Mel Tiangco

Carmela Corro Tiangco (; born August 10, 1955), professionally known as Mel Tiangco, is a Filipino television newscaster and television host. She is one of the news pillars of GMA News and Public Affairs and a multi-awarded news anchor.

Biography
Mel Tiangco was born as Carmela Corro Tiangco on August 10, 1955, in Pilar, Bataan to Arsenio Tiangco Sr. and Florencia Corro.

After graduating from De La Salle University, she became one of the leading presenters in Philippine television journal programs. She began her television career in September 1981 by working at the government station MBS (now PTV) where she anchored the station's newscast "Newscenter 4", as well as hosting a cultural program titled "Encore". Tiangco worked at the government station until the end of the Marcos regime, where she moved to ABS-CBN and became co-anchor of Balita Ngayon, one of the network's former newscasts. She gained fame by being one of the original anchors of ABS-CBN's flagship newscast TV Patrol from 1987 to 1995. She then transferred to GMA Network and became the anchor of Saksi from 1996 to 1999 and Frontpage: Ulat ni Mel Tiangco from 1999 to 2004. She was also a co-host for talk show Mel & Jay with fellow journalist  Jay Sonza, Mel & Joey with comedian-TV host-writer Joey de Leon, and public affairs show Sanib Puwersa with Arnold Clavio. She also hosted Powerhouse from 2011 to 2013 on GMA News TV. Currently, Tiangco co-anchors GMA's flagship newscast, 24 Oras and hosts the weekly drama anthology Magpakailanman.

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 are Ana Teresa, Melanie and Jose Miguel.

Suspension and transfer to another network
On January 16, 1996, ABS-CBN suspended Tiangco for three months without pay as co-anchor of TV Patrol and Mel & Jay (radio program but not the Sunday television show) following her appearance in a television advertisement for Tide in December 1995, allegedly a violation of an earlier-issued circular prohibiting news personalities from doing so without the network's prior approval, which was considered a breach of company rules. Reportedly, this is universally enforced in all print and broadcast meant to avoid any suspicions of bias or favoritism.

She then went on indefinite leave of absence; while Sonza resigned. Both transferred to GMA 7.

Complaint against ABS-CBN on her dismissal
On March 11, 1996, Tiangco filed a complaint against ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation for illegal dismissal and illegal suspension, as well as monetary claims. In April 1999, the Labor Arbiter ruled in Tiangco's favor. The said decision was later reversed in July 2006 by the National Labor Relations Commission, arguing that Tiangco and her co-host Jay Sonza (as also ruled by the Supreme Court in 2004, which eventually affirming the Labor Arbiter's dismissal of his own petition) are "independent contractors."

The decision was elevated to the Court of Appeals on the ground of grave abuse of discretion. The parties executed and signed a partial settlement agreement, dated December 15, 2011, wherein Tiangco agreed that ABS-CBN paid her in full the amount covering specific monetary claims.

The said agreement was approved by the CA in its January 27, 2012 decision which also declared that the other issues in the case were already moot.

Tiangco then filed the petition for review questioning the CA ruling, which was later dismissed by the SC which upheld the earlier ruling and decided that Tiangco is not entitled to the claims as she is an independent contractor. The ruling, dated December 6, 2021, only publicly released on June 2, 2022.

Complaint by ABS-CBN on her transfer to GMA
Also in 1996, ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation filed a lawsuit against the two and GMA Network, Inc. before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court to oblige them to comply to the contract banning them from working in any other media station for a year after they left the former network.

The court ruled on June 26, 1998, validating their cancellation of their contracts with ABS-CBN, as well as their transfer to GMA which had no hand over their decision.

The CA upheld the said decision on August 6, 2003, citing lack of evidence that Tiangco violated the prohibition upon her appearance in the commercial, justifying her unilateral action in dissolving the agreement, and considering the fact that Sonza is redundant without her in the show.

ABS-CBN later filed an appeal to reverse the ruling, which was dismissed by the SC, in a December 13, 2010 resolution, "for failure to sufficiently show any reversible error" in the CA's decision.

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.

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.

Television programs

Awards

1988, 1990
Best Female Newscaster, Star Awards for Television, Philippine Movie Press Club

1990
Presidential Medallion, Presidential Awardee for Work for the Welfare of the Disabled, Apolinario Mabini Award

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)

1990-1996
Best Female Newscaster, Star Awards for Television, Philippine Movie Press Club

1990-1993
Pinakamahusay na Programa sa Telebisyon, Gawad Cultural Center of the Philippines Awards for TV, Mel & Jay

1990-1996
Best Female Television Talkshow Host, Star Awards for Television, Philippine Movie Press Club (Hall of Fame)

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.

1994-1995
Gintong Ina Awardee, Single Parent of the Year, Golden Mother & Father Foundation

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

1995-1997
Best Female Newscaster, Star Awards for Television

1996
Finalist, New York International TV Festival, Mel & Jay, TV Host

1998
Finalist, Asian Television Awards, Singapore
Ka Doroy Broadcaster of the Year Award, KBP Golden Dove Awards

2000
Trailblazer Award, Outstanding Alumna, St. Theresa's College

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

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

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

2006
 Most Outstanding Female News Presenter of the Year, COMGUILD Center for Journalism

2008
Most Outstanding Female News Presenter, COMGUILD Center for Journalism

2012
Anak TV Makabata Hall of Famers Award
People of the Year, People Asia Magazine

2013
Edukcircle MOPIP TV Awards

Notes

References

1955 births
Living people
De La Salle University alumni
Filipino television personalities
Filipino television news anchors
Filipino reporters and correspondents
Filipino television presenters
ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs people
ABS-CBN personalities
GMA Integrated News and Public Affairs people
GMA Network personalities