# Ali Sotto

Ali Sotto (Tagalog pronunciation:; born Maria Aloha Leilani Sancianco Carag; May 29, 1961) is a Filipino actress, radio broadcaster and news anchor and former singer. Her previous screen name was Aloha and now Ali Sotto. She was popularly heard on radio programs of Super Radyo DZBB 594, Saksi sa Dobol B: Sino? and Dobol A sa Dobol B with Arnold Clavio.

## Personal life and career

Ali was named Aloha by her parents as they married in Hawaii. Her mother was a professor in Food and Nutrition at the University of Santo Tomas. Her father was with the US Navy until 1969. She is the youngest in the family and has three brothers (Allan, Alvin & AJ).
Sotto separated from her first husband Maru Sotto, but they remained intimate friends. She is now married to her second husband, Omar Bsaies, an American-Tunisian who is a retired diplomat.
As Sotto's wife, Helen Gamboa and Dina Bonnevie were her sisters-in-law and the Sotto brothers were her brothers-in-law: Val, Tito and Vic Sotto. She and Maru had two children, Chino Sotto and late actor Miko Sotto.
Ali was discovered by George Canseco at the Inter-University Songfest at FEU in November 1976.
She was a host of the television shows Ali! and Metro, which was the sole public service program at that time on television, and the only public affiliate program of ABC (now 5) that earns. She used to co-host Sino? with Mike Enriquez and Arnold Clavio from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM and Dobol A sa Dobol B, a DZBB program, with Clavio every Monday to Friday from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM until 2020.
It was an exception that TV hosts could invite successive showbiz names as their guests in just a few months. These were Vilma Santos, Maricel Soriano, Sharon Cuneta, Susan Roces and Dolphy. She was the only one who was courageous enough to ask questions directly to Susan Roces if she believed Fernando Poe Jr. had an illegitimate child.
After her son, Miko, passed away in December 2003, she co-founded INA (Inang Naulila sa Anak) Foundation, a foundation whose mission statement is "to provide psycho-social support to its members and other mothers who have also lost their children through projects and programs aimed at helping them move on from a place of grief to a place of hope – empowering them to reach out to others".

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role(s) | Production company |
| 1987 | Kung Aagawin Mo ang Lahat sa Akin | Joyce | Viva Films |
| 1987 | Jack & Jill | Delia | Viva Films |
| 1987 | Walang Karugtong ang Nakaraan | Sandra | Viva Films |
| 1991 | Maging Sino Ka Man | Tala |
| 1992 | Boboy Salonga: Batang Tondo | Dolor Salonga | OctoArts Films |
| 1994 | The Maggie dela Riva Story (God... Why Me?) | Ms. Marcos | Viva Films |
| 1995 | The Flor Contemplacion Story | Alicia Ramos, Philippine Ambassador to Singapore | Viva Films |
| 2014 | Where I Am King | | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role(s) | Network(s) |
| 1988–1991 | Magandang Umaga Po | Host | ABS-CBN |
| 1990 | Mongolian Barbecue | Guest | IBC |
| 1993–1994 | Eat Bulaga! | Co-host | ABS-CBN |
| 1995–1998 | Katok Mga Misis | Host | GMA Network |
| 1998–1999 | Compañero y Compañera | Host | GMA Network |
| 1999 | Di Ba't Ikaw | Karina Latada | GMA Network |
| 2000 | GMA Mini-Series: Umulan Man o Umaraw | Doña Luisa | GMA Network |
| 2004–2006 | Sentro | Anchor | ABC |
| 2011 | Star Box | Host | GMA Network |
| 2011–2012 | Personalan | Host | GMA News TV |
| 2017–2020 | Dobol B sa News TV: Dobol A sa Dobol B | Host | GMA News TV |
| 2017–2020 | Dobol B sa News TV: Sino? | Host | GMA News TV |
| 2021–present | A.S.P.N: Ano sa Palagay N'yo'? | Host | Net 25 |
| 2024–present | Mata ng Agila | Anchor | Net 25 |

### Radio

| Year | Title | Network |
| 1997–1999 | Balitang Bayan Numero Uno: 5am Edition | DZRH 666 kHz |
| 1998–2008; 2014–2020 | Dobol A sa Dobol B | Super Radyo DZBB 594 |
| 2014–2020 | Saksi sa Dobol B: Sino? | Super Radyo DZBB 594 |
| 2021–present | Ano sa Palagay N'yo? | Radyo Agila 1062 |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award Giving Body | Award | Result |
| 1991 | Gawad Urian | Best Supporting Actress (My Other Woman) | Nominated |
| 2014 | Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption | Outstanding Radio Anchor (w/ Arnold Clavio) | Won |
| 2017 | Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption | Best Teleradio Anchor (w/ Arnold Clavio) | Won |
| 2018 | Trinity University of Asia | Best Female AM Broadcast Journalist | Won |
| 2019 | Gawad Filipino Award | Natatanging Filipina sa Larangan ng Pagbababalita at Pagtulong sa Karapatan ng Kababaihan | Won |
| 2019 | FAMAS | Dr Jose R Perez Memorial Award for Journalism | Won |
| 2019 | Rotary Club of Manila | Journalism Award for Radio Female Broadcaster of the Year | Won |
| 2019 | ALTA Media Icon Awards | Best AM Radio Female Personality | Won |
| 2019 | Gawad Filipino Award | Best Radio and TV Program Host | Won |
| 2019 | Animo Media Choice Awards by De La Salle Dasmariñas Alumni Association, Incorporated | AM Female Anchor | Nominated |
| 2020 | Gawad Lasallianeta Award by De La Salle Araneta University | Most Outstanding Radio Broadcaster | Nominated |
| 2020 | Gawad Filipino Award | Bayaning Pilipino Frontliners Award (w/ Joel Reyes Zobel) | Won |
| 2022 | Gawad Filipino Award | Outstanding Radio Female Broadcaster of the Year | Won |
| 2022 | Gawad Pilipino Icon of the Year 2022 | Outstanding Public Affairs Host of the Year | Won |
| 2022 | Mrs. Universe Philippines Foundation | Philippines' Most Exceptional Men & Women 2022 | Won |
| 2022 | Asia Pacific Luminare Awards | Asia's Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Journalism | Won |
| 2023 | Gawad Filipino Award | Most Empowered Women | Won |