Sandra Aguinaldo (born April 29, 1975) is a Filipina television news anchor journalist, writer and documentarian. She is best known as one of the news reporters of 24 Oras and one of the hosts of I-Witness. In 2015, Aguinaldo together with her co-hosts in I-Witness won as the Best Documentary Program Hosts during the 29th PMPC Star Awards for Television.[1]

Sandra Aguinaldo
Born (1975-04-29) April 29, 1975 (age 49)
NationalityFilipino
Alma materUniversity of Santo Tomas, (BA)
Occupation(s)Journalist, news anchor, writer, documentarian
Years active1995–present
EmployerGMA Network
Television24 Oras
I-Witness
Saksi
SpouseBrimar Rodica

Early life

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Aguinaldo is the only child of Felipe, her father who is an engineer, and Irene, her mother who died when she was four years old.[2] She grew up at Angono, Rizal and she spent her childhood liking different kinds of art.[2][3] She developed her writing skills in high school and decided to take up journalism at University of Santo Tomas (UST) where she graduated. In 1993, she became the editor-in-chief of The Flame, UST Faculty of Arts and Letters' official student journal.[2]

Career

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After Aguinaldo graduated from college, she became a copywriter at an advertising firm.[2] In 1996, she entered the broadcast industry and was the head writer of Usapang Business, a television program of ABS-CBN.[2] After a year, she went to print media and became the senior report of The Manila Times.[2]

Eventually, she worked for GMA Network as news reporter for 24 Oras and Saksi.[2] She also hosted I-Witness, a television documentary program of GMA Network.[4][5][6] She initially joined I-Witness in 2006 when Vicky Morales took a leave of absence and she was a temporary replacement but eventually, she became a regular of the show.[4][3]

When she started as a reporter for GMA Network, she was assigned to difficult reporting tasks such as the conflict in Mindanao, particularly in Jolo, Sulu, where she interviewed members of the Abu Sayyaf, Moro National Liberation Front and Moro Islamic Liberation Front; and she also covered the bombings in Israel.[2][3] During the campaign of the Philippine presidential election in 2004 and before she was going to report for 24 Oras, she was berated by presidential candidate Fernando Poe, Jr. due to her presence at the stage.[7] Two days after the incident, they were reconciled.[8]

In I-Witness, she was able to produce different kinds of documentary including topics about poverty, which was questioned in 2012 when Aguinaldo and her co-hosts were at the "docufest" in Baguio.[3] It was asked that "in continuing to feature stories of poverty, are documentaries a form of exploitation?".[3] For Aguinaldo, when she makes documentary about poverty, she tries to give inspiration instead of making the poor people depressed.[3] Her documentary entitled "Pasan-Pasan" is about children with disability who goes to school despite being handicapped.[9] She also presented the documentary entitled "Iskul ko No. 1", which is about the Sindagan Elementary School, a school in Southern Leyte ranked top one in the 2006 National Achievement Test for graduating students.[3] "Iskul ko No. 1" won silver medal during the 2007 New York Festivals.[4]

In 2014, Aguinaldo together with Arnold Clavio were awarded by USTv of University of Santo Tomas as the Outstanding Thomasian Media Personalities.[10] In 2015, Aguinaldo together with Kara David, Howie Severino and Jay Taruc won as the Best Documentary Program Hosts for I-Witness during the 29th PMPC Star Awards for Television.[1] In 2016, Aguinaldo together with Kara David were nominated in the same category during the 30th PMPC Star Awards for Television but they lost.[11]

Personal life

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Aguinaldo is married to Brimar Rodica, a police officer whom Aguinaldo met during a funeral in Pangasinan.[2]

Awards

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Year Work Award Category Result Source
2011 I-Witness 25th PMPC Star Awards for Television Best Documentary Program Host Won [12]
8th Lasallian Scholarum Awards Recipient, Outstanding Televised Feature on Youth and Education Won [13]
2012 I-Witness 26th PMPC Star Awards for Television Outstanding Documentary Program Host Won [14]
2013 I-Witness 4th ENPRESS Golden Screen TV Awards Outstanding Documentary Program Host Nominated [15]
2014 I-Witness 28th PMPC Star Awards for Television Best Documentary Program Host Won [16]
10th USTv Student's Choice Awards Outstanding Thomasian Media Personality Won [17]
2015 I-Witness 29th PMPC Star Awards for Television Best Documentary Program Host Won [18]
9th Gandingan Awards (UP Los Baños) Best Documentary Program Host Won [19]
6th ENPRESS Golden Screen TV Awards Outstanding Documentary Program Host Won [20]
2016 I-Witness 10th Gandingan Awards (UP Los Baños) Gandingan ng Kabataan Won [21]
Platinum Stallion Media Awards of Trinity University of Asia Most Trusted Field Reporter Won [22]
2017 I-Witness 31st PMPC Star Awards for Television Best Documentary Program Host Won [23]
7th Edukcircle Awards Best Documentary Program Host Won [24]
11th Gandingan Awards (UP Los Baños) Best Documentary Program Host Won [25]
7th PMAP Makatao Media Excellence Awards Special Award Won [26]
2018 I-Witness 32nd PMPC Star Awards for Television Best Documentary Program Host Won [27]

References

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  1. ^ a b Jimenez, Joyce (December 4, 2015). "Alden Richards, Maja Salvador lead winners of 29th Star Awards for TV". The Philippine Star. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Santos, Tomas (November 17, 2008). "Sandra Aguinaldo: Behind the camera". The Varsitarian. University of Santo Tomas. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Tantengco, Cristina (November 16, 2012). "A lesson in balance: Sandra Aguinaldo". GMA News. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
  4. ^ a b c "#IWitness15: "Some of the best stories come accidentally."". GMA News. November 22, 2014. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
  5. ^ "'I-Witness' at 16". Philippine Daily Inquirer. November 13, 2015. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
  6. ^ "Meet Pinay alcoholics on I-Witness on December 7". Philippine Entertainment Portal. December 6, 2009. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
  7. ^ Dizon, Nikko (April 2, 2004). "FPJ berates GMA-7 reporter". The Philippine Star. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
  8. ^ Dizon, Nikko (April 4, 2004). "FPJ, Sandra agree to forget the past". The Philippine Star. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
  9. ^ Bais, Andy (July 6, 2012). "Inspiring tales on TV". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
  10. ^ Arcilla, Camille Anne (March 7, 2014). "Students pick TV faves". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
  11. ^ "LIST: Winners, PMPC Star Awards 2016 – television". Rappler. October 24, 2016. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
  12. ^ "GMA Network bags honors at 25th Star Awards for TV". philstar.com.
  13. ^ "The Lasallian Scholarum". xsite.dlsu.edu.ph.
  14. ^ "PHOTOS: 26th PMPC Star Awards". Rappler. November 22, 2012.
  15. ^ "2013 Golden Screen TV Awards nominees bared". PEP.ph.
  16. ^ "Kim Chiu, Coco Martin lead winners of 28th Star Awards for TV". philstar.com.
  17. ^ "Kapuso shows and personalities win big at the 10th USTv Students' Choice Awards | Showbiz News | GMA Entertainment - Online Home of Kapuso Shows and Stars - Story". Gmanetwork.com. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  18. ^ "GMA wins big in PMPC Star Awards for TV". philstar.com.
  19. ^ "University of the Philippines los Baños - GANDINGAN 2015: The UPLB Isko't-Iska's Broadcast Choice Awards". legacy.uplb.edu.ph. Archived from the original on September 22, 2019. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  20. ^ Mendoza, Arvin (April 27, 2015). "2015 Golden Screen TV Awards full list of winners". entertainment.inquirer.net.
  21. ^ "GMA-7 chosen as Best Development-Oriented TV Station during Gandingan 2016 | PEP.ph". www.pep.ph. Archived from the original on September 22, 2019. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  22. ^ "Bandera". INQUIRER.net Mobile.
  23. ^ Garcia, Leony (November 15, 2017). "GMA wins lion's share of PMPC TV awards | Leony Garcia". BusinessMirror.
  24. ^ "Kapuso personalities honored at various award shows". Manila Standard. October 25, 2017.
  25. ^ "University of the Philippines los Baños - ABS-CBN, Central Luzon TV station are UPLB Gandingan's big winners". legacy.uplb.edu.ph. Archived from the original on September 22, 2019. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  26. ^ Ramos, Jansen. "GMA Network wins big at the 7th PMAP Makatao Awards for Media Excellence". www.gmanetwork.com.
  27. ^ Basil, Timmy (October 16, 2018). "Mga mananaug sa 32nd PMPC Star Awards for TV". Sunstar.