Susan Enriquez never expected to have a TV career: 'Wala kaming television set'

Susan Enriquez is an iconic award-winning journalist today, but she didn't always dream of becoming one.

In an interview on "Surprise Guest With Pia Arcangel," Susan shared that she actually grew up unable to watch television.

"Not in my wildest imagination na makakapagtrabaho ako sa TV," she said. "Kasi wala kaming television set... Paano manunuod e wala nga kaming TV, wala kaming television."

She added that she used to visit her neighbor in order to watch movies on weekends.

"Ito tandang tanda ko, kapag weekend, Sabado, may mga movies 'yan, mga movies na magaganda, mga 'Darna,' 'yung mga FPJ, mga ganiyan," she said. "So parang blockbuster movies 'yun e, 'yung pinapanuoran naming bahay, so pinapayagan na makapanuod ang mga kapitbahay."

"'Pag napuno na 'yung seating capacity nila, sinasara 'yung binatana," she added. "Kapag hindi ako nakapasok doon sa loob, sa labas ka hindi ka na makakapanuod, pakikinggan mo na lang doon 'yung sa binatan kung ano ang dialogue, sana lakasan ang volume diba, ang hirap."

It wasn't until high school that she was able to watch TV, she revealed.

Television aside, Susan didn't have journalism as her first choice of degree in college.

She asked her friend what course she was taking — marketing — and followed suit.

"Luwas kami ng Maynila diba, doon sa Lyceum of the Philippines sa Intramuros, tas pagpunta namin doon sa pila ng mga enrollees doon sa Marketing ang haba ng pila pia," she said. "Sabi ko naku, kailangan 'pag uwi dapat naka enroll na ako,... baka hindi na ako makabalik, hindi na ako makaka-enroll."

"Tas pagpunta ko doon sa College of Arts and Sciences, doon sa Journalism, walang nakapila, sabi ko, dito na lang ako," she added.

Susan said that the only thing important to her at the time was being able to enroll and ultimately finishing her studies.

"Sabi ko hayaan mo na importante makatapos ng pagaaral," she said. "Diba 'yun lang naman talaga... sabi ng lola ko is 'yun 'yung sandata mo para kung gusto mong gumanda ganda ang buhay mo, diba kailangan makapag aral ka, makapagtapos ka ng pagaaral kasi 'yan walang makakakuha niyan sayo e."

"Kahit pag magtatrabaho ako doon sa munisipyo namin sa factory, kung clerk, or what kahit ano basta may trabaho na magagamit ko ang aking ano masasabi ko na matatanggap ako dito kasi nakapagtapos ako ng college," she added.

As luck would have it, Susan did eventually find herself in GMA News, and the rest is history!

Susan hosts the GMA morning show "Unang Hirit" and the program "Dapat Alam Mo!"

She is iconic for her show "Kay Susan Tayo," and for being one of the original hosts of "iJuander." —JCB, GMA Integrated News