MANILA, Philippines – Henry Omaga-Diaz, one of the four anchors of ABS-CBN’s flagship news program, TV Patrol, bid farewell to the show on Friday night, August 30. 

On Friday morning, Omaga-Diaz told radio station Radyo 630, formerly DZMM TeleRadyo, that he would be returning to Canada to spend time with his family, who migrated there years ago. 

Omaga-Diaz said he had long promised his wife, Gigi, that he would permanently be returning to Canada, but kept breaking it. 

“‘Oo, next year, uuwi na ko,’ palagi next year…. Matagal na kong nangako, ‘Oo, sasamahan kita diyan.’ Ngayon, tutuparin ko na ‘yung pangako ko sa kanya,” he said. 

(I kept telling her, “Yes, I’m coming home,” always next year. I had long promised her, “Yes, I’ll be with you there.” Now, I’m fulfilling my promise to her.)

Omaga-Diaz, however, said he would continue being a journalist, apparently still for Kapamilya platforms, in Canada where there is a big Filipino community.

“‘Di na ko araw-araw makikita sa [TV] Patrol, pero ‘di aalis ‘yung pagiging mamamahayag…. ‘Yung gagawin ko do’n ay related din sa journalism,” he said. 

(I won’t be seen on TV Patrol everyday, but I’ll still be a journalist. What I’ll be doing there will still be related to journalism.) 

“Pansamantala lang [ito], kailangan ko nang gawin para sa pamilya,” he added. 

(This is just a temporary absence, I just have to do this for my family.)

In a recorded message to her husband aired on TV Patrol on Friday, Gigi said: “Finally, the day has come after a very long wait. You will now be joining me here in Canada. I know it was a tough and difficult decision for you to leave something that you’re most passionate about, the things that you love to do most and have dedicated your entire career to your Kapamilya. But with God’s blessing, I’m sure you will find ways and opportunities for you to share your stories here. This is home and we are happy and excited for you to be here. See you soon.” 

His co-anchors on TV Patrol gifted him with a sweater with his initials HOD and the number 14, his call sign number when he started in ABS-CBN as a DZMM Radyo Patrol reporter in 1991, plus red, blue, and green baseball caps. 

Before leaving for Canada on Saturday, August 31, Omaga-Diaz reunited on Friday with former Kapamilya colleague Julius Babao, who now anchors TV5’s flagship news program, Frontline Pilipinas.

Babao recalled working alongside Omaga-Diaz and the late Kapamilya entertainment journalist Mario Dumaual, and wished him the best in the next chapter of his life in Canada.

“It’s Henry Omaga Diaz’ last day on TV Patrol. He will be leaving for Canada tomorrow to begin a new life there with his family,” Babao said on his Instagram.

“Henry and I go a long way. Halos sabay kaming na-assign as police reporter in the 1990s and would often see each other sa mga coverage at gimmick noon kasama ang namayapang si Mario Dumaual (We got assigned as police reporter almost at the same time in the 1990s and would often see each other in coverage and gimmicks with the late Mario Dumaual).”

Omaga is Henry’s father’s surname, but he and his siblings adopted their grandfather’s surname, Diaz, since it was his lolo (grandfather) who reared them, he once told the late entertainment columnist Ricky Lo.

Omaga-Diaz or “Lolo Henry” to those in the ABS-CBN newsroom, has a married son, Niko, as well as three grandchildren. Niko and his wife Gela had a civil wedding ceremony last January in the Philippines. 

Omaga-Diaz first became a regular co-anchor of TV Patrol after his mentor, longtime chief anchor Noli de Castro, left ABS-CBN in 2000 and won a Senate seat in 2001. Omaga-Diaz co-anchored the news program until 2003. 

He was replaced when anchors Ted Failon, Karen Davila, and Julius Babao teamed up for TV Patrol, but returned as co-anchor in October 2020, in place of Failon, who joined TV5 after the Duterte administration shut down ABS-CBN’s broadcast business in May 2020.

ABS-CBN thereafter became available only online and on cable television and has since pivoted into being a content provider for various platforms.

TV Patrol, however, is now back on free television and radio, particularly on former Senate president Manny Villar’s AMBS Channel 2, and on House Speaker Martin Romualdez’s digital channel Prime TV.

“Ang motivation ko lamang ay ‘yung makapag-serbisyo sa tao. Kahit na lumiit ‘yung platform, ang importante eh nakakapag-connect kami sa mga tao na naniniwala pa rin sa tunay na pagbabalita,” Omaga-Diaz said of his return to TV Patrol in 2020 after 17 years.

(My only motivation is to serve the public. Even though our news platform is now smaller, what’s important is to be able to connect with people who still believe in genuine reporting.)

“He’s always been a no-frills, no-nonsense, old-fashioned reporter; it’s no surprise that he’s returning to our flagship news program,” then-ABS-CBN News chief Ging Reyes said.  

Omaga-Diaz started his journalism career in 1979 in the Roman Catholic station Radio Veritas where he worked for 10 years before joining ABS-CBN’s radio station DZMM as a field reporter in 1991. He has been a Kapamilya ever since. – Rappler.com