Amidst the criticisms and bashing–they both received in doing their jobs, GMA News reporters Oscar Oida and Mav Gonzales still choose not to shun away from feedback online.
In an interview during a press conference for their new program, On Record, the GMA News and Public Affairs reporters shared how they became open with criticisms.
Gonzales received bashing from the Netizens when she featured PRRD’s War on Drugs. She recalled a comment that she is an ‘enabler’ and worst threatened by wishing her to get raped.
“Siguro ako, during war on drugs. Iyon talaga ang pinaka-vile na comment online. Nakakatanggap ako ng threats na, ‘Sana, maging ganito ka paglabas mo ng bahay, sana ma-rape ka.”
This experience that Mav Gonzales recalled happened in 2016. On her facebook page, the news reporter banned someone for the first time from her page for claiming that she is biased and shamed by Bato dele Rosa.
She shared that she’s trained to be tough in this kind of bashing even though she was affected before.
“I think, noong bata po akong reporter, naaapektuhan ako. Siyempre, sino ang hindi maapektuhan And my parents, sila talaga ang pinaka-naapektuhan to the point na gusto nila, mag-resign [ako].”
The news reporter said that as long as she’s fulfilling her job as a reporter, she will continue doing what’s best.
“Kasi parang, ‘Ano ba iyan, inalagaan ka namin ng twenty-plus years only [for you] to get online threats.’ Pero ako po, lumaking malakas ang loob so parang, ‘Bahala kayo diyan. Wala naman akong ginagawang masama sa trabaho.”
Oida has his ways of handling criticism, and he said that he always puts into his mind that what he is doing something important. Thus, comments will not matter.
“Ang importante, as long as alam mo ang ginagawa mo ay tama and sa kabila noon, may ganyan pa rin, may bashing pa rin, okay lang. At least, nagawa mo iyong tingin mo ay tama.”
Does he read the comments of his bashers? The reporter admitted that he is, but he doesn’t take it negatively, but positively.
“Pero pinaghuhugutan ko ng inspirasyon, Kung may mga bashers na hindi maiiwasan, pakita mo sa kanila ang kagandahang-loob, baka magbago ang pananaw nila sa buhay.
“Ang mahirap niyan kung maski ikaw, hindi ka naniniwala na tama ang ginagawa mo. For as long as you know what you’re doing, malinis ang konsensiya mo at, sabi nga nila, nakakatulog ka nang mahimbing sa gabi, okay lang iyan.”
Currently, Oscar Oida and Mav Gonzales are all set to give GMA Network viewers their weekly dose of good vibes with their new docu-magazine show On Record.
On Record chooses to be pleasant, beautiful, and inspiring. Think about heroism, random acts of kindness, and even the secret life of pets, among other interesting themes.
Tracking back their careers, Oida is noted for its distinct approach to news reporting. He started in GMA News as a producer segment of Mornings @ GMA in 1998 and became an on-cam reporter five years later.
His memorable news reports include the 2010 Quirino Grandstand hostage-taking and the 2017 Marawi siege. Currently, he is regularly watched via GMA’s flagship newscast 24 Oras as well as Unang Balita and Brigada.
Meanwhile, Gonzales’s most recent achievement in the field was to break the Taal Volcano eruption in January 2020. Previously, she received a quote from Save the Children for her Brigada documentary about children walking long distances to fetch drinking water.
