Veteran broadcaster Julius Babao revealed he was approached by some quarters to run for public office.
“May mga nag alok in the past pero hindi ko naman talaga ine-entertain kasi hindi ko naman talaga feel na pasukin ang pulitika talaga,” he said at a Zoom press con Wednesday.
It is not something he wants to pursue at the moment, perhaps more so now that he is starting fresh in a new network — TV5. Julius will join Cheryl Cosim in the primetime newscast, “Frontline Pilipinas” starting Monday, February 7. He said it had not crossed his mind to choose journalism over politics, as he does not believe the two should ever mix.
“Feeling ko kasi once na pumasok ka na sa ang pulitika, medyo maapektuhan na ang pagiging isang journalist,” he said, “Ang talagang tingin ko sa sarili ko kasi journalist talaga ako. More than a politician na possibility, mas journalist talaga ako.
“Ayokong iwan ang profession na pinasok ko. Iwant to be here for the longest time hanggang sa mag retire ako.”
But he is not closing his doors, he also admitted.
“And magpapakaipokrito naman ako pag sinabi kong sinasara ko ang pinto ko forever, hindi naman siguro pero if ever that time comes — which I don’t see right now — dapat hindi na ako connected sa kahit anong trabahong na may kinalaman sa journalism. Kinakailangan independent na ako.
“‘Yun ang mabngyayari nyan. Once na pinasok mo ang politics, that’s it. You go politics all the way. [Pero] right now, hindi ko iniisip ‘yan. It never entered my mind na igive up ko ang pagiging journalist para maging isang politiko,” he further said.
As part of “Frontline Pilipinas,” Julius will also have a segment wherein he can delve deeper into public service and present investigative pieces, as he had done in ABS-CBN, his home for 28 years.
Babao’s transfer to the Kapatid Network raises the ante for TV5 especially as it gears up for its coverage of the elections in May. His over 30 years of experience serves to add to the combined journalistic expertise of its roster of anchors.
He brings his own brand of expertise and TV5 news chief Luchi Cruz Valdez denied that he is a replacement of Raffy Tulfo, who left “Frontline Pilipinas” in October to pursue a senatorial slot this 2022.
Babao started his journalistic career with GMA 7’s DZBB in 1990 before moving to ABS-CBN in 1993 as a reporter for its flagship newscast. He later anchored the station’s morning show with his wife Christine Bersola in 1996 and then filled co-anchor duties in various primetime, evening and weekend newscasts before finally wrapping-up his 28-year stint with the Kapamilya Network last year.
