met Al Hadj at the 1st I-witness Docuseminar held in SM Megamall on 2008 when he was still a student of Mass Communication in Northwestern University. Undeniably, he is a smart, dynamic and a proactive person.
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| Me and Al Hadj at the 1st I-Witness Docuseminar wayback 2008 |
I can remember him talking to almost everybody in the event. He was very active with the discussions and activities prepared by the I-witness hosts. I can see his energy and passion towards news and public affairs, that’s why I wasn’t surprised when one day I saw him on a regional TV doing a live news telecast.
On an interview with Media Newser Philippines, a leading weblog delivering news and opinions about the Philippine TV News industry, Al Hadj said that GMA had offered him an oppurtunity to be a national reporter. He said,
“I transferred to GMA-7 because there was an opportunity for me to be a national reporter. Lahat naman pangarap ito kaya when I learned na puwede I grabbed it already. ABS-CBN did offered me a national job, but I have to wait, eh ang GMA-7 ito na inaantay lang ako na mag-yes.”
He mentioned that he initially tried to apply in GMA News before, so as I supposed, it wasn’t really difficult for him to accept the offer since it appeared technically that his first preferrence is to work with Kapuso Network. His facebook became clamoured with different opinions from his “followers” about his decision in changing his news tribe. One of them posted,
“Sana hinintay nlang niya na mging national reporter s ABS-CBN..tama si ma’am eli, ang mga Pinoy ‘d mrunong mkontento. Palipat-lipat gaya ng mga artista. Ba’t di nila kyang mghintay? Suportahan nlang natin siya. He is an anchor/reporter in TV Patrol Ilocos and an Iglesia Ni Cristo member. “
When he was asked about working with the rival network ABS, he said,
“Nandun yung pakiramdam na nahihiya ka kasi siyempre sila yung unang nag-train sayo, pero ganun talaga eh. I compete sa trabaho naman, not personally.”
I’m lucky Al Hadj granted me a brief interview this evening about joining the Kapuso News Team.
Anong masasabi mo sa opinyon ng ilang tao na ang paglipat mo from ABSCBN Laog to GMA News ay pagpapakita raw ng kawalan ng utang na loob?Sa totoo nga napaka thankful ako sa ABS-CBN dahil ang laki ng itinulong nila para ma build ako. Nakakalungkot lang kasi sinasabi ng iba na walang utang na loob, hindi naman siguro ganoon, from the start naman the management (ABS-CBN Laoag) always reminds us na kung sa tingin namin e gusto namin mag grow i infrom lang namin sila, that’s what I did and they gave me that chance.
What was the initial reaction of ABS-CBN team when you told them that you will be transferring to GMA news?
Nandun yung initial reaksyon na medyo dissappointed pero kalaunan they told me naman na they do respect my decision at masaya sila doon.
Kamusta ang naging adjustment mo on working with the former rival news team?I never thought naman na rival station eh, kasi sa Laoag, ang TV Patrol ang nangunguna when it comes to newscast, so sa akin parang wala naman, kasi nga hindi naman masyadong ramdan doon sa amin yung competion with other TV networks (ABS-CBN – TV5).
Anong blessing or advantage ang dumating sayo in going to Kapuso Network? How about challenges?
Siguro masasabi kong blessing yung natupad yung isa sa mga pangarap ko to be a national reporter at GMA7 pa. The challenges would be yung takbo ng buhay dito sa Manila, I always naghahabol sa oras, yung parang napaka bilis ng oras dito. Although nakakasabay naman.
Whats new with Hadji now that he’s a Kapuso News Correspondent?
New, siguro expect na maging mas mature pa ako sa trabaho.
-end of the interview-
Personally, I don’t see anything wrong here. Transffering to a rival company is often normal to any industry, not unless you’ve signed an agreement with your employer and promised not to do it for certain period after leaving them. As one of the young individuals in the news and public affairs industry, it is still better to get the opportunity while it lasts. The “utang na loob” thing from the people who had helped you gain more knowledge and skills to do the job better should not be an objectional reason to accomplish higher goal and to step up.Afterall I think, Al hadj did his job very well while he’s in the fences of ABS-CBN, so the Kapamilya news team has nothing to object on his choice of leaving from what he can consider as training ground in the actual field.
He added on my interview:
Sana yung mga nagsasabi ng hindi maganda or kung meron man, sana maintindihan nila. Ulitin ko, hindi naman ito isang kawalan ng utang na loob it’s just that isa itong career movement.
Hadjie Rieta envisions to be a part of the I-witness team in the next 5 years. His network debut at GMA Network happened last Friday, June 24 at 24 Oras. You can also see him on other GMA Newscast such as Balitanghali on NewsTV.
To hadjie, goodluck to your new endeavor and more power ka-Iwit! =)
Everybody has the right to seek growth in their line of work. His decision of going “over the bakod” has nothing to do with network rivalry but only for his self growth as a journalist. I think someday he will be one of our multiawarded journalists. Kudos Al Hadjie Rieta! 😀
Thanks reich! =)
Well, sana hindi na lang siya maapektuhan sa mga ‘naiinis’. At least mas bobongga pa siya sa 7. Inggit lang yung iba diyan.
we all aim to move on to higher ground…we keep on searching for other room which we know we could be able to grow the way we want to…nothing is permanent in this world…everyday we are facing a lot of changes in our lives because life itself is a cycle of changes. the question lies in us is that…when we realized our aim, dream and aspirations, what are the impacts in our lives? hope humility will still be there and we still manage to look back where we came from and kept our feet on the ground!
congrats hadj!
HI! muslim ba si Hadji Rieta?? coz his name is hadji and it means a muslim person who perform in the hajj in Makkah, KSA
Bet ko na xa!..
Thank you for the excellent article