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ABS-CBN News’ Johnson Manabat

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA -- It’s not about how you fail but how you get back up.</p><p>Veteran journalist and news anchor Johnson Manabat delivered this message to graduates on Wednesday, September 17, as speaker for the 2025 Yearend Commencement Exercises of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP).</p><p>Manabat, an alumnus of PUP, is a senior reporter for ABS-CBN News, and anchors DZMM’s morning radio news program &quot;Ronda Pasada.&quot;</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1758076427368Image.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-dragging" style="width:950px"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Photo/thumbnail: Screenshot/PUP </em></span></span></span></div><p>In his speech for fresh graduates from the university’s College of Communication and College of Arts and Letters, Manabat shared that he had to take the school’s entrance examination twice.</p><p>“Alam n’yo ba…dalawang beses akong nag-entrance exam dito sa ating sintang paaralan? Bakit ko sinasabi ito? Para patunayan na hindi ang failure natin sa buhay ang magde-define kung sino or kung anong klaseng tao tayo,” Manabat said.</p><p>“Mas maganda kung papaano tayong tumatayo sa bawat pagkakataon na nadadapa tayo.”</p><p>Manabat then shared how determination and persistence led him to move from his hometown in Nueva Ecija and to enter PUP, and eventually graduate to try and land a job in the news industry.</p><p>“Gumawa ako ng napakaraming résumé at ipinadala ko sa iba-ibang TV stations and radio stations. Sabi ko, kung sino ang unang tumawag sa mga ito, tatanggapin ko,” Manabat shared. “Awa ng Diyos, iisa ang tumawag. Siyempre tinanggap ko. At doon na nagsimula ang lahat.”</p><p>Manabat also talked about the dangers of the profession but the need for journalists to serve the public.</p><p>“Mga magulang… alam kong hindi lahat sa inyo ay pabor sa kursong kinuha ng mga anak ninyo. Siyempre, sino bang magulang ang gugustuhin na makita ang pinakamamahal niyang anak na ni ayaw padapuan ng langaw noong bata, tapos ngayon ay uutusan na magpunta sa pumuputok na bulkan, pumalaot sa pinag-aagawang teritoryo ng bansa o palulusungin sa baha?” Manabat said.</p><p>“Pero mahalaga ito ngayon dahil…bnakakalkal ang mga ghost project ng gobyerno. Dumating ang pandemya pero hindi pwedeng itigil ang pagbabalita. Sa mga panahon na ‘yan mas kailangan ang tamang impormasyon at tamang balita.”</p><p>Manabat also encouraged future communication professionals to carve out their own path in the industry.</p><p>“Para sa mga magtutuloy at magnanais na maging susunod na Noli de Castro, susunod na Ted Failon o Karen Davila — hindi po madali ang patungo sa kung anuman ang narating nila. Never magkakaroon ng isa pang Noli de Castro. Pero pwedeng isa sa inyo ang gagawa ng sariling pangalan nang malayo sa anino ng mga nauna sa industriyang ito,” he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS:</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UrUJqGm-nfg?autoplay=1&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b3p2M-vMjOg?&amp;pp=0gcJCckJAYcqIYzvautoplay=1&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0zOthNwwRPU?autoplay=1&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_N5-BNKmudQ?autoplay=1&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DE_vEQE4dv0?autoplay=1&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Veteran journalist and news anchor Johnson Manabat delivered his message to graduates on Wednesday, September 17, as speaker for the 2025 Yearend Commencement Exercises of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP).</p>

Veteran journalist and news anchor Johnson Manabat delivered his message to graduates on Wednesday, September 17, as speaker for the 2025 Yearend Commencement Exercises of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP).

ABS-CBN News’ Johnson Manabat to PUP graduates: Don’t let failures define you

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ABS-CBN News’ Johnson Manabat to PUP graduates: Don’t let failures define you

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 17, 2025 03:06 PM PHT

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