Straight Talk with Cito Beltran

His father was a legendary figure in Philippine broadcasting, so going into the business could have been somewhat easy for him. But for 49-year-old Cito Beltran, that road could have its pitfalls. "I seriously considered turning my back from this business last December and just go back to the private sector," he admits. The past two years have not been a bed of roses for the career of this ebullient host of Straight Talk on ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC), who bowed out of two shows on Channel 2 namely, the Insider and Isyu.

Asked bluntly if he was asked to leave these shows, Cito candidly admitted that "I guess it was just wasn’t working." He also explained that it is never his style to raise his voice and never adept in being a newsreader. Once, he recalls, the teleprompter just went blank and he just stared at it. He wasn’t too quick on the adlib. Besides, the pressure of having two shows was too much for him that he would experience chest pains.

Also weighing in his decision to quit was the sight of his then three-year-old daughter, Hannah, who as he was about to leave for work, hugged his leg and begged him not to go. "It was very heartbreaking to see your child that way," says Cito. Bereft of a father’s love when he was growing as a child, Cito felt so much for his daughter. "I didn’t want to be like my dad who was too engrossed in work that he didn’t spend as much time with us," Cito matter-of-factly says.

Cito admitted to having resented how his father was away particularly in his growing up years. When his dad was imprisoned during Martial Law, Cito’s anger boiled over as their family lost all their money and properties. "It affected my relationship with my dad. I felt that nobody really cared about him – di naman siya tinulungan ng mga natulungan niya," Cito, eldest among the five siblings, recalls.

The absence of paternal authority literally cast him adrift as a young man, spending seven years to finish his bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of the Philippines. The turning point came in 1991 when he started attending Christian fellowships. As a result, his relationship with his father also took a positive turn. He also came to realize that love could be shown in variety of ways even with the simplest of touch. He was then living-in with his future wife – Karen, and they vowed to practice celibacy until such time that they get married. "It was then I realized the value of hugging because our family was never demonstrative nor affectionate."

His initial foray into broadcasting was in hosting a radio program in DZMM and doing an editorial segment for Magandang Umaga Bayan. From then on, offers to host shows came his way. Cito belies rumors that he is malakas in ABS-CBN because he is being backed up by Danding Conjuangco. "The only reason why I am close to Danding is because I restore his vintage cars. No personal agenda" explains Cito. If the rumor is to be believed, "how come I seldom get sponsorship from San Miguel?" Cito jokingly asks.

When he was offered to do Straight Talk on ANC, the cable channel of ABS-CBN, he readily agreed, thinking he should give something back because he’s been greatly blessed. In its initial years, Straight Talk wasn’t hitting the ratings chart and getting sponsorships. A hard-nosed news format was not his cup of tea. "They wanted me to become a serious broadcast journalist," Cito says. But he was uncomfortable playing that role.

A break came when he suggested to the production staff that they invite former actor/broadcaster Rod Navarro who was known for his funny antics on the air. But the staff was against the idea. Cito persisted and proved them wrong. Rod’s guesting turned out to be the first hilarious and most relaxed interview Cito did. And from then on, he would invite anyone he felt would be a good interviewee not because he or she is newsworthy.

The formula clicked. It has made the show reach the popularity that it has today. Cito even turned down numerous requests from people to appear on the show who are just pushing for their personal agenda. "I have to safeguard the integrity of the show," Cito states. He believes that "advertising will come in because the show has integrity."

One enduring theme of the show is promoting the value of Filipino manufactured goods and artists. "This is our way of helping the country promote our products and give recognition to our talents," explains Arlyn Datulio, executive producer of the show. According to her, "a lot of viewers send e-mails and text messages commending the show and this inspires us to do better the next time." In keeping with this thrust, Straight Talk will be featuring more fresh faces and interesting personalities as guests in the coming episodes. The production staff will also be implementing visible changes in the immediate future to make the show more competitive. The show is aired from Monday to Friday at 1 p.m.

Apart from Straight Talk, what is keeping Cito busy nowadays is his church ministry. "I get invited to preach in different parts of the country and when they see me, they know who I am," Cito happily explains. "Now I know why the Lord didn’t want me to leave," he explains when asked why his plans to leave broadcasting didn’t push through. "He didn’t put me in media for the ratings but to help me in my ministry to propagate His words."

The road ahead for Cito may not be trouble-free but keeping to the straight and narrow path may just be what he needs to keep his feet firmly planted on broadcasting. He is heir to a broadcasting legacy, now it is his turn to create one of his own.