Mike Enriquez
The gruff-voiced, relentless newsman whose 'Ito na po!' became a national catchphrase for breaking news in the Philippines.
1951–2023 (age 72)·Filipino broadcast journalist and television presenter·Birthday: September 29·Baby Boomers
Biography
For millions of Filipinos, the news arrived in the unmistakable, urgent baritone of Mike Enriquez. His career spanned the evolution of Philippine media, from radio booth to television studio. Starting as a teenage radio broadcaster, he built a reputation for tenacity and a common touch. His move to GMA Network in 1995 catapulted him to national fame as the anchor of flagship programs like 'Saksi' and '24 Oras.' Enriquez was not a detached presenter; he was an involved journalist, often visibly angry at injustice, his voice cracking with emotion during major disasters or political scandals. He became synonymous with GMA's aggressive newsgathering, and his managerial role shaped the network's nationwide radio operations. More than just a face, Enriquez was an institution, a trusted, if sometimes cantankerous, uncle delivering the truth as he saw it until his retirement shortly before his death.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Mike was born in 1951, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Mike Was Born
The biggest hits of 1951
#1 Movie
Quo Vadis
Best Picture
An American in Paris
#1 TV Show
Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts
Mike's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1951Born
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1956Started school
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1964Became a teenager
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Could drive
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1969Could vote
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Turned 21
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1981Turned 30
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 40
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 50
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 60
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 70
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2023Died at 72
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
Key Achievements
- Served as the lead anchor for GMA Network's flagship news programs '24 Oras' and 'Saksi' for over two decades.
- Built and led GMA's extensive radio network as President of RGMA Network Inc., expanding news reach across the Philippines.
- Received multiple lifetime achievement awards from Philippine media organizations for his impact on broadcast journalism.
Did You Know?
His famous sign-on line, "Ito na po!" ("This is it!"), became a widely imitated pop culture phrase.
He began his career at the age of 18 as a radio newscaster for dzXL.
Despite his tough on-air persona, he was known to be a generous mentor to young reporters.
““Walang personalan, trabaho lang.” ("Nothing personal, it's just work.")”
