Live Blog: 2017 ASEAN Summit on ANC (Part III)

The 2017 ASEAN Summit is up and running, as heads of ASEAN nations as well as other world dignitaries converge to discuss various political issues that affect both their countries and the world. At around the same time, the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit also takes place, focusing on business concerns surrounding the ASEAN region.

The ABS-CBN News Channel and CNN Philippines are the primary channels that will cover in detail the ASEAN Summit. For this live blog, I will focus on ANC, so keep refreshing this blog for the latest updates on their coverage.

1:05 p.m.

Let me correct myself. Lunch is actually being served in the ASEAN Summit, but there is no such thing as a lunch break. In short, the show must go on.

1:10 p.m.

While ANC’s coverage of the ASEAN Summit takes a short break, here are the highlights of Karmina Constantino’s conversations with Christian Esguerra, Doris Bigornia and Michelle Ong with regards to news on the event.

#ANCRecap: @IanEsguerra gives a recap of the first few hours of the #ASEAN2017 Summit. pic.twitter.com/DYbXzV4vGz

— ABS-CBN News Channel (@ANCALERTS) November 13, 2017

NOW: @IanEsguerra talks about what to expect from the #ASEAN2017 Summit and Related Meetings. pic.twitter.com/3PNahRmIoj

— ABS-CBN News Channel (@ANCALERTS) November 13, 2017

#ANCRecap: @michelle_d_ong gives updates on the #ASEAN2017 Business and Investment Summit. pic.twitter.com/Dky0ykMsrm

— ABS-CBN News Channel (@ANCALERTS) November 13, 2017

NOW: @DorisBigornia gives updates on the protest against U.S. President Trump's visit to the PH. #ASEAN2017 pic.twitter.com/TRZDy1KLcZ

— ABS-CBN News Channel (@ANCALERTS) November 13, 2017

Some concise reporting on the ASEAN Summit indeed.

And for good measure, here is Cathy Yang’s interview with Joey Concepcion. What a day so far.

Joey Concepcion, Chairman of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council, discusses how balance between MSMEs and large companies can be achieved. pic.twitter.com/DO7ZZWQ3ay

— ABS-CBN News Channel (@ANCALERTS) November 13, 2017

1:25 p.m.

KC and Christian wrap it up. What a day so far.

For the last six or so hours, ANC has had plenty of interviews and reports regarding the ASEAN Summit, and they are not done yet. No wonder they are the premier news channel for the Filipino since 1996.

Their coverage of the ASEAN Summit continues after a few messages. Oh, and KC will still be on board.

1:30 p.m.

A little breather for our friends at ANC while they plug in ‘Executive Class’ with the great David Celdran. This should also serve as their lunch break.

As for this live blog, check back after 30 minutes.

2:00 p.m.

Back to normal it seems for our friends at ANC. The ASEAN 50 title cards are now replaced with ‘normal’ ANC program cards.

KC is still in the studio with the stories making ‘News Now’.

2:15 p.m.

Michelle Ong has been at Solaire since sunrise to bring in the latest in the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit. Every time I get to watch her, I always think of Mimi as ‘cute’ considering her baby-faced looks.

According to her MediaNewser profile, Mimi started out as a weather girl before embarking on a career as a business news reporter. These days, she is either seen at the Philippine Stock Exchange or in various business functions and meetings.

2:35 p.m.

Looks like ‘News Now will last an hour today. In the meantime, Willard Cheng, RG Cruz and Pia Gutierrez filed reports in relation to the ASEAN Summit.

NOW: Leaders are expected to commit to keep peace in the South China Sea, @willardcheng reports. #ASEAN2017 pic.twitter.com/ueBdqvvI5r

— ABS-CBN News Channel (@ANCALERTS) November 13, 2017

#ANCRecap: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau checked out e-jeeps with PWD access, @1rgcruz reports. #ASEAN2017 pic.twitter.com/yZLKzrLPNv

— ABS-CBN News Channel (@ANCALERTS) November 13, 2017

#ANCRecap: @pia_gutierrez gives updates on the bilateral meeting between US President Trump and PH President Duterte. Watch: #ASEAN2017 pic.twitter.com/OUtoPTWgzg

— ABS-CBN News Channel (@ANCALERTS) November 13, 2017

In short, there is plenty of news that may not fit the typical 30 minutes that ‘News Now’ is allotted to. After all, the ASEAN Summit is a very big event.

2:55 p.m.

‘News Now’ is about to wind down. But the ASEAN Summit and the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit are still up and running.

As for KC, she has a long day ahead of her. The 4:00 p.m. edition of ‘The Bureau’ is still to come, and at 7:30 p.m. she will host ‘Talkback’, a show she inherited from journalism icon Tina Monzon-Palma.

3:00 p.m.

KC is still on board, and the ASEAN 50 title cards return. Right now, U.S. President Donald Trump is addressing his subjects at the fifth ASEAN-U.S. Summit.

NOW on ANC: 5th ASEAN-US Summit pic.twitter.com/DaJB7ZGq0W

— ABS-CBN News Channel (@ANCALERTS) November 13, 2017

I won’t be surprised if they keep the ASEAN 50 cards the rest of the afternoon. What a marathon so far.

3:05 p.m. 

I spoke too soon. Anyway, stay tuned for more.

3:10 p.m.

Cathy Yang is still at Solaire, so KC takes care of her show ‘Market Edge’. And she has more guests on tap today.

3:15 p.m.

Cathy is now live on-site, but the boisterousness inside Solaire forced her to carry a hand-held microphone rather than rely on the hands-free lapel mics. Just for convenience’s sake.

Anyway, I expect more guests to come.

3:20 p.m. 

While Cathy is recapping her interviews with Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala and Enrique Razon, I begin my 3:00 p.m. stretch. I can only hope that she still has a lot of energy left after arriving at the venue earlier this morning.

Here she is again, mic on hand.

NOW: @Cathy__Yang gives the latest updates on #ASEAN2017 pic.twitter.com/lE9Y70pB4u

— ABS-CBN News Channel (@ANCALERTS) November 13, 2017

3:30 p.m.

Trading day at the Philippine Stock Exchange is about to end, but so far no mention on the stocks yet due to ASEAN Summit news. I expect some update within the next 30 minutes.

3:35 p.m.

Warren de Guzman has returned to finish the trading day. Sadly, the PSE fell below 8400.

Stocks will still trade tomorrow and Wednesday even as the ASEAN Summit rolls on. With so much trading days lost due to weather or unexpected holiday, the PSE is making up for lost time.

As for Warren, I’m not sure if he will stay at the PSE or change places with Mimi. In any event, find out tomorrow what will happen next.

How are PH shares doing shortly before the close of trade?
@wddeguzman gives updates. #MEWCY pic.twitter.com/Nu5bOpIPyJ

— ABS-CBN News Channel (@ANCALERTS) November 13, 2017

3:45 p.m.

ANC is now airing one of the forums at the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit. If you want to watch all the forums that took place today, visit the GoNegosyo Facebook page.

4:00 p.m.

Technical issues cut short the stream of the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit. Anyway, go to GoNegosyo’s Facebook page to catch the forum in its entirety.

Stay tuned for Part IV.

Advertisement

A New Look for ANC

ANC unveils its new look and logo starting today. (Logo courtesy of ABS-CBN)

The ABS-CBN News Channel has a new look and a refreshed lineup starting today.

Gone is the simple royal blue rhombus and ‘ANC’ in Arial Bold typeface. In its place is a dark blue rhombus and ‘ANC’ in Gotham Bold font. Making it even more unique is that the ‘A’ on the logo is taken from the ‘Star Network’-era ABS-CBN logo, with a red triangle below it.

ANC also unveiled updated graphics and typefaces for its programs, featuring a red and blue color scheme. Completing the makeover is a tweaked morning schedule that took effect today.

ANC’s flagship morning newscast, ‘Mornings@ANC’, now takes its rightful place in the early morning. Airing on weekdays at 5:30 a.m., the show is now anchored by David Celdran and Ginger Conejero, with Gigi Grande, Paolo Abrera, Gretchen Ho and Edric Mendoza joining the show as segment anchors.

After Karen Davila’s ‘Headstart’, Cathy Yang takes her ‘Market Edge’ to the mornings. Normally airing every weekday at 3:00 p.m., the show now airs at 9:00 a.m. as well, to coincide with both the opening and closing of the Philippine Stock Exchange and other regional markets.

At 10:00 a.m. comes the late-morning edition of ‘News Now’, anchored by Nancy Irlanda. The 30-minute newscast will be followed by the critically-acclaimed finance and investment program ‘On the Money’.

From that point on, the remainder of ANC’s weekday schedule will remain basically the same, save for a refreshed on-air look and a new early evening program. Gretchen Ho anchors ‘The Daily Serve’, which airs at 6:30 p.m.

In its quest to remain the most reliable news channel in the country, the ABS-CBN News Channel took drastic steps to strengthen and solidify its image and reputation. With a refreshed identity, expect ANC to stay on top of its league for years to come.

That said, the other Filipino news channels should take notice. As ANC moves to a new era, a higher bar of expectations has been raised for others to follow.

Throwback: Battle of the Brains in 1994

Before David Celdran toured the world in a suit on ANC’s ‘Executive Class’, he was a young and fresh-faced host of one of the longest-running quiz shows on Philippine television.

The 1990s will always be remembered for ‘Battle of the Brains’, a quiz show pitting public and private students from the elementary, high school, and college levels. The program was a fixture on RPN-9 every Saturday morning, and the now-defunct retail giant Uniwide Sales was its major sponsor.

The popularity and success of the program led to an equally successful parody called ‘Battle of the Brainless’. The skit was featured on ABC-5’s ‘Tropang Trumpo’, and was later revived on the renamed TV5 via the gag show ‘Tropa Mo Ko (Unli/Nice Di Ba)’.

Back in 1994, the college grand finals of ‘Battle of the Brains’ was held at the Philippine International Convention Center. The contestants were Giovanni Claveria of Don Bosco Technical School, Oliver Tungol of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, and Alfonso Gonzales of the University of the Philippines-Los Banos.

The three-part series of videos, the entirety of which run for over 45 minutes, can be viewed below.

‘Battle of the Brains’ would survive into the new millennium, albeit with a new sponsor in AMA Computer College and a new network in PTV-4, before leaving the airwaves in 2001. Meanwhile, David Celdran became a news anchor on the ABS-CBN News Channel, and as mentioned earlier, he is currently the host of ‘Executive Class’.

Unfortunately, programming changes, changing demographics and budget concerns would take the steam out of this type of game show. The last of these programs, GMA’s ‘Digital LG Quiz’, bowed out in 2004.

Although Eat Bulaga attempted to revive this format with the elementary, high school and college editions of the popular ‘Pinoy Henyo’ game, they were essentially segments of the long-running noontime variety show, and not standalone programs like ‘Battle of the Brains’ and ‘Digital LG Quiz’.

No one knows when will this type of game show returns, considering the frequency of the big stations to air Tagalized movies and teleserye re-runs. But one thing is for sure: ‘Battle of the Brains’ was a great show, and will never be replaced.