Bago naging news reporter at dokumentarista ng programang "i-Witness," una munang minahal ni Mav Gonzales ang sports at naging courtside reporter siya. Pero nang pinagbibihis siya nang mas sexy na kasuotan, pinili na lang niyang iwan ang kaniyang trabaho, at nagbukas ang bagong oportunidad sa Kapuso Network.
Sa The Howie Severino podcast, binalikan ni Mav ang pagkahilig niya sa sports noong kaniyang kabataan.
“'Yung family ko po kasi nu'ng lumalaki ako, 'yung dad ko, they're four brothers, mahilig sila sa sports particularly basketball. So lumalaki ako nanonood din ako ng basketball with them - PBA, NBA. And kami 'yung mga klase ng bata na kapag summer, 'yung nasa sports clinic. Ganu'n po kami nu'ng kapatid ko so parang we try a lot of sports,” kuwento ni Mav.
Bagama’t sinubukang mag-swimming, hindi na raw sumali si Mav sa UAAP (University Athletic Association of the Philippines). Gayunman, na-enjoy niya ang pag-cover ng sports.
“I did swimming for a bit but hindi na ako nag-UAAP. Hanggang high school lang po ako nag-swim. And I've tried a lot of sports. And I don't know, it's just really interesting to me kapag nagco-cover ng sports. Parang because I'm such a sports fan, kapag nagco-cover ako nu'n, parang hindi talaga siya trabaho. Parang it comes very easy to me,” saad ng GMA Integrated News reporter.
Hanggang sa maging courtside reporter din si Mav para sa isang national basketball league.
Pero ayon kay Mav, hindi niya nagustuhan noon nang pagsuotin siya ng sexy.
“I was doing sports for a while and they want you to dress in a certain way para mas sexy, mas visually appealing. And it wasn't something I was comfortable with. And they wanted the female reporters to report on the side stories and then, they also had male reporters na sila 'yung magre-report on sports, on the scores, on the stats, strategies,” saad niya.
“And that was the part that was offending to me because I felt like I have more experience than these guys. Like I could write this like nakapikit and I'm being held back because I am female and I have to dress on a certain way,” dagdag niya.
Pero nang umayaw na sa pinagagawa sa kaniya sa trabaho, naging daan naman ito para magbukas sa kaniya ang ibang oportunidad.
“And I guess it turned out to be a blessing in disguise because that was the time I decided "Okay. This is not working for me anymore." And the opportunity opened up in GMA na TV so it all worked out in the end,” sabi ni Mav.
Ikinatuwa ni Mav na nagbago rin kalaunan ang polisiya sa mga babae tungkol sa kanilang mga kasuotan bilang courtside reporter.
“At that time, it [saying no] wasn't an option. If you said no, hindi ka na lang nila bibigyan ng gigs. So you would've like you could lost your job also. But the good thing is, a few years later, they change it na. So ngayon, the women are wearing business attires so naka-suit na and they're able to report also on game stuff, hindi na lang 'yung mga side story," saan niia.
"So there was a change also. I'm not sure like what happened because it was a long time after I was gone that it did happen. But I'm so happy because the younger ones who would've to do that, they don't have to deal with all that,” ayon pa kay Mav. --FRJ, GMA Integrated News
