One of GMA’s prized reporters, Jiggy covered the war in Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan, the conquest of Mt. Everest, the earthquake in Haiti and EDSA 3 where he was hit on the head by a rock thrown by a protester. Born on Nov. 15, 1974, he’s third in a brood of four and grew up in San Pablo City. “My aim then was to take up a vocational course and put up my own car shop. But I passed the UPCAT and took up comm arts at UP Los Banos. I commute everyday at kung minsan wala kong pamasahe pauwi. I graduated in 1994 and applied sa ABS. Nakuha kong writer sa ‘Magandang Gabi Bayan’. But it’s far from where the buses stop, unlike GMA na ang lapit lang sa bus station from Laguna, so lumipat ako and met Ms. Jessica Soho who’s very accommodating. I started as a writer and production assistant, tagadala ng food ng reporters, then Alex Tinsay told me to do traffic reports on cam. My first big story was the Kuratong Baleleng.”
His coverage of the ARRM election in Tipo Tipo, Basilan in “24 Oras” showing a dying soldier injured in battle , Col. Abeto, won the Gold Medal at the 2009 New York Festival. His “Lunok Droga” docu in “Reporter’s Notebook” also won the Silver Screen Award in the 2009 US International Film and Video Festival. “News TV QRT” will be seen Monday to Friday and Jiggy also anchors GMA’7’s ”24 Oras Weekend” on Saturday and Sunday, which means he’ll now be seen delivering the news every single day.
