CHARO SANTOS ON EMBRACING ACTING AGAIN: IT'S A GRACE FROM GOD

For someone who has worn multiple hats in a storied career that began in the beauty pageant scene, ventured into the big screen, rose to the boardroom, and now finds its way back to acting, Charo Santos-Concio has never stopped evolving.

- NATHALIE M. TOMADA

Even after stepping away from her leadership role as ABS-CBN president and CEO, Charo, 69, remains deeply engaged in the ever-changing media landscape. She has been stepping into new opportunities in storytelling and even public service.

In a Women's Month-themed conversation on our podcast Meet the Press on The Pod Network (available on Spotify), Charo shared reflections on her time as a media executive, her thoughts on the current industry collaborations and her renewed passion for acting.

To recall, during her tenure as ABS-CBN's top executive, the battle for ratings was at its fiercest. Rivalries between networks were at an all-time high. But for her, the most memorable moments were not really the fights for supremacy but the resilience of her team.

"It used to be very, very competitive, and rightly so, 'di ba? In the environment of business, that is inevitable. If there's no competition, there's no excitement. People tend to be complacent if there's no competition," she said.

"But the most memorable for me was when we lost our ratings in Mega Manila. That's when we really focused on our strength, which was narrative, drama. Andyan na yung 'May Bukas Pa,' 'Tayong Dalawa' —I mean, talagang nagsunod-sunod na siya.

"Until when I retired, it was 'Ang Probinsyano,' which was rating high 40s then. Those were really, what can I say, fulfilling years for the organization, for the production people, for the creatives and the artists, and I guess most especially for the employees. Talagang may pride ka na Kapamilya ka and they were working for ABS-CBN. Those were really glorious years."

With ABS-CBN's transition from broadcast company to content company after the franchise non-renewal, the industry has seen more collaborations between former competitors. For Charo, this shift is necessary to ensure the survival of Philippine entertainment.