Korina, cohosts to discuss issues abuzz on social media in ‘TikTalks’

Korina Sanchez

While veteran broadcast journalist Korina Sanchez said she has finally learned to embrace social media, she still believes that some form of regulation by the state is necessary.

“I was actually one of the last women standing. I could not understand then what it was. Lo and behold, it’s now one of my major sources of income. Yes, I’m one of the latecomers, but when it dawned on me, I completely embraced social media,” Korina told Inquirer Entertainment in a recent press conference.

“While I don’t agree with how it is used by some people, I also believe that some form of regulation is necessary because, as I said, if an utterance can ruin a life, a family or a business, so in that sense it’s inhuman. We’re human and we have to be humane, so, hopefully, sooner than later, [there must be] some form of regulation. Otherwise, I think it’s a gift—that opinion and creativity are democratized, and that information is accessible this way.”

Korina, however, was quick to note that social media “can be dangerous, especially for young kids. I have children now so I am able to sense the danger.”

Korina’s children with husband Mar Roxas—the twins Pepe and Pilar—turned 3 years old last February.

“Parents choose to share things about their children in varying degrees. Some are all-out, even creating channels just for their kids. Mar and I are not one of those. I put family milestones because a lot of people love my kids, but I try not to put things that I know they will take against me when they’re all grown-up. So far, I don’t overdo it. As long as my husband agrees, I’m not in trouble,” she said, laughing.

Different backgrounds

Starting on Dec. 4, Korina will be seen cohosting a talk show, titled “TikTalks,” alongside four other TV personalities with different backgrounds—magazine editor and LGBTQIA+ advocate G3 San Diego, actress and singer Kakai Bautista, columnist and radio/TV host Pat-P Daza, and stand-up comic and comedy writer Alex Calleja. Its goal is to raise awareness on relevant topics and issues in the country, particularly those that are currently creating buzz on social media.

“We have a chat group where we attempt to discuss what we will talk about each week. You will not believe me when I tell you what comes out of that thread! When we were already taping, I realized that I needed to moderate. Otherwise, we will all end up in jail,” quipped Korina.

As to why she picked each of these personalities to cohost with her, Korina had this to say: “When my fellow line producer Joji Dingcong first thought of creating this show, we agreed that we needed to pick those that can represent different kinds of people. We were supposed to feature five opinionated females. In the end, after much consultation, we have Kakai, who is a comedienne but has a good head on her shoulders. Also, I really wanted a singer who would just burst into song in the middle of the discussion when she feels like it.”

Korina continued: “Pat-P is really my barkada. I also told her she didn’t need to talk, she should just make everyone hear her infectious laugh and that would be her contribution. It turned out that she is the ‘marites’ among us. She knows the latest chismis, which we dissect to come up with facts from fiction.”

Deliberate chemistry

“We got G3 because we wanted a vocal and unabashed LGBTQIA+ representative. We tried to look for a fifth female cohost but couldn’t find one. At that time, I was already coordinating with Alex for other projects. I found him really funny and his humor is really masculine. I said, ‘I think I want a guy with that kind of humor in the mix,’ and we were not mistaken,” she pointed out.

Korina said that what they have is chemistry that was deliberate. “I first tried to learn as much as I could about them before I asked them to join me. I’m glad I didn’t fail using the formula I’ve picked. Eventually, we learned to love each other. We clicked. Maybe because we’re like-minded in many ways, and that there’s mutual respect,” she explained. “Of course, that’s what the show is all about—respect for everybody’s opinion, which we are trying to get other people to be empowered about.”

She added: “Real talk is unusual on television. It’s a very refreshing format. We also think it’s important to introduce this to more people. Change happens so fast these days, particularly on the views of people. Even the landscape of entertainment and information is changing—it’s now a hybrid between mainstream and social media. Everyone can freely air their opinion. This show is like a conversation among friends when no outsider is watching. I believe that it’s important to push the envelope forward, to push advocacies forward, to not be scared to voice out our opinion. I promise that this is a program that showcases all that.”

“TikTalks” will air every Saturday, 8 p.m., on One PH, with simulcast on TV5 and Radyo Singko 92.3 News FM; and every Sunday, 7 p.m., on One News. INQ