Emma Tiglao. Image: INQUIRER.net/Armin P. Adina
MANILA, Philippines—Four years after winning the Binibining Pilipinas crown in 2019, Emma Tiglao is still very much in the limelight, greeting Filipinos every morning and every night on TV. And to help her transition from pageantry to news, she seeks inspiration from industry veterans.
At the sidelines of her judging stint at the first-ever Lueur Lauren Calendar Girl search held at the SM Skydome in Quezon City on Jan. 31, Tiglao told the Inquirer she idolizes award-winning journalists Karen Davila and Pinky Webb. “They conduct great interviews, that’s the most difficult thing to do. You have to dig deep, get deep information from the people and the topic itself.”
Tiglao herself appears to be treading the path the two veteran journalists have paved in Philippine broadcasting. Just two years in the industry, the young news personality has already been noticed not only here but overseas as well. She was nominated at the PMPC Star Awards for TV in January, and raised the flag for the Philippines at the Asian TV Awards in Singapore in December.
“Imagine, before, I was aiming for a crown? Now it’s a title I’m after. But I think it’s just a bonus, to get recognized in another country, because I already get to deliver the news,” Tiglao said. “It really boosts your confidence, and will become a driving force for you to do more,” she added.
Tiglao may find her current job rewarding, but it was not what she envisioned for herself before. “My dream was to become a public speaker, to motivate and inspire people. But I think it’s the same path also, because I provide information to the people,” she explained.
She makes it look easy, but Tiglao said transitioning from being a beauty queen to a news anchor was tough for her. “It was a long process. I think whatever we go through is hard, it’s challenging. But at the end of the day, if you love what you are doing, the hardships will feel good in the end. Everything will be worth it,” she said.
One of the adjustments she said she had to make was functioning with very little sleep. “I only get to sleep four hours a day, because my schedule changed,” Tiglao confessed. And she swears by K-beauty to help make her camera-ready every time. “Now topical products have become so popular. And we all know that when it comes to skin care, Korean products are really good,” she said.
Tiglao appears on the daily morning show “Kada Umaga” and the nightly newscast “Mata ng Agila,” both on Net25. She is just one of the beauty queens the station has tapped to join its news organization. Bb. Pilipinas Universe Nina Ricci Alagao and Miss Global first runner-up CJ Hirro are at the helm of the late-night newscast “Mata ng Agila International.” /ra