Why Gretchen is so happy

Athlete-turned-broadcaster and TV host Gretchen Ho (formerly of the Ateneo Women’s volleyball varsity team) certainly has a lot of reasons to be happy these days. Her career is off to a good start, and her relationship with TV host-actor Robi Domingo is going strong.

Gretchen has been in numerous competitive situations before as an athlete, so going into her career as a host, she felt pretty much at home, especially since most of the shows and hosting assignments she’s been given so far have to do with sports, like Gameday Weekend, and the sports news show The Score where she is a segment host; the main host is ace sportscaster TJ Manotoc.

As segment host, Gretchen mostly does features outside the studio. “I enjoy it,” says the budding TV host. Doing the show is like on-the-job training for her as she transitions from athlete to host. Gretchen knows that there are still a lot of things she needs to learn, like how to be more relaxed in front of the camera. Hosting is a, well, different ballgame. “It’s a challenge for me since I get to go beyond the script. The producers told me to work with the writer, and to give my input on whatever the segment is. So gusto ko ito kasi nag-iisip ako; napapaisip ako kung paano ako mag-i-interview sa subject, at paano ko ipapalabas ang story niya in a very interesting way. And ‘yun, in the process, I learn a lot. I get the training that I need.”

It was probably fate that led Gretchen out of athletics and into the media. Gretchen graduated from Ateneo with a double major in Management Engineering and Communications. Had she not decided to extend her playing years by one more year, she would have ended up working for a multinational corporation, which was offering her a job as a management trainee. But fate apparently had other ideas. “They (the multinational company) were getting me, but I told them I was going to play for one more year. Tapos sa one year na ‘yun, sobrang daming nangyari,” says Gretchen. “Biglang nag-boom ang volleyball. So pag-graduate ko, ang daming offers to do a show. I said, ‘Why not?’ Di ba?”

At first, Gretchen was thinking that maybe she could work and host at the same time. Eventually, though, she decided to focus on her hosting. After giving it some thought, she said: “Parang hindi ko yata magagawa na to enter two new worlds — corporate and hosting — at the same time. Parang it’s so much adjustment for me. So sabi ko, wait muna ‘yung corporate. I’ll do this (hosting) first.”

So far, so good. Gretchen is enjoying being out in the field, meeting people, sharpening her interview skills and doing things she normally would not have a chance to do. Now she knows that she made the right decision to go into hosting. “Like they say, ‘You go where you grow.’ This is the path where I’m growing a lot; until now, I’m still growing every day. I’m still learning something; that keeps me fulfilled, kahit na ang layo ng path (sa inaral ko).”

Robi actually didn’t want her to go into show business. He had fears, says Gretchen, that her doing so would “complicate” their relationship. Even now, it is a constant process of adjustment for both of them, although their relationship remains stable and both are happy in each other’s company. “OK lang siya,” says Gretchen, who dreams of hosting a sports-travel show. “Siya ‘yung type na ‘I’ll support you wherever you go’ but ayaw niya talaga (sa showbiz) kasi nga baka it would make things complicated for our relationship. Up to now, we’re still adjusting.”

Aside from hosting, Gretchen is also involved in other endeavors. One of the most visible is her The Inpired Project, a line of T-shirts and other items with positive messages. Gretchen has a fascination for quotes, and even during her school days at Ateneo, would constantly think of lines from songs and other positive messages — like “Dare to dream and make it happen” — and write them down. The items from The Inspired Project are now available at their stalls at SM North EDSA, SM San Lazaro and Robinsons Galleria.

These positive messages keep Gretchen going whenever she needs encouragement. Especially on social media, she says, “there is a lot of bashing and putting people down. Eh ang dami naman opportunities for people to be successful. Bakit kailangan natin lagyan ng negativity? Let’s just be positive and make this a better world.”