Jessica Soho facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jessica Soho
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Soho with fellow journalist Jiggy Manicad in 2014
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Maria Jessica Aspiras Soho
March 27, 1964 San Fernando, La Union, Philippines
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| Alma mater | University of the Philippines Diliman |
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| Years active | 1985–present |
Maria Jessica Aspiras Soho (born March 27, 1964) is a famous Filipino broadcast journalist. She works for GMA Network. Jessica Soho hosts the popular news show Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho on GMA. She also used to be the news anchor for State of the Nation on GTV from 2011 to 2021.
Jessica Soho has won many awards for her journalism. In 1998, she was the first Filipino to win the British Fleet Street Award for Journalism. In 1999, she and the I-Witness team won the Philippines' first ever Peabody Award. This was for their amazing documentaries called "Kidneys for Sale" and "Kamao." Her report on a hostage crisis in Cagayan Valley also made her the first Filipino to win at the New York Film Festival.
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Jessica Soho's Early Life
Maria Jessica Aspiras Soho was born on March 27, 1964. Her hometown is San Fernando, La Union, in the Philippines. Her father, Abelardo Soho, worked for the government. Her mother, Maura Aspiras, was an agriculturist, meaning she worked with farming.
Jessica's grandmothers, Sixta "Apo Ittang" Aspiras and Concepción "Cion" Soho, were very important to her. They taught her how to tell stories. Her family also has Chinese roots. Her grandfather, Pedro Szeto (later Pedro Soho), came to the Philippines from China a long time ago.
Jessica Soho studied mass communication at the University of the Philippines Diliman. One of her teachers, Luis Beltran, inspired her a lot. He encouraged her to finish her studies and become a journalist in Manila.
Her Amazing Career
Jessica Soho started working for GMA News and Public Affairs in January 1985. Her very first report was about the opening of the Manila Line 1 train system. She then started covering news about defense and the military.
In 1991, Jessica won a Bronze Award at the New York Film Festival. This was for her brave reporting on a hostage crisis in Cagayan Valley. It was the first time a Filipino had won such an award! She also received the Ka Doroy Valencia Award. In 1994, she won the Grand Prize from the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union for her breaking news coverage. Jessica Soho is even on the list of 100 Filipino Women of Distinction. This list was made during the Philippine Centennial celebrations.
Creating I-Witness
Jessica Soho helped create the popular documentary show I-Witness. She was one of its presenters from 1999 to 2004. The I-Witness documentaries "Kidneys for Sale" and "Kamao" were very important. They helped Jessica become the first Filipino reporter to win a Peabody Award in 1999. GMA Network was also the first Filipino network to win this award. She also won the Asian Television Award in 2001 for her documentary "Saksi Sa Kasaysayan."
Reporting on Big Events
In 2014, Jessica Soho's news programs were recognized by the Peabody Awards again. Her shows, Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho and State of the Nation with Jessica Soho, were honored for their excellent coverage of Super Typhoon Yolanda. This was a very strong typhoon that hit the Philippines. State of the Nation also helped Jessica win the "Most Trusted News Presenter" award from Reader's Digest Asia many times in a row.
In 2015, the University of Northeastern Philippines gave Jessica Soho a special honorary doctorate degree. This means they recognized her great achievements in humanities.
Notable Awards and Honors
Jessica Soho has received many awards both in the Philippines and internationally. Here are some of her most important recognitions:
- Peabody Award: She won this prestigious international award twice. First in 1999 for I-Witness documentaries, and again in 2014 for her coverage of Super Typhoon Yolanda.
- British Fleet Street Award for Journalism: She was the first Filipino to win this award in 1998.
- New York Film Festival: She won a Bronze Award in 1991 for her news coverage.
- Reader's Digest Most Trusted News Presenter: She has won this award many times, showing how much people trust her news reports.
- The Outstanding Women in the Nation's Service (TOWNS) Award: She received this award in 2001 for her work in broadcast journalism.
- Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) Award: She was recognized as one of the outstanding young people in 1993.
- Doctor of Humanities, Honoris Causa: She received this honorary doctorate from the University of Northeastern Philippines in 2015.
Jessica Soho's dedication and excellent work have made her one of the most respected journalists in the Philippines.
