Arnold Clavio on staying with GMA: 'Renewed spirit din po ako'

Multi-awarded news and radio anchor Arnold Clavio will continue his journey as a Kapuso after he inked his contract with his home network on Tuesday morning, December 3.

Present during the contract signing of our dearest Igan were the top executives of GMA led by President and CEO Gilberto R. Duavit, Jr., Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Felipe S. Yalong, Executive Vice President of GMA Pictures and First Vice President of GMA Public Affairs Nessa Valdellon and Vice President for GMA Public Affairs Arlene Carnay.

Also witnessed this momentous event were GMA Integrated News, Regional TV, and Synergy Senior Vice President and Head Oliver Victor B. Amoroso, GMA's First Vice President for Radio Operations Glenn F. Allona, Connie Sison, and Arnold's wife Miss Yna Clavio. Several senior program managers of Igan's program in GMA also showed their support.

The GMA Integrated News pillar was beaming and expressed his appreciation to all his bosses and colleagues for organizing such a memorable event. He then went on and shared his reflections after suffering a near-fatal hemorrhagic stroke last June 2024.

“Beyond words first siguro forever grateful ako dahil last June 11 hindi ko alam na mangyayari po ito, magkakasama pa rin tayo dahil doon sa nangyari. Maraming reflections... pero I'm grateful. Nung time na nasa emergency room ako mag-isa, [I said] I'm ready to go,” Igan admitted.

“Yun talaga ang naramdaman ko, naramdaman ko siya. Hindi ko alam ba't ganun. Kaya may post ako na death is something beautiful, parang dumating sa point in time na wala na ako ipu-prove. Nagawa ko na lahat. Pero andito pa rin ako, so sabi nila binigyan ako ng misyon pa rin. Hindi pa tapos 'yung misyon mo and I gladly accept it, pero Kayo na po ang mag-lead sa akin."

The award-winning Kapuso news personality added, “Hindi lang po renewal of contract itong nangyari. Talagang renewed spirit din po ako. Renewed human being po ako sa nangyari sa akin. In-offer ko na po lahat sa Kaniya. Bahala na po Siya kung saan ako iga-guide.”

In a video message, GMA Chairman Atty. Felipe L. Gozon lauded Arnold's leadership in making Unang Hirit a highly-trusted GMA program for the past 25 years.

Atty. Gozon explained, “Si Arnold o mas kilala natin bilang Igan ay tunay kaibigan ng bayan. Siya ang gumigising sa atin tuwing umaga, nagdadala ng mahalagang balita at kuwento sa bawat tahanan. Sa loob ng dalawampu't limang taon sa pangunguna ni Igan. Ang Unang Hirit ay patuloy na pinagkakatiwalaan at tinatangkilik ng ating mga Kapuso.”

Meanwhile, GMA President and CEO Mr. Duavit stressed that their partnership with Arnold Clavio is built on solid ground and he firmly believes that he will remain a Kapuso forever.

“Nakita natin ang Igan sa UH pero andiyan din si Igan na kinikilala nating pillar. Isa sa mga pillar ng GMA [Integrated] News, GMA Radio at isang celebrity.

“Pero higit sa lahat, isang kaibigan nating lahat, isang Kapuso na minamahal natin na patuloy ang pagiging Kapuso, habang buhay na ho 'yan. Sa pagkakataong ito, Igan, maraming salamat. Welcome back! Stay here forever.”

For his part, Mr. Yalong shared that Igan knows the “pulse” of the masa audience because of his experience growing up in Tondo.

He told during the contract renewal, “We both grew sa Tondo [Manila] so we know 'yung masa, we know the feeling of people. That's why 'yung experience niya [and] experience ko, brought us to where we are right now. Street smarts kami, lalo na sa GMA ang lahat ng mga tao may pag-asa. As long as you do what is expected of your job, you love your company. then, you can grow with GMA. And Igan is an example of what loyalty is all about.”

When asked about his loyalty to GMA-7 for the past 35 years, Arnold told in an interview with seasoned showbiz reporter Lhar Santiago that the late German Moreno taught him about its importance.

“Pagdating sa loyalty ang mentor ko diyan si Kuya Germs (German Moreno), si Kuya Germs kasama ko 'yan sa radio at lagi kami nagkakasalubong niyan. May iniwan siyang pamana, ang loyalty is priceless. So wala siyang katapat."