Gretchen Fullido looks back on 11 years of working with Kim Atienza

MANILA – Gretchen Fullido turned sentimental as she looked back on the past 11 years that she got to work with Kim Atienza on “TV Patrol.”

For several years, the two have been partners in hosting the gap show of “TV Patrol,” which aired on the official Facebook page of ABS-CBN’s flagship newscast.

“Kung saan saan kami nakarating for the #KIMCHEN gap show. Ang daming kalokohan at aakyat pa dapat kami ng ABS-CBN Millennium Transmitter (Giant Antenna) kung ma-rerenew yung franchise,” she wrote as she reminisced about their good times together.

Fullido said she will certainly miss Atienza, who has decided to leave the Kapamilya network.

• Kim Atienza, ABS-CBN part ways after 17 years

“To my dressing roommate on TV Patrol for 11 years, my triathlon teammate, my KimChen partner, to the number one alaskador on set, my Kuya and sorta kinda a father figure to me (halos magka-age sila ng Erps ko kasi) l will super dooper miss you Kuya Kim,” she said.

According to Fullido, she will always support Atienza no matter which endeavor he takes.

“Kahit nasaan ka man, we will support you always. Excited for the blessings and opportunities in store for you! Sabi mo nga: ‘Ang Buhay ay weather weather Lang…’”

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Atienza joined “TV Patrol,” the flagship newscast of ABS-CBN, in 2006, months after the passing of Ernie Baron.

With the segments “Weather Weather Lang” and “Kaunting Kaalaman,” he, too, became a household name, instantly recognizable with his signature safari hat.

Aside from the unmistakable silhouette, Atienza’s outro, or ending spiel, made a mark on the Filipino audience — as a nightly reminder to keep riding life’s highs and lows.

“Lagi nating tatandaan: ang buhay ay weather-weather lang,” he would say after each weather report — and for the last time on “TV Patrol” on Friday.

In his farewell at the conclusion of “TV Patrol,” Atienza expressed gratitude to ABS-CBN executives, as well as his co-anchors and co-workers across his numerous programs over the years.

ABS-CBN News, in its statement, also paid tribute to Atienza for his role in helping educate a generation, as a unique media personality that crossed over from news to entertainment, making his programs, and himself, more accessible to everyday Filipinos.

ABS-CBN News thanked Atienza “for his dedication, passion, and most of all, service to the Filipino people.”