They say that where there’s smoke there’s fire – and a nosy journalist ever ready to sniff it out. Aggressive, determined, and inexplicably fierce at times, these watchdogs can find actual and factual stories where ordinary people may see none. One of them is broadcast journalist Karen Davila.
Known to millions of Filipinos for her stints as a TV Patrol World anchor, dzMM commentator and The Correspondents reporter, Karen Davila has proven that she’s more than just a pretty face who reads the news from scrolling copies in an unseen monitor. Armed with 15 years of experience in broadcasting, the former Saksi! and current Patrol ng Pilipino anchor has earned the respect of colleagues, the public and even detractors with astounding exposés that can shake the core of individuals, institutions and even nations.
Unlike most other hard-hitting journalists though, Karen is undeniably a lot calmer, warmer and humbler. Her bark is powerful as it is true, but never loud enough to blur the public’s point of view. And no, this isn’t a result of valium overdose or a binge on tranquilizers. Instead, Karen charges these unique professional traits to her accumulated experiences as a broadcaster. “When I was younger, I used to be more impulsive when it came to formulating my own opinion. I’ve now realized that it pays to stand back a little and take more time before finally voicing my own opinion,” says Karen.
True enough, one would rarely, if not never, see Karen lose her cool in any of her TV shows or radio programs nowadays. Never bereft of class or tactic, she always puts extra effort in striking the right kind of balance between facts and opinion. By balance, she means airing both sides of the story no matter how she disagrees, or agrees, with the persons she’s talked to.
“Truth is a very relative thing. What I can do for my viewers and listeners is give them all the facts they need in order to come up with their own opinion,” she explains.
Though being an anchor on TV Patrol World canonized Karen to household-name status, she admits that her ultimate passion still lies in creating documentaries that speak of unknown stories in unconventional ways. “You are the stories you tell. As for myself, you’d see that the bulk of my documentaries consists of exposés on children’s welfare, women’s rights, and the environment,” she says. Karen also explains that documentaries fit her more explanatory and teacher-like personality, as compared to the few-minutes-per-item culture in primetime newscast.
Over the years, Karen has had her fair share of shedding light on overshadowed issues that need to be addressed by Filipinos. “Rugby,” for instance, is a unique medical investigation on the permanent harsh effects of long-term solvent-sniffing, a popular pastime among street children in the metro. Her eye-opening shocker “Batang Preso” also sent chills down the spine, as it showed the stories of children who were thrown into overcrowded jails for the pettiest reasons. Such passion and dedication has given Karen a number of accolades that most other journalists can only dream of. These include a silver medal from the New York TV & Film Festivals for “Rugby” in 2007 and a UNICEF Child Rights Award for “Batang Preso” in 2005. Karen has also been recognized as the Best Magazine Show host, best newscaster, and broadcaster of the year by various award-giving bodies such as the Star Awards, Rotary Club of Manila, among others.
However, earning all these awards, no matter how significant, is but a minute portion of Karen’s life as a watchdog of the public. According to her, pursuing worthwhile stories for her documentaries on ABS-CBN’s The Correspondents can take from two weeks to a month. She also insists on writing and producing her own segments, unlike some reputable media practitioners who let their “team” do the dirty work as they sip Starbucks in the makeup room. “I love my job. I feel privileged and humbled to be in a position to make a difference, have a voice, and possess the capacity to act,” she confesses.
Aside from exposing unheard of stories in a different light, the busy journalist, wife, and mother of two (David and Lucas) also takes time to use her reputation to help a number of charitable causes. Her ongoing stint as a goodwill ambassador for World Vision has helped the organization send more Filipino children to school. At least 683 Filipinos have decided to sponsor a child because of Karen’s involvement, adding P8 million to P10 million for the said institution. She is also an active ambassador of other non-profit groups such as the Haribon Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, and UNESCO.
Despite having created such positive change for her audience here and around the world, Karen admits that being an advocate and a journalist is nothing compared to her life as a wife and mother. She is married to former newsman DJ Sta. Ana.
“My experiences as a mother are life-changing, especially, when I discovered that my son (David) fell under the autism spectrum, and had a speech deficiency,” she confesses. Determined to find a cure for her son, Karen harnessed her skills as a journalist by extensively studying biomedicines and other promising medical alternatives for David. Her efforts paid off. “David is now six years old and attends normal school. He’s a very bright boy,” brags the proud mom.
Having seen all these, one can say that it has been a fruitful decade and a half for Karen. Now a tried and tested journalist, advocate, mom, and wife, Karen admits that she still craves to learn and achieve greater things in the future. For starters, she wants to host a lighter magazine-type show with fun interviews that will appeal to younger audiences. Compared to what she’s already done, surely this next feat would prove to be a walk in the park. After all, she is a watchdog who mastered to sniff out the fire, without having to howl or bite off her class – a perfect combination for a journalist who finally wants to have some on-air fun.
“Every day is a learning experience. You may reach greater heights in your career, but the learning process is ongoing,” she concludes.
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