Vice Ganda leads roster of Philippines’ most trusted personalities

Vice Ganda, Noli de Castro (with with Reader’s Digest Asia-Pacific Retail and Advertising Sales Director Sheron White), Alyssa Valdez and Atom Araullo.

TV host Vice Ganda has once again earned the confidence of Filipino consumers and viewers, after he was proclaimed “Most Trusted Entertainment and Variety Presenter” by an international magazine.

Vice Ganda, who has been recognized for six years in a row already, was joined by volleyball phenom Alyssa Valdez, broadcast journalist Atom Araullo, and newsman Noli De Castro in the roster of personalities recognized at the 26th Most Trusted Brands Awards by Reader’s Digest.

The entertainer was not able to make it to the awarding ceremony held at Marco Polo Ortigas Manila in Pasig City on March 22, but he expressed his gratitude in a video message played at the venue. “Salamat po sa lahat ng nagtitiwala, sa Reader’s Digest, sa lahat ng consumers, madlang pipol, my little ponies (thank you to everyone who trusted me, to Reader’s Digest, to all the consumers, to the people, my fanbase), thank you very much,” Vice Ganda said.

Valdez was recognized as the “Most Trusted Sports Personality.” She rose to fame in the collegiate league, and has become a professional athlete, who has also played in leagues in Thailand and Taiwan. She is also a part of the Philippine national team.

“As an athlete and part of a team sport, trust always plays an important role. Trust in one’s ability, believing in my teammates, and having that confidence to rely on our coaches and mentors’ decision are just some of the things we deal every single day,” she said.

The Creamline Cool Smashers Team Captain said it takes a lot of effort to build trust, and one must constantly work on it. “I hope that we continue to build trust among each other, though we’re from different fields, to make a difference in our society,” she said.

Araullo cited trust as an interesting intersection. “That’s very important for publications, it’s very important for brands, and it’s doubly important for people in my profession, which is providing news and information to the public,” said the “Most Trusted TV Host for News and Current Affairs” for the second year in a row.

“Our media landscape, information landscape is changing. Our traditional gatekeepers are no longer as important today because of social media, the internet, even artificial intelligence. So I think for us in the media, we continue to be relevant by producing meaningful and timely stories. We hope to earn more trust among the readers, our viewers, and the public,” he said.

De Castro, who was recognized as the “Most Trusted Radio Presenter,” echoed Araullo’s sentiments. “So pangunahin pa rin po ang misyon na magbigay tayo ng balita, information na totoo, news na bago at totoo na dapat paniwalaan. Marami pong ‘news’ ngayon na huwag po ninyong biglang paniniwalaan dahil kayo mapapahamak (our main mission is to provide news, information that is true, news that is fresh and credible. There are so many ‘news’ that you should not believe because it will cause you harm),” he said.

The Most Trusted Brands Awards recognizes personalities and brands that have earned the trust of consumers.

The results are tabulated from a survey commissioned by the New York-based magazine Reader’s Digest, conducted in different countries and territories in the Asia-Pacific region. Retail and Advertising Sales Director Sheron White told INQUIRER.net that about 2,000 respondents were asked in the Philippines.