Rikki Mathay

Rikki Mathay (or Rikki Kwek) was an awarded broadcast journalist from the Philippines ^ ^[1](1999 to 2005) before becoming a Spokesperson and Media Chief in the Senate of the Philippines (2012 to present).

Career

Rikki was the youngest news anchor in Philippine broadcast history at the age of 19, when she started her career in ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation straight out of college^.^[2] Among her most noteworthy news and current affairs programs in ABS-CBN include the following:

Alas Singko Y Medya (ASYM)

A 3 hour daily morning magazine show where she was introduced as VJ Rikki in 2000.

Magandang Umaga Bayan (MUB)

A spin-off of ASYM, where she was one of the show's main hosts.

The CNN Global News with Rikki Kwek

Through a partnership with the international news agency CNN, Rikki was the anchor for this nightly global newscast. She broke the news on the 9/11 Tragedy, among other international headliners.

The Filipino Channel’s Balitang Middle East

A weekly news magazine show, Rikki pioneered this program together with contemporary Marieton Pacheco. This show caters to Filipinos based in the Middle East where ABS-CBN first set up an overseas news bureau.

ABS-CBN Breaking News

Seven days of hourly news updates from morning till evening, Rikki was able to break the latest news including the Manila Peninsula military standoff, bombing, among others.

Meron Akong Kwento (with Marc Logan)

Partnering with Marc Logan in 2003, Rikki covered human interest stories under the current affairs department.

Headlines (with Karen Davila)

The nightly newscast prior to Bandila, Rikki anchored the lifestyle and showbiz portions of the program, which was the first time in evening news.

News Advisories for FM Station WRR 101.9...For Life

Writer, researcher and anchor, Rikki headed the news division of ABS-CBN's FM station, WRR 101.9... For Life, from 1999-2003. The station was dubbed the number 1 FM station according to surveys during that time. ^^[3]

DZMM's SSS Reports with Gel Santos-Relos

Her programs, were top rating during her stay, including the FM station of ABS-CBN which ranked the highest in surveys. ^^[4]

During her broadcasting career, Rikki was not only a famous news anchor ^ ^[5] and a sought-after events host ^,^[6] but she also served as a young director for Media in the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW) under then Chairman Myrna Yao. Rikki, not known to many, was likewise an advocate for the welfare of senior citizens.

Following her decision to become a fulltime parent after giving birth in 2005, Rikki committed herself to parenthood and helping the community. After eight years of being a hands-on parent, Rikki joined the office of then neophyte Senator JV Ejercito in 2012 as his Media Chief and Spokesperson in the Senate of the Philippines.

Personal life

Born on October 29, 1978 as Ingrid Baclig Kwek to businessman Nick Kwek and Lilian Baclig-Kwek (of the political clan of Gonzaga, Cagayan), Rikki as she was later known in broadcasting, is a product of St. Theresa’s College, Quezon City where she was a consistent Outstanding Student. At age 16, she was a freshman at the University of the Philippines, Diliman. Rikki graduated Magna Cum Laude at age 19 with a degree in BA- Broadcast Communication and minor in Sociology, and was inducted into the International Honour Society of Pi Kappa Phi and the Pi Gamma Mu International Honour Society of Social Sciences.^[7]

Her short school internship with broadcast journalist Gel Santos-Relos for ABS-CBN’s travel program, Tatak Pinoy, was the first step in Rikki’s career as a broadcast journalist.

In 2005, she married Cris Mathay (grandson of Mayor Mel Mathay, son of Congressman Chuck Mathay, and now himself a City Councilor in the City of San Juan)^ ^[8] and they now have two daughters, Cristah and Mischka.

Philanthropies

Rikki was one of the earlier volunteers of the Philippine Red Cross in Barangay Greenhills, San Juan City. In 2010, she organized this upscale community to come up with the first group of trained and internationally accredited volunteers of Red Cross in Greenhills. She now sits as a Director for the Philippine Red Cross Rizal Chapter.

She has also been active in other non-government organizations that assist the less fortunate. Rikki has been a board member of Zonta International Manila-3, the Junior Chamber International – San Juan, as well as the Parents Auxiliary of the Immaculate Conception Academy, Greenhills, and a supporter of the Tzu Chi Foundation. A devout Catholic and a Marian devotee, she and her husband also served as Cabeza de Barangay of Greenhills for St. John de Baptist. A devoted full time mother, Rikki was also a spokesperson for the community of breastfeeding advocates called Latch.

Rikki is likewise a blogger in the lifestyle website, www.flatsandstilettos.com where she talks about motherhood, admirable women in the community, her advocacies, among others.

References