Today we remember an old friend, Amelyn Veloso, a Broadcast Journalist whom we lost to cancer at a very young age of 43. She was a close family friend, specially of my son Reyster Langit. In fact Amelyn became a partner of my son JR Langit for her first television show, Bayan ni Juan. A TV show under the direction on Reyster and Ms. Hilda Yaneza, produced by HIP TV Inc. on IBC 13 back in 2001.
FLASHBACK
Amelyn is one of the amiable people in the business. Her cheerfulness and positivity makes her passing all the more tragic. To give the reader an idea on how things were, these are but snippets of how things were off the air while shooting episodes of Bayan ni Juan. It is through the show that they were able to travel around the Philippines, promoting attractions, culture and tradition. One was while they were trekking the slopes of Taal Volcano:
Amelyn: hay naku Jr tara na nga, ipagpatuloy na natin ang paglilibot dito sa Taal.
JR: Yung lang pala eh, ikaw ba Amelyn handa kana ba sa tuloy tuloy na paglalakad, na non-stop?
Amelyn: Hahah, handang-handa na ako, hahahahhaha!
In another episode:
Amelyn: Okay, I’m with Mr. & Mrs. Dave and Janice Guilan and they own the Log cabin and the same time they also manage other restaurant in Sagada named with St. Josh and Alfredos, so mag start po tayo sa ano dito sa Log cabin, how did this start?
Janice: The Log cabin started in 1990, and it was then tourist a pick of a kind of tourist begin to come in Sagada.
Amelyn was taken as a host of the TV show “FIRST LADY NG MASA”, also under the direction of Reyster Langit, produced by HIP TV INC. In fact during one of President Joseph “ERAP” Estrada’s tour back in 1999, he was amazed to find out about his wife’s growing popularity due to the TV show “First Lady Ng Masa under RPN 9.
MEDIA CARRIER
Aside from lifestyle TV programs, Amelyn became a newscaster when she transferred to TV5. She also became a commentator back in 2005 under DZXL and Radyo Singko from 2011-2012. Her last stint was with CNN Philippines.
In fact it was because of her presence at CNN Philippines that I accepted an invitation by Jing Magsasay to host a public affairs TV show on Channel 9. It was with regret that I had to withdraw from this tie-up with CNN Philippines, as a request from the late Ambassador Antonio Cabangon Chua, owner of Aliw Broadcasting Corp.- Station DWIZ, that I was managing back then.
SUPPORT FROM A FRIEND!
When Amelyn found out that I was planning to run during the National Elections back in 2016, she brought her production staff and CNN Philippines television crew for a surprise interview as a support for my senatorial bid. She was a good friend in the industry and one that can’t be forgotten.
To Amelyn, we will miss you and give my regards to my son, Reyster.
Farewell for now. Until we meet again!
