WE have seen Jhoanna of P-pop girl group BINI dominate the stage with her exceptional talent in singing and dancing. But the P-pop idol has something more to offer to the public: her skill in news reporting.
Jhoanna, or Jhoanna Robles in real life, showcased this as she appeared on ABS-CBN’s flagship newscast “TV Patrol” as a Star Patroller. Many celebrities have taken on the role but the April 15 episode of the newscast put Jhoanna in the limelight not as the leader of the Nation’s Girl Group but as a guest anchor.
Jhoanna said this opportunity turned her dream to be a newscaster into reality. She shared this in a news story she wrote for the “Star Patrol” segment, where she talked about her dreams of becoming a broadcast journalist. She also did the voiceover for her report.
“Dream come true para sa’kin na maging ‘Star Patroller!’ Bago po kasi ako maging miyembro ng BINI, pangarap ko na magsilbi sa bayan sa pamamagitan ng paghahatid ng balita,” Jhoanna said.
But how did this dream begin?
Aspiring broadcast journalist
According to her “TV Patrol” report, Jhoanna first dreamt of becoming a news reporter when she was in Grade 6.
“Nasa klase ako nung ipinatawag ako para pumunta sa library at pabasahin ng dyaryo. Simula noon, nagsanay na kami para sa darating na District Schools Press Conference o DSPC,” said the P-pop idol.
Organized by the Department of Education (DepEd), the DSPC is a platform for aspiring journalists to showcase and sharpen their writing and journalistic skills.
Jhoanna won in the radio broadcasting category of the competition on her first try. This allowed her to qualify for the Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC), where she competed with representatives from other schools in Calabarzon.
“Bawa’t taon inabangan ko na ang makasali sa radio broadcasting category sa RSPC. Pero sa huling taon sa high school, napabilang ako sa mga lalaban sa TV broadcasting category,” she recalled.
However, destiny had other plans for her: to become a P-pop idol.
“Hindi natuloy ang aking paglabas sa RSPC dahil nakatanggap ako ng tawag mula sa Star Hunt, na kalaunan ay nagresulta para maging miyembro ako ng P-pop girl group na BINI,” she said.
Despite this, Jhoanna said she has not given up her dreams to be a newscaster one day.
She also shared her post on X (formerly Twitter) in July 2020 where she said she would return to pursue her dream of becoming a Kapamilya reporter. It can be recalled that ABS-CBN ceased its operations in 2020 after its 25-year franchise expired and its franchise application was denied.
Fast forward to April 2023: Jhoanna had another opportunity to live her dream when she became a guest host in ABS-CBN TeleRadyo program “Sakto,” where she delivered showbiz and trending news. She was joined by “Sakto” anchors Jeff Canoy, Johnson Manabat and Lyza Aquino.
Following her “Sakto” stint, Jhoanna also appeared as a guest in the digital news program “TV Patrol Express” in February. She also shared videos where she took on news-reading challenges on social media.
Star Patroller stint
The P-pop idol thanked the “TV Patrol” team for helping her write and produce her news report.
“Tinulungan nila ako magsulat ng own news ko for BINI, and feeling ko kasi para mas maging personal po, and yung own journey ko,” she told ABS-CBN News.
“Alam kasi ng mga Blooms namin na naging broadcaster ako, pero hindi nila alam ‘yung step-by-step ko,” she added.
Jhoanna also shared her process of producing a news story.
“Ako rin yung nag-VO, nag-voice over, and nag-edit ng kaunti. Tinuruan nila ako. So Thank you, thank you talaga, ‘TV Patrol,’” she said, adding that this fueled her to pursue her dream.
Aside from her report, Jhoanna also did the lead-in for entertainment journalist MJ Felipe’s report on BINI’s successful mall show and their Grand Pantropiko Day in musical variety show “ASAP Natin ‘To” over the weekend.
BINI—also composed of Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Gwen, Stacey, Mikha and Sheena—held a mall show in Taguig City on April 14 to promote their debut extended play (EP) “Talaarawan,” which they released on March 8.
The report said that according to mall officials, the event was attended by over 8,000 BINI fans, collectively known as BLOOM. The group performed tracks in their latest EP, including “Karera,” “Pantropiko,” and “Salamin, Salamin.” Several fans got to interact with BINI members and showcase their talents during a dance showdown.
At the end of the newscast, Jhoanna taught “TV Patrol” anchors Karen Davila, Bernadette Sembrano, Noli de Castro and Henry Omaga-Diaz the choreography for the hit summer song “Pantropiko.”
Proud BLOOMs
Jhoanna trended on social media as netizens congratulated her for her Star Patroller stint.
“So you’re telling me Jhoanna got to write, voiceover, and produce her own report about her journey??? PROUD IS REALLY AN UNDERSTATEMENT,” one fan said.
A netizen said it was Jhoanna’s “biggest flex” to do the lead-in for the news report about BINI’s success.
“Personally reporting [about] your group being successful on national TV is kinda the biggest flex ever,” they wrote.
Several fans became emotional seeing Jhoanna fulfill her childhood dream.
“Seeing a laking DSPC/RSPC/NSPC baby fulfill their dreams to be a journalist or broadcaster always makes me feel emotional for them,” they said.
“BINI realizing their dreams individually and as a group feels so good,” another fan commented.
BINI and BLOOMs are set to meet again for the group’s upcoming sold-out concert “BINIverse” on June 28 to 30 at the New Frontier Theater in Cubao, Quezon City.
