Mike Enriquez

Miguel Castro "Mike" Enriquez (; September 29, 1951 – August 29, 2023) was a Filipino television and radio newscaster. He started his career as a radio broadcaster in 1969, and in 1995, he became a TV anchor for GMA Network, Inc. He was also the Consultant for radio operations of GMA Network, and president of the network's regional and radio subsidiary, RGMA Network Inc., and the Station Manager of Super Radyo DZBB 594 AM.

Enriquez was regarded as one of the most influential journalists in the Philippines and a "pillar" of the Philippine broadcasting industry.

Early life
Enriquez was the eldest of three children to Catalino Alejo Enriquez and Benita Dungca Castro. He used the term "destructive to a certain extent" to describe his curiosity-filled, active childhood.

Enriquez was actively involved in church activities, and used to be an altar boy with an ambition to be a Franciscan priest. However, his parents did not allow him to become a priest. Enriquez finished his elementary and high school education at La Salle Green Hills.

Instead, he was enrolled at De La Salle College (now De La Salle University), taking up AB Liberal Arts and BS Commerce. Enriquez finished his degree in 1973 and taught broadcast management classes at the university.

Career

Early career
Enriquez started his career in broadcasting as a staff announcer at the Manila Broadcasting Company in 1969. Enriquez was visiting a friend in a radio station when, as a joke, his friend introduced him to the station manager as prospective applicant. The manager invited him to do a test reading, and was offered a job on the spot. 

Enriquez subsequently worked in various positions, as a broadcast reporter, a news editor, program director, and station manager, until he became manager of a medium-sized radio network. He also had stints in other radio networks such as Freedom Broadcasting Radio Network and Radio Mindanao Network (RMN), where he became vice president for the company. He was the man behind the huge success of DWKC 93.9, which stayed in the number 1 spot for so many years before he left in 1995. He was the voice behind the Mellow Touch 94.7 signature and introduction. He also became a disc jockey known as "Baby Michael" and played a cameo role as a disc jockey in Andrew E.'s 1992 movie Mahirap Maging Pogi (It's Not Easy Being Handsome).

With GMA Network
In 1994, after leaving RMN, Enriquez joined GMA Network to head its radio division and expand its radio networks, with only four originating stations at that time. In 1995, Enriquez was convinced by the network to be the anchor, in what would be his first on-cam appearance. Months later, the network executives called for him to come back; he anchored a 15-minute newscast, in the early evening slot, together with Karen Davila. The late-afternoon news program, entitled Saksi: GMA Headline Balita premiered on October 2, 1995.

In September 1998, Enriquez landed his anchor duties into the late-night newscast GMA Network News with Vicky Morales. Since his first months on Network News, they decided to change the language to Taglish, and later, changed to Filipino in early 1999.

In January 1999, Enriquez returned to radio via Super Radyo DZBB, with his new program based on his former newscast, Saksi sa Dobol B; in August 1999, he returned to Saksi, with his co-anchor in GMA Network News, Vicky Morales.

In August 2000, Enriquez hosted the public affairs program entitled Imbestigador; earning him the monicker "Imbestigador ng Bayan".

On March 12, 2004, Enriquez left Saksi to re-join Frontpage anchor Mel Tiangco in GMA's then newly-inaugurated primetime newscast 24 Oras.

Throughout his career as a news anchor, he covered numerous events ranging from the EDSA II, the 9/11 attacks, the eve of the US Invasion of Iraq, the Funeral of Pope John Paul II, the aftermath of Typhoon Ondoy, the siege of Marawi, and the aftermath of Supertyphoon Haiyan in Tacloban.

Enriquez was named as one of the most child-friendly personalities by the Southeast Asian Foundation for Children and thrice consecutively by the Anak TV Seal awards.

Enriquez was also known for his trademark line "Hindi namin kayo tatantanan" (lit. We will not stop coming after you) which he usually uttered at the end of stories involving crime and corruption. His habit of saying "Excuse me po!" (po being a term of politeness) after coughing or sneezing on-air was also one of his trademark lines.

Enriquez is fondly called by his fellow GMA employees by his nickname as “Booma” (named after an elephant character featured in the 1961 issue of Pinoy Komiks created by Mars Ravelo) due to his booming voice in the industry as his nickname was used in radio communications.

Personal life
Enriquez was a member of the board of trustees of La Salle Green Hills and acted as the treasurer and chairman of its finance committee.

Enriquez was married to Lizabeth "Baby" Yumping, and had no children.

Illness and death
On August 22, 2018, Enriquez revealed he went on a medical leave due to ailments such as kidney and heart disease and diabetes, following his absence in 24 Oras and Super Radyo DZBB. He underwent a heart bypass surgery and later returned to broadcasting on November 26.

In December 2021, Enriquez took another medical leave of absence, during which he underwent a kidney transplant. He returned to his programs on March 28, 2022, in time for GMA's coverage of the 2022 Philippine presidential election. Although, he took another medical leave three months after the elections.

Enriquez died at 3:04 pm in St. Luke's Medical Center – Quezon City on August 29, 2023. He was 71 years old. According to his widow, he suffered a cardiac arrest while undergoing a routine dialysis. His wake was held in Christ the King Parish at Greenmeadows. Imbestigador produced a tribute episode dedicated to Enriquez on September 2 titled Imbestigador ng Bayan: Pagpupugay sa Nag-iisang Mike Enriquez (English: The Nation's Investigator: A Tribute to the One and Only Mike Enriquez), four days after his death. Enriquez was buried on September 3 at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina.

Television programs

Filmography
 1992 Mahirap maging pogi as Drunkard DJ
 1996 Wag na wag kang lalayo as TV Reporter

Awards

References

External links
 
 

1951 births
2023 deaths
Burials at the Loyola Memorial Park
De La Salle University alumni
Filipino DJs
Filipino radio journalists
Filipino television news anchors
GMA Integrated News and Public Affairs people
GMA Network (company) people
GMA Network personalities
People from Santa Ana, Manila