Julius Babao shares story behind decision to move to TV5

Veteran newscaster Julius Babao surprised not a few viewers when he announced, at the very start of 2022, that he was leaving ABS-CBN, his home network for 28 years.

Shortly after, Julius was reported and later on confirmed to be moving to TV5. On Feb. 7, he will debut as main anchor on the primetime newscast Frontline Pilipinas.

During an exclusive interview with The STAR, he talked more about the process that led to his decision to become a Kapatid.

Contrary to the perception of some, it was not his wife, One PH TV host Christine Bersola, who convinced him to join the Kapatid network. One PH is a sister channel of TV5.

“Hindi eh. Not at all. It’s really me… and I felt I needed change and I needed to explore ano pa pwede ko gawin as a media person. I don’t want to be boxed in sa isang work na parang feeling ko, kailangan ko pa maraming gawin. This will open opportunities para magawa ko kung ano ang feeling ko ay pwede ko pang gawin sa aking career,” the 53-year-old broadcast journalist explained.

Julius further revealed that pre-transfer talks, particularly with TV5 boss Luchi Cruz-Valdes, lasted for over a month but “I felt it was the longest month of my life (laughs) kasi after kayo mag-usap for weeks, wala kang naririnig ng kahit ano. Parang ano rin, may (anxiety), na ano ba ang mangyari, anong plano, ganito lang ba?”

He said what helped him throughout the entire process was involving his family. Together, they prayed for a sign, some divine guidance, that Julius was being directed to TV5.

“Nung nag-uusap na kami ng TV5, siempre wala pang sure or firm na decision at that time, so we prayed the Rosary. We’ve been praying the Rosary since the start of the pandemic, but nag-dagdag kami ng prayers as a family that I’d be enlightened on what to do when it comes to my career. We prayed to Padre (Francesco) Pio, our patron saint. St. Anthony (de Padua) as well,” said Julius.

He and his wife are devotees of both Catholic saints that’s why their two kids are named Antonia and Antonio Francesco.

“During our prayer, in-involve din namin yung mga bagong saints napili namin na will help us in our decision-making, St. Jude and St. Joseph, and the kids also offered their prayers for me. We talked about this. Kasi ang nangyari sa amin since the pandemic, after every Rosary or even before the Rosary, nag-o-open forum kami. We’d share our intentions, each member of the family, and that helped us in becoming closer as a family.

“So, nasama na rin dun yung petition for enlightenment sa career ko because this was not going to be easy because I had been with ABS for 28 years. I cannot decide alone, I need guidance from the Holy Spirit, from God, on what will really be the direction of my life, I can’t just rely on my own instinct and emotions. It has to be above me. So ayun, we involved the kids. And we really prayed hard and we saw the signs. The signs were there.”

The “signs” he asked for didn’t come overnight. “I felt at that time na kailangan na ako mag-move, I need to grow, I need to stretch my wings, I need to fly. So, habang nag-uusap kami ni Luchi, it took awhile and there were times na weeks passed na walang kahit anong info from Luchi or anyone from TV5. If that sign never came, maybe this wasn’t the time to move. Ganun lang talaga. Parang I was very open to anything that could happen,” he recalled.

“Then one day, after many, many weeks, nakatanggap ako ng text from Luchi. Sabi niya, ‘Are you still interested in joining us?’ Ayun na: This is the sign that I’ve been waiting for. Very clear.”

In the wake of the former TV Patrol anchor’s exit, ABS-CBN issued a statement of support for Julius, stressing: “We respect his decision to pursue a professional career outside of ABS-CBN and wish him well in his future pursuits.”

TV5 Projects

Noticeably, his TV5 transfer didn’t really court “controversy” and if there were bashers, Julius said, “very minimal siguro because my viewers… alam nila dyan ako lumaki sa ABS eh. I only have high praises for ABS management and all, kasi karamihan na nangyari sa akin was also because of my exposure on ABS-CBN, yung mga dreams ko nagkatotoo, yung mga awards, meeting people na dati napapanood ko lang sa TV, naging kaibigan ko, kumpare…”

Of course, it was also through the network that he met his lifetime partner.

“It’s a life well-lived in ABS-CBN and I have no hard feelings for ABS-CBN. I only have so much love for the people of ABS-CBN,” he said.

On TV5, Julius will anchor the primetime newscast Frontline Pilipinas, replacing Raffy Tulfo who is running for senator and partnering anew with Cheryl Cosim, his former co-host on ABS-CBN’s Alas Singko Y Media and Magandang Umaga Bayan. “Kaya sa paglipat ko, hindi ako ninyerbos or maninibago because these are people I’ve worked with — Cheryl, Luchi and many, many others.”

He hopes to do something similar to his previous public service-oriented program Mission Possible. He added, “I’m hoping for a show where I can use my skills as a radio anchor and mas marami ma-reach mga viewers and listeners from the province. I’m very excited na mapapanood kami sa probinsya, matagal kasi nawala ABS-CBN from the provinces and I heard malakas ang TV5 sa mga provinces. It’s my way of reaching out to them again after about two years of absence.”

Interestingly, this decisiveness was borne out of lessons from a past experience. The STAR learned that almost two decades ago, he was “almost ready to move” to GMA where his career started — first as a production assistant and then radio reporter. Plans fell through due to some contract stipulations. “What I learned from that experience, especially for young broadcasters out there, when the time comes when you’re in that situation, where you feel you need to move, regardless of ano mang pwede mangyari, you have to be decisive,” he stressed.

Other Passions

Julius shared that he’s been pursuing passions outside his media work. He is a passionate collector of art, toys and even sneakers. His jaw-dropping collections have also allowed him to initiate charitable projects like building a Gawad Kalinga village, but that’s another story. He also gets to open these sides of him via his other passion — vlogging.

“I do so many things outside my work. Kaya ang feeling ko (I’m) making the most of my life talaga to the optimum na pwede kong gawin as a person. Even with charity works, ganun din. Talagang ini-extend ko ang pwede kong gawin and I never stop at doing that,” he said.

For him, it’s the secret to success in life. “You never stop growing, you never stop being contented with what you have, you never stop dreaming, you never stop reinventing yourself. Kasi ‘pag dumating ka na sa point na masyado ka ng comfortable, I think you’re close to the end of your career (laughs).

“I take comfort in not being comfortable with what I do, kasi pag-comfortable ka na, that’s it! That’s close to retirement. Ganun ang tingin ko. That’s why if you notice, I do vlogs, masyado akong nag-explore, exploratory ako sa mga possibilities na pwede kong gawin sa buhay at career ko.”

There’s also his family life. For him, the priceless upside to be gleaned from the pandemic is family time. “We became closer as a family because of this. Sabi ko nga, you don’t count the bad things that happened to you during the pandemic, you count the blessings para mas maging happy ka sa life mo.”

His children — Antonia or Nia is 16 while Antonio or Nio is 12 — are both homeschooled. “Mas challenging for Tintin kasi homeschool mom siya, siya yung pinaka-teacher sa mga bata, buti nalang hindi ako yun (laughs).”

Nevertheless, Julius observed in his children that they’re somehow interested in following in their parents’ footsteps.

“I think yes, although they don’t show it as much but verbally, sinasabi nila gusto nila maging newscaster. Antonia wants to take up journalism, Nio wants to be a newscaster. So, kahit papaano, may nakikita naman akong influence dun sa mga anak ko pagdating sa career na gusto nila. And I won’t be surprised if they become media persons one day because siempre, saan pa magmamana yung mga anak kundi sa magulang (laughs)? Kung ano napapanood nila sa mga magulang nila, baka… I don’t know. (But what I tell them) kung ano ang gusto niyong gawin sa buhay niyo, whether you want to be a doctor, lawyer, a businessman or businesswoman, it’s up to you, whatever makes you happy.”