On March 25, TV and radio newscaster Mike Enriquez alluded to the possibility of retiring during the media conference for his return to GMA News.
Enriquez said he was in the process of reflecting and discerning the next step in his career and life.
“Reflection and discernment–I am not yet finished with the process. It is still ongoing for me. If you ask me, what is it about, it is about my future, my career, (and) my life.
“I promised myself that at the start of my surgery and my isolation (that), I would spend the time really, really taking a look at my life at my career.”
He then admitted that he thought of turning off the microphone or lessening his time on it, alluding to his possible retirement.
“Ano ba talaga ang gusto kong mangyari sa buhay ko. Is it time to–how do you say it? Is it time to turn off the microphone? Is it time to not turn off the microphone completely but to lessen it? Mga ganon ba. And I repeat, I am still in the process of making that discernment.”
Enriquez has been in the broadcasting business since 1969, when he first started at the Manila Broadcasting Company. He has worked on several radio shows and became a household name with his years as a reporter and an anchorman.
However, in December 2021, Enriquez went on medical leave to undergo a kidney transplant that required a three-month isolation period. Before that, he also went through a heart bypass surgery in 2018.
Enriquez shared his health journey during the three-month isolation period.
“Nagbabasa-basa ako, naglalakad-lakad, eh bawal ako makihalubilo sa tao eh so I cannot go to places where there are people not because of the COVID-19, but because kailangan isolated, isolated talaga. Tsaka ‘yun nood ng TV.
“Nagbago nga ‘yung body clock ko eh. I’m worried baka hindi ako magising sa Lunes eh. Oo nag-iba ‘yung oras ng tulog ko ngayon at ‘yung oras ng gising. Kutakot-takot na wake up call nito sa station, ipapatawag ako kasi baka mamaya hindi ako magising, ang laking sabit nito.”
He then shared why he opted to undergo surgery versus going through dialysis three to four times a week.
“To improve my quality of life. Imagine this three times a week, sometimes four times a week–I’m hooked up to a dialysis machine for four hours three to four times a week. Ask people who went through dialysis para kang binugbog ni Manny Pacquiao ang feeling mo physically. So in consultation with my doctor, we went with it.”
He then shared his advice to aspiring broadcasters about balancing their demanding work environment and health.
“This is for everybody in media and everybody who wants to be something in life, ‘Health is Wealth,’ like they say. Totoo ‘yun. I do not wish for anyone to find that out late in their lives that Health is Wealth.
“Especially young people like you. You probably don’t feel this now, you probably feel you’re on top of the world now, but nothing beats health. Without health, wala na, you can’t do anything that you want to accomplish. You cannot do good to anybody else, so take care of your health.”
The GMA News pillar and multi-awarded broadcast journalist Mike Enrique returned to television and radio just in time for GMA Network’s most comprehensive Eleksyon 2022 coverage.
