Alvin Elchico. Image: Screengrab from YouTube/ABS-CBN News
Alvin Elchico announced he would be leaving his anchoring duties at “TV Patrol Weekend” to take over the position left behind by veteran broadcast journalist Henry Omaga-Diaz, who recently retired from ABS-CBN’s flagship newscast every week night, “TV Patrol.”
The announcement was made at the close of TVP Weekend’s Sept. 1 episode. Elchico, who was the pioneer host of the program, would be leaving it behind to his co-anchor, Zen Hernandez, after 13 years of service.
“Ngayon po ang huling araw ko sa ‘TV Patrol Weekend.’ At sa loob ng mahigit na labing-tatlong taon mula 2011, ito po ang trabaho ko kada Sabado at Linggo,” he said. “Malungkot po akong [iiwanan] ang ‘TV Patrol Weekend’ dahil dito po ako nag-grow bilang isang news anchor. Dito po ako nahasa sa tulong ng staff at production team ng ‘TV Patrol Weekend.’”
(Today is my last day on “TV Patrol Weekend.” And after 13 years starting from 2011, this has been my job every Saturday and Sunday. I’m sad to leave “TV Patrol Weekend” because this is where I grew as a news anchor. This is where I honed my skills with the help of “TV Patrol Weekend’s” staff and production team.)
The news anchor expressed his gratitude to Hernandez and ABS-CBN’s production staff, for entrusting him with the program.
“Simula bukas, panibagong yugto na ako ng aking buhay sa newsroom. Bagong tahak, araw-araw na akong magbabalita sa ‘TV Patrol.’ Maraming salamat sa tiwala (Starting tomorrow, I’m starting a new chapter of my life in the newsroom. A new journey. I will now be telling the news everyday on ‘TV Patrol’),” he said.
Elchico’s new anchor role comes after Omaga-Diaz announced his departure from TV Patrol last Aug. 30, as he’s set to return to Canada to be with his family.
While it’s unknown what Omaga-Diaz’s new role would be, he said that it would still be a career related to journalism.