Ted Failon

Ted Failon or Teodoro Failon (born Mario Teodoro Failon Etong) is a Filipino broadcast journalist, radio commentator, and a congressman representing the first district of Leyte, Philippines, from 2001 to 2004.

Early life

Ted Failon was born and raised in Tacloban City, Leyte, on March 29, 1962. Growing up into a middle-class family, Failon strived hard to turn his life around and reach his professional goals.

He worked early on to financially support his studies from elementary school to college. He finished his elementary school at St. Andrew's School Parañaque in 1974, and high school at Perpetual Help College of Rizal in 1979. He earned a Bachelor in Broadcast Communication degree from Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Manila in 1996, and has attended the Bachelor of Laws program of Arellano University.

Career

Failon worked as Announcer at DYMM in Tacloban City from 1983 to 1988, and Program Director at DWGV-FM 99.1 in Angeles City, Pampanga from 1988 to 1990. He later moved to ABS-CBN where he went on to become Executive Producer and News Anchor between 1990 and 2001. He was elected as Representative of 1st district of Leyte from 2001 to 2004. Failon resumed broadcasting at ABS-CBN in 2004 up to the present.

At ABS-CBN Broadcasting Company in Quezon City, Failon has hosted television and radio programs covering news and public affairs. He also taught journalism at his alma mater, the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.

Today, Failon is one of three main news anchors of TV Patrol World, the flagship news program of ABS-CBN, the Philippines' largest broadcasting network. He is also a radio commentator and newscaster in DZMM, the radio station of ABS-CBN. He is also a regular columnist in "Inquirer Libre", a newsletter produced and run by the "Philippine Daily Inquirer".

Politics

In 2001, Failon joined politics when he ran for and won as Congressman representing the first district of Leyte. He has beaten veteran politician Alfred Romualdez, husband of actress Kristina Gonzales and nephew of former Philippine First Lady Imelda Marcos. Failon only served for one term (2001-2004) as a Congressman, and resumed his journalism career in ABS-CBN.

Awards

Failon has received numerous awards for broadcast journalism, including the KBP Golden Dove Awards, the Catholic Mass Media Awards, the PMPC Star Awards for Television, and the UST TV Awards.

Advocacies

Failon is a respected political commentator, and a renowned advocate of good governance, press freedom, democracy, and social justice. He is an active member of Tacloban Jaycees, the National Press Club, and CIVICOM Inc.

Private life

Failon enjoys quiet family life as a husband to his wife, Trinidad Arteche-Failon, and a father to their kids.

Failon is a serious health and nutrition buff, a gym buff, a badminton player, and an avid golfer. He had a knee operation due to arthritis which has prevented him from playing basketball, an erstwhile hobby. Among his gym and golf "classmates" include millionaire Delfin Lee, the real estate developer who builds homes for Pinoy Big Brother and Pinoy Dream Academy.

Failon is a longtime friend and program co-host of broadcast journalist Korina Sanchez. Sanchez is a godmother to one of his kids. Sanchez is also his partner in a morning radio program, "Tambalang Failon at Sanchez", where they effectively combine serious political commentary, news coverage, voice impersonation, radio drama, motivational talk, and comedy-like entertainment. The program has consistently won awards for "best radio political commentary."

External links

* [http://www.i-site.ph/Databases/Congress/12thHouse/personal/failon-personal.html Ted Failon curriculum vitae]
* [http://www.abs-cbnnews.com ABS-CBN Broadcasting Company - News & Public Affairs Division]
* [http://www.kbp.org.ph Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (Alliance of Broadcasters of the Philippines)]
* [http://www.congress.gov.ph Philippine House of Representatives]
* [http://www.arellano.edu.ph Arellano Law Foundation]
* [http://www.pup.edu.ph Polytechnic University of the Philippines]
* [http://www.leyte.gov.ph Leyte Province, Philippines]