All eyes on CNN's Anna Coren

She’s one of the most distinctive faces on CNN’s international desk. This blonde, blue-eyed, award-winning anchor’s plummy Australian voice is instantly recognizable, even across the room at Shangri-La Makati’s Horizon Lounge. Anna Coren is in town, and she’s taking the Philippines’ pulse.

As part of CNN’s “Eye On” series, the global news network is focusing its sights on the Philippines for a week of reports (set to begin airing April 30) that will look at the tough issues: politics, contraception and the Church, poverty and disapora. But they’ll also be looking at what’s going right: four percent economic growth, an upswing in tourism, and a president with a 70 percent approval rating.

Since 2008, Coren, now 37, has made her home in Hong Kong’s CNN headquarters, hosting World Report, a perfect perch from which to cover the region she says she’s most passionate about: Asia. Whether dropping by the opening of Mario Batali’s new restaurant in Hong Kong (as she did a few days back) or setting down in Japan last year when the tsunami hit, Coren has become one of the most visible and recognizable faces for CNN’s Asia-Pacific base. Settling in for a round of interviews after talking with President Aquino earlier in the day, the seasoned anchor, who arrived in Manila just the night before, is always ready to hit the ground running. No easy feat in heels.

Why “Eye On The Philippines” now? What’s prompted this focus? Are we doing something right?

ANNA COREN: I think you’re doing lots of things that are right. We’ve recently covered Thailand, Mongolia, South Korea, Indonesia. I think it’s an opportunity to focus on a country, not when there’s breaking news, but to give a bit more time and an in-depth look at how a country works, its politics, business and culture — all of its layers.

Coren on interviewing P-Noy: “When I interviewed the President, he certainly didn’t get an easy ride; I challenged him on several issues.”

You arrived just last night. Is it difficult to get a sense of a country in such a short time?

I’m here a week and a half, but my colleague Kyung Lah (CNN’s Tokyo correspondent) has been here two weeks doing stories, those are the packages that will air. Andrew Stevens was here over the weekend talking with the Ayala brothers for Talk Asia. And earlier I was sitting down with the President for an hour and a half.

“Eye On The Philippines” will equally focus on politics, business and culture. What kind of stories will you explore?

Some of the things Kyung has looked at is child labor and how the government is working to eliminate that. The other story is on pagpag, and an organization that is trying to feed children rather than them relying on pagpag for their daily meal. We’re also focusing on a prima ballerina who’s paying for something like 54 kids from a slum to learn to dance, and one of them will be performing in Hong Kong. Call centers is the other thing, the Philippines obviously becoming the call center capital of the world, taking over India. The other interesting story Kyung did was on anti-piracy and how there’s a government initiative to train seafarers how to deal with pirates.

Oh, for a second I thought you meant DVD pirates.

No, actual seafarers. A third of the world’s seafarers are Filipinos, which is quite extraordinary. It’s good to see the government doing something about it. Also, on the lighter side, “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” and how the tourism campaign has taken on a life of its own.

How do you make a show like “Eye On The Philippines” relevant to the West, which is only now starting to really take notice of Asian culture and growth? 

That’s definitely the case, and a lot that has to do with the improvements that are being made. You’ve got growth here; so much of the world is not experiencing growth. You’ve got four percent growth in the Philippines, you’ve got an economy that is improving after so long. From being the “Sick Man of Asia,” there’s real potential here. And that is why the world is sitting up and taking notice.

You’ve got foreign investors coming in, the Ayala brothers told Andrew Stevens they’re investing $1.4 billion in the Makati area. The fact that money is pouring in is a positive sign, the fact that the government is cracking down on corruption is a positive sign. That’s what foreign investors want: stability and certainty. And that’s what this government is obviously trying to do. I mean, they need to do it if they want that investment.

Politics can be ever-shifting in the Philippines. How will the program get a clear overview of the political scene here?

You do your research. When I interviewed President Aquino, he certainly didn’t get an easy ride; I challenged him on several issues. And at the end of the day, it’s the Filipino people who will decide whether or not he’s delivering. But our job is certainly to make him accountable to promises that he makes. He knows that he’s got a big job ahead of him.

Is it difficult to get the full picture?

We will certainly be getting all voices in the discussion. We’re speaking to the Church about the issue of contraception, we’re speaking to people working to eradicate poverty, we’re speaking to folks trying to get the tourism industry back on track after the 2010 bus hostage crisis (which Coren was here to cover). So we are covering everybody.

How did you end up at CNN?

I did a journalism degree (Charles Sturt University, New South Wales), worked for the big networks back home, in 2008 worked for an LA station, traveled to Israel, covered the Hezbollah and other stories, got a real taste of international news. I think I always knew I wanted to join CNN, it’s the major league, so that was my goal, I set my sights on that.

I have an affinity with this region anyway. Being Australian, you have a deep connection. Indonesia is on our doorstep, I’ve closely covered everything that went on in East Timor and Indonesia, obviously. So it’s always interested me, and being with CNN, we get out to 280 million households, and I have the privilege of traveling in the region.

CNN is 24/7, so do you ever get some time to enjoy the cultural aspects when you travel?

The job can be all-consuming, at times. Particularly when you’re on the road, it’s go, go, go. I was in Korea last year for the death of Kim Jong Il, and you arrive on the ground, you’re round the clock, it doesn’t stop, you look at the clock and see you’ve been awake for 36 hours. That’s CNN, it’s a global news organization that does not sleep. But I love that! But yes, I do try to get out and about and explore the rest of Asia as well.

How has the CNN experience differed from your Australian journalism experience?

It’s another world. The reason being, you’re in Australia, you’re covering predominantly domestic news. The beauty of working for CNN is it’s a global news organization and I would have to say that’s where my interests lie.

You’ve been with CNN since 2008. Can you give us one travel horror story since you’ve started covering Asia?

Oh, it’d probably be being stuck in airports, or missing flights, or just being overtired, carrying 12 cases.

That’s everybody’s travel horror story. What stories have been the most challenging?

Without a doubt, I would say the tsunami in Japan last year was one of the highlights, getting on the ground, assessing the damage. I was in the studio in Hong Kong as that story was breaking, so you’re telling the audience what is going on as those first images — that wave hitting the coast — comes in, and not knowing the full impact because communication’s just gone dead. And knowing that the story is huge, but we just didn’t know how huge. And then literally get off the set, get on a plane, land there, and hearing that thousands of people are missing. Trying to make sense of that and getting that across to viewers: that can certainly be challenging.

Outstanding in her field: Coren joined CNN in 2008 and has covered local stories like the 2010 bus hostage crisis in Manila, the 2011 Japan tsunami and the death of Kim Jong Il. Photos by JOEY VIDUYA

What are some of your favorite travel destinations?

One of my favorite places would be Vietnam — just a bit of a magical experience being in the mountains, on the border of China with the Hmong tribe; Thailand I love as well; Bali, Singapore, Cambodia.

What’s still your dream destination?

I’d like to go to India, I haven’t been there, and I’d like to spend more time in Bali to enjoy — you’re right, I was there for work (covering the bombing in 2006 in which 88 Australians died).

Have you traded notes with Maria Ressa on the Philippines?

I heard from her the other day, saying she’d heard I was coming to town, let’s catch up, but no, I’ve never met her yet. Looking forward to it.

How much do you rely now on new media and Twitter feeds, etc.?

Without a doubt, we do. And it’s funny how much you learn about breaking news from social media first, like the earthquake in Indonesia last week. We were learning about that on Twitter before authorities confirmed it. Same thing with the tsunami in Japan. People are taking their devices and sending out information almost in real time. We have to wait for confirmation, of course; CNN is extremely responsible about that. But yeah, it gives you the upper hand, that’s for sure.

And I hear the Philippines is the highest-texting nation in the world? For our reports, one of the thing we’re doing with our series is “iReports,” we’re asking people who live here or travel to the Philippines to tell us about their experiences and we’ll feature them on our shows; people can also follow us on #cnneyeonph. So CNN is covering all bases, considering you’re such a digital-savvy nation.

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 “Eye on the Philippines” reports will air starting Monday, April 30, 7 a.m., with live daily reports by Anna Coren from Manila, Batangas and Lake Taal and in-depth reportage from Kyung Lah. The coverage culminates with a half-hour program featuring highlights from the week, airing May 4 to May 6, plus two Talk Asia segments featuring President Benigno Aquino and Ayala brothers Jaime Augusto and Fernando Zobel de Ayala.