Veteran television anchor Henry Omaga-Diaz has officially signed off from ‘TV Patrol’ after more than three decades, as he prepares to move to Canada with his family.
Omaga-Diaz made his final appearance on the program on Friday, August 30, where he was joined by his co-anchors Noli de Castro, Karen Davila, Bernadette Sembrano, Gretchen Fulido, and Ariel Rojas. His departure marks the end of an era for the popular news program.
During the broadcast, Karen Davila expressed her admiration for Omaga-Diaz, highlighting his humility and kindness. “God has a plan for all of us, and what I admire about you is how you embrace it with such grace. On and off camera, you are incredibly kind. You’ve always been humble, Henry, without a trace of arrogance,” she said.
Noli de Castro also extended his best wishes, saying, “Good luck, Henry. We’ve talked about what you’ll be doing in Canada. If you ever encounter any problems, just give me a call.”
In his farewell message, Omaga-Diaz thanked his colleagues, emphasizing the strong support he received throughout his career. “Grabe po ang naging suporta ng ating mga kasamahan sa newsroom, hanggang sa pag-edit ng script, sa video…‘Yun ang pinakamagandang feeling eh, ‘yung mga colleagues, nakikita mo mismo ‘yung pagmamahal sa kanila,” he shared.
Omaga-Diaz’s wife, Gigi, also expressed her excitement in a recorded message, eagerly awaiting his arrival in Canada. “ know it was a tough and difficult decision for you to leave something that you’re most passionate about—the things that you love to do most—and have dedicated your entire career to your Kapamilya. But with God’s blessing, I’m sure you will find ways and opportunities for you to share your stories here.”
Despite leaving ‘TV Patrol,’ Omaga-Diaz assured his audience that he would continue his work as a journalist even while living abroad. “‘Di na ko araw-araw makikita sa [TV] Patrol, pero ‘di aalis ‘yung pagiging mamamahayag…‘Yung gagawin ko doon ay related din sa journalism,” pagbabahagi niya sa Radyo 630 (dating DZMM TeleRadyo).
Throughout his career, Omaga-Diaz made significant contributions to Philippine journalism. In addition to ‘TV Patrol,’ he anchored the midnight newscast ‘Bandila’from 2006 to 2010 and hosted programs such as ‘Magandang Gabi… Bayan’ from 2001 to 2006, ‘Hoy Gising!’ from 1997 to 2001, and ”XXX: Exklusibong, Explosibong, Exposé’ from 2006 to 2009.
