Mike Enriquez: Radio is my passion

MANILA, Philippines - The man talks with so much passion, enthusiasm, and honesty that you cannot even entertain the idea of doubting him or the things he says. Credibility, after all, is in Mike Enriquez’s DNA.

 His face is very familiar to viewers of the primetime newscast 24 Oras and investigative show Imbestigador, both aired on GMA 7. His voice is one of the most recognizable on AM radio, especially among those who tune in to DZBB on weekday mornings.

 Enriquez is one of the most admired and respected names in news and current affairs in the Philippines. His broadcasting skills have earned him acclaim from international award-giving bodies – including the Best Newscaster award at the Asian Television Awards held in Singapore in 1999; a gold medal at the New York Festivals in 2003 for Saksi; and Silver Camera Award in the 2004 US Film and Video Festival in Hollywood for a documentary about war-torn Iraq. He has also received recognitions from local organizations and companies, including the 1999 Golden Dove Award for Best Male Newscaster and the 1999 Ka Doroy Valencia Broadcaster of the Year Award.

 Enriquez’s no-nonsense stance on certain issues has gained him the trust of his audience, something he values and feels responsible for. Enriquez, undoubtedly, is already a veteran radio broadcaster and his professionalism is tempered by having only five to six hours of sleep. He wakes up at 4:30 in the morning to prepare for his show. (“It’s simbang gabi every day,” he jokes.)

“My program requires preparation because it’s talk and news. You have to be intelligent not because you want to impress but because your audience deserve no less. They trust you, they rely on you, so you owe it to them to be prepared. If you’re not, you have no business staying on the air,” he says matter-of-factly.

 If that is not enough proof of how dedicated Enriquez is to his radio career, you can ask him what he misses the most when he’s away from work.  “When I go on long vacations, which is about two weeks, the first thing I miss is going on air.”

“Radio is my passion. I can do this the whole day. I can do radio for days on end,” says Enriquez.

As president of RGMA Network Inc., Enriquez oversees the network’s provincial radio operations. As if he’s not busy enough, his weekend schedules would usually include flying to provinces as RGMA has stations in major cities in the Philippines. He would share meals and exchange stories with RGMA staff.

“One of my duties is to go to them and let them know that we’re in this together. It’s important they feel that they are part of the network and that we are a part of them,” relates Enriquez. “In my experience working with other networks with provincial stations, one of the strongest feelings of people in provincial stations is that Manila is imperial. (I want them to know that) geographical location is not a factor here. Provincial stations are just as important as the one in Manila.”

 Enriquez spearheaded GMA’s radio expansion program. When he joined the network in 1995, RGMA only had four stations: two in Manila and two in Cebu.

Enriquez looks back at the time the post was offered to him. “In my first meeting with GMA, they asked the magic question: ‘How would you like to run your own radio network?’ That’s the dream of every radio guy! They never asked how much do you want to be paid. We talked about the vision, objectives, and vision of the radio network.”

‘Serbisyong Totoo’

With 27 stations to manage across the archipelago, Enriquez has already found himself an expert of time management and delegation. “These are the only way you can manage a network that is spread so far and wide as RGMA. You cannot control and you should not even think or attempt to control it.”

“You also have to understand cultural differences so you can adjust and calibrate. For example, Naga is different from Manila, even Legazpi. What works in one station may not necessarily work in other stations,”  Enriquez says.

Under Enriquez’s leadership, the radio arm of GMA continues to make remarkable contributions to the network’s earnings, while staying true to its thrust of providing Serbisyong Totoo. In 2014, DZBB reached a significant milestone when it became the No. 1 AM station in Mega Manila.

 “(I tell my senior executives to) choose your people. You must choose people who will fit the culture and who will enhance it and not the other way around. They should be consistent with our core values and with what we want to happen,” he says. 

Before 2014 ended, Enriquez was honored with another feat. Business and news magazine BizNews Asia bestowed him the Broadcast Excellence award. Enriquez acknowledged his team’s hard work and dedication as well as the continued patronage of their listeners.

 He says, “I don’t consider radio a mass medium. I consider radio a companion. And I tell our people that belief. You’re supposed to be a companion: a friend to the farmer in the fields, the drivers on the road, the housewife at home. You are not talking down on them, you are talking to them.”

“My fulfillment is when I see my people grow and succeed, when I see shareholders happy, and most of all, when I see audiences all over the Philippines being helped and inspired,” concludes Enriquez.