Filipino journalist
Federico "Rico" Morales Hizon
(
;
Tagalog:
[??ik??
?his?n]
; born March 24, 1966)
[1]
is a former
Filipino
broadcast
journalist
. He is currently the Senior Vice President and Corporate Relations of
SM Investment Corp.
since May 6, 2024.
[2]
Hizon previously worked at
BBC World News
, anchoring
Newsday
and
Asia Business Report
,
CNBC Asia
, and
CNN Philippines
. He was the first Filipino anchor for both news networks.
[3]
Education
[
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]
After gaining a degree in Communication Arts and Business at
De La Salle University
, Hizon taught Radio, Television and Broadcasting courses at the university.
[4]
Doctorate Degree in Humanities, Honoris Causa from the University of Northeastern Philippines.
Career
[
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]
GMA Network
[
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]
Hizon started his broadcast career at
Manila
-based
GMA Network
, from 1988 to 1995, where he was responsible for covering capital markets, banking and finance, real estate, investment and corporate developments. He anchored the daily business program,
Business Today
,
GMA News Live
and Stock Market Live from the trading floor of the
Philippine Stock Exchange
. During his tenure, Hizon won "The Outstanding Young Men for Broadcast Journalism" award.
[3]
CNBC Asia
[
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]
Hizon then joined
CNBC Asia
in April 1995, based in
Hong Kong
and later in Singapore, where he was the main anchor of the morning edition of
CNBC Today
,
Squawk Box
,
Market Watch
and
Power Lunch
.
[3]
Hizon joined
BBC World News
in 2002, and anchored the daily business and finance programme
Asia Business Report
and
Asia Today
live from Singapore Monday to Friday.
[4]
Since June 2011 Hizon has co-presented
Newsday
, a news bulletin programme on the BBC from Singapore with
Babita Sharma
and Kasia Madera in London. He was also a regular on
World Business Report
as an Asian business correspondent. In November 2013 Rico presented Newsday live from Tacloban, Philippines following Typhoon Haiyan. In January 2014, Hizon co-presented the
BBC
Newsday
programme from New Broadcasting House, London with
Babita Sharma
in Singapore for a short while.
In May 2017, Hizon once again presented from the London newsroom, with Sharanjit Leyl taking over presenting duties in Singapore. It was announced that this was only for a single week, with Hizon returning to Singapore for the next week. In March 2020, Hizon formally announced via his Instagram account that he would be leaving BBC News after 17 years.
[5]
CNN Philippines
[
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]
A few weeks later, it was reported that Hizon would return to the Philippines and join CNN Philippines as senior anchor and director for news content development.
[6]
The memo sent out by CNN Philippines president
Armie Jarin-Bennett
says Hizon will take over the 9 PM newscast. He also announced his move to the network on his
Twitter
account.
[7]
By April 2020, Hizon solidified his presence as a trusted source of news in his native Philippines through his late-night newscast
The Final Word
, as well as anchoring
CNN Philippines
's newest business show,
The Exchange
,
[8]
which launched in July. Hizon was also part of the network's State of the Nation Address coverage that same month - his first SONA coverage in the Philippines since 1995. He anchored a cumulative 7 hours that day - starting with the network's 2pm coverage where he joined Chief Correspondent and Anchor
Pia Hontiveros
and Senior Anchor and Correspondent
Pinky Webb
until the President's speech ended and for a post-SONA analysis with ADR Stratbase analyst Dindo Manhit and former Presidential Spokesperson
Edwin Lacierda
.
Hizon departed from the network on January 26, 2024, following the cessation of news operations (including his programs
The Final Word
&
The Exchange
) on that same day and shutdown on January 31, 2024. The former network currently replaced as
RPTV
of
TV5
&
Nine Media
. During his tenure, he won several awards including his program The Final Word by the Asian Academy Creative Awards on 2020 & 2023 and the 28th Asian Television Awards in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam last January 2024.
[9]
[10]
Post-CNN Philippines
[
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]
Following post-CNN Philippines journey, Hizon maintains to be active on social media, most notably
Facebook
. He made an appearance on Net 25's
Kada Umaga
. On May 2024, Hizon became the editor-in-chief of the news media website GoodNewsPilipinas.com.
[11]
Around the same time, he became the Senior Vice President and Corporate Relations of
SM Investment Corp.
since May 6, 2024. Tina Arceo-Dumlao of SM Group said, 'Journalism’s loss is the Sy Group’s gain.'
Legal issues
[
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]
In 2024, a court in
Angeles City
ordered the arrest of Hizon and his sisters Maria Belen and Bernadette after their eldest brother Ernesto filed a case against them for fraud relating an inheritance dispute. The three posted bail of P120,000 each.
[12]
Bibliography
[
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]
- Contributor in Books and Other Publications
- My BenCab: Collectors Tell Their Stories
(2018) (edited by Thelma Sioson San Juan)
Awards and recognitions
[
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]
- People Asia Magazine "Men Who Matter" Awardee (2016)
- 2014 Asian Television Awards - Best News Anchor (2014)
- Doctorate Degree in Humanities, Honoris Causa by the University of Northeastern Philippines and the Commission on Higher Education (2012)
- 2012 Broadcast Journalist of the Year, Rotary Club of Manila
- People of the Year Award from People Asia Magazine (2010)
- La Sallian Achievement Award for Global Journalism (2009)
- Pamana ng Pilipino Presidential Award received from President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
at
Malacanang Palace
for excellence in International Journalism, and gave the response on behalf of his fellow awardees. (2008)
- The
Bank of the Philippine Islands
recognized Hizon for bringing honor and recognition to the Philippines with the 2008 BPinoy Award, and for advocating important Filipino values and principles, Rico received the first ever Yes The Filipino Can! Award. (2008)
- December 2006, The Outstanding Young Men Award for International Journalism and Community Service.
[13]
[14]
- 2021, Best News Presenter or Anchor, The Final Word with Rico Hizon, 26th
Asian Television Awards
(Nominated)
[15]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Salterio, Leah C. (July 7, 2016).
"Rico turns 'gold'
"
.
The Philippine Star
. Philstar Global Corp
. Retrieved
July 22,
2019
.
- ^
Inquirer, Philippine Daily (May 14, 2024).
"BIZ BUZZ: Rico Hizon joins SM Group"
.
INQUIRER.net
. Retrieved
May 14,
2024
.
- ^
a
b
c
Lu, Lawrence (January 28, 2008).
"Rico Hizon - BBC World's lone Pinoy Anchor"
. INQUIRER.net
. Retrieved
June 15,
2008
.
- ^
a
b
"Rico Hizon bio"
. BBC Press Office. June 15, 2008. Archived from
the original
on January 10, 2008.
- ^
"Rico Hizon's Instagram account"
. Archived from
the original
on December 26, 2021.
- ^
"Former BBC anchor Rico Hizon joining CNN Philippines"
.
Media Newser Philippines
. Retrieved
March 27,
2020
.
- ^
"Rico Hizon on Twitter: "Happy to be back home after 25 years and join the @cnnphilippines family - News You Can Trust!"
"
.
Twitter
. Retrieved
March 27,
2020
.
- ^
https://www.cnn.ph/life/culture/2020/6/29/rico-hizon.html
- ^
Quadra-Balibay, Angie (December 11, 2023).
"Rico Hizon Triumphs at Asian Academy Creative Awards, Elevating Philippine Journalism"
.
GoodNewsPilipinas.com
. Retrieved
May 16,
2024
.
- ^
Quadra-Balibay, Angie (January 26, 2024).
"Rico Hizon: Leading the Way in Asian Broadcast Journalism with Asian TV Awards Win"
.
GoodNewsPilipinas.com
. Retrieved
May 16,
2024
.
- ^
Quadra-Balibay, Angie (May 6, 2024).
"Rico Hizon Takes the Lead in Championing Filipino Pride"
.
GoodNewsPilipinas.com
. Retrieved
May 16,
2024
.
- ^
"Family feud: Journalist Rico Hizon, siblings charged with estafa by brother"
.
Rappler
. Retrieved
April 2,
2024
.
- ^
BPI awards two outstanding overseas Filipinos, BPI awards two outstanding overseas Filipinos
- ^
globalnation.inquirer, Natori, Hizon win world-class award
Archived
October 12, 2008, at the
Wayback Machine
- ^
"2021 Nominees"
.
Asian Television Awards
. Retrieved
November 12,
2021
.
External links
[
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]