By Joseph B.A. Marzan
Television host and former athlete Gretchen Ho vowed to take viewers into newer, “off-the-beaten-path” adventures, as she launched her new TV5 show, ‘Woman In Action’, last Friday, September 23.
The show, which begins in October, sees Ho become a fearless wanderer, exploring remote places in the country, highlighting not just their beauty, but also the unique stories of the communities that will inspire and move people to action.
Its name was inspired by her own website, which she calls a personal motto and vision, developed during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
She will take viewers on a riveting journey of awesome discoveries, and at the same time, bringing to light the situation of each community, celebrating life and the countless adventures the world has to offer.
Through its featured stories, viewers will be encouraged to be socially responsible travelers and inspire people to take action and help entire communities.
“I’ve found that traveling is best done by going off the beaten path. As a runner, I’ve made it a point to run in each destination I go to, and the streets always reveal something that tourist destinations won’t,” Ho said.
She cited her experience traveling to Jolo, Sulu for the show, which she said changed her perspective of the place, usually shown in the media as among war-torn areas in Mindanao.
“It’s in connecting with the people that we really understand and learn about a place. What you will find in this show is not just a sense of adventure, but also a desire to create sustainable impact everywhere we go. That impact isn’t a one-way street though, as we, together with the audiences, seek to be moved and changed by what we see, hear and know,” she added.
Ho has definitely evolved from her college volleyball days to become a successful TV host and journalist, ultimately transforming into an icon among this generation’s empowered women who weather the proverbial storms in pursuit of their life goals.
Her recent campaign, #DonateABikeSaveAJob, helped a thousand families, with more than 1,500 bicycles donated to frontliners and workers for easier transportation during the height of the pandemic.
She said that her passion for adventure, love for travel, and growing interest for public service through her media work inspired the direction for the show, where she also serves as a producer.
“What I’ve found in my years working in the media is that there are many young brilliant people all over the country just waiting for an opportunity. My show seeks to be a vehicle for that – to connect those people to local communities and to our audiences, in an effort to create, not just memories, but also, opportunities. I’m excited for this chance to be able to write and document some of the stories and take a more active part as producer of the show”, she stated.
Woman In Action will premiere on October 1, 7:30 p.m. on Cignal TV’s One News, with a catch-up airing the next day on One PH. Viewers may also catch the show via the Cignal Play mobile streaming application.
