LOS ANGELES—I first met news reporter Yong Chavez in action. She was in the middle of coverage and was clearly a master at what she does. She was quick to think of an angle, smart in asking questions and decisive when to wrap up the interview. But most of all, what was palpable from this bundle of energy is her passion—a vital factor to succeed in one’s vocation but one that cannot be learned.
To be honest, I found Yong intimidating at the start. She was after all the first Filipino journalist to cover the Oscars in Hollywood, since I started following her career. When we began this interview, however, gone was the serious news reporter persona from the field to reveal a warm and open personality.
Yong was friendly, sincere and had a beautiful story to share.
Beginnings
Every story begins somewhere and Yong’s started far away from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, back in the Philippines, in San Antonio, San Pascual, Batangas.
ong Chavez’ story started far away from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, back in the Philippines, in San Pascual, Batangas with two siblings and a hardworking single mother—the family she promised a better life
“I grew up with an older sister and for many years, we lived in a house that was also a baby-dress sewing factory. Later on, our older brother who was separated from my mother from a young age came to live with us, too,” she narrated.
“The factory was my mom’s small business. At times, it was profitable but a lot of times, it wasn’t.”
Yong then recalled her mother’s hardships as a single parent.
“My mom gave us everything she had. Sometimes I wonder how many opportunities she let go for herself because she had to take care of us. We were hungry a lot of times, and there were also times we had to make do with not having electricity because we couldn’t afford to pay.”
She also related how their neighbors gossiped about them constantly.
“It was difficult,” she admitted, “but just like many difficulties, it built my character and resolve. The experience pushed me to work for a better life for my family.”
Angels and miracles
As years went by, Yong’s mother raised them to be God-fearing and responsible individuals despite the odds.
With her mom’s dedication to family, Yong completed school from St. Theresa’s Academy in Bauan, Batangas.
In college she married Jun Chavez and while they were building a family, life suddenly changed when they were offered an opportunity to migrate.
After migrating to the United States, Chavez took odd jobs until she pursued her passion for journalism, first as freelance newspaper reporter and ultimately a Hollywood insider
“My husband was one of the managers chosen to manage Jollibee Guam, and it was there we met our real life angles, Mr. and Mrs. Alex and Katty Uy. They were the owners of the Guam franchise at the time and they sponsored our green cards.
“They didn’t have to do that—many employers don’t—so it was really a God-sent miracle. They are one of the many reasons why I am determined to live life with kindness to this day. To pay that incredible kindness forward somehow.”
New life
Yong soon joined the many Filipinos forging new lives in a foreign land. She first worked as marketing assistant for Guam’s Pacific Daily News, the sister newspaper of USA Today.
Once she settled in the department, Yong, who had long been in love with the written word, said she brazenly asked for a spot as a freelance news reporter. She determinedly submitted a piece to management to show she has the chops to join the editorial staff, and was promptly named features writer.
She enjoyed the stint thoroughly until the family had to bid Guam goodbye for better prospects in the US Mainland, specifically California.
TV beckons
In California, Yong took a series of odd jobs, among them at Disneyland and the Filipino franchise bakery Red Ribbon. She never left her passion from journalism, however, and continued covering stories for Philippine News.
Thankfully, another opportunity presented itself in the industry where she belonged, “I was plucked from print reporting by ABS-CBN Vice President for News, Ging Reyes. I met her when she flew in to cover the wake for Sharon Santos, the Fil-American WB employee who went missing and was found dead, it was a very tragic story.
I was covering it for Philippine News where I was a freelance general-assignments writer. At that time there were no regular reporters in SoCal yet. I had an exclusive in charge of the case and Ging read about it. Since the detective knew me already, he allowed me to interview him. Ging asked to join my interview. The next day, I went out to drop off my daughter and when I got home there was a voicemail from Ging asking if I would meet her to ask if I wanted to be a correspondent for TFC. This was in 2004.”
It has been 13 years since that fateful meeting and today, Yong continues to be Hollywood insider, reporting from red carpet premieres and doing one on one interviews with moviedom’s biggest stars.
Charming Hollywood
Chavez reports from every red carpet event event in Hollywood
Yong soon became the first Filipino to cover prestigious Academy Awards, among a long and impressive list of Hollywood reports, shown both on The Filipino Channel (TFC) abroad and across news programs on ABS-CBN in the Philippines.
Recalling her early days in the movie capital of the world, she said, “When I started nobody in mainstream Hollywood knew of [TFC or ABS-CBN] so it was tough getting credentials to cover events.
“But I networked and took every small event that I was able to get into. I somehow found an interesting Filipino angle from these events and filed stories about them.
Her formula to success: Equal parts confidence and humility
“In the beginning, I was doing coverage without pay because I was freelancing and networking time for freelancers is unpaid. But it was work that I was happy to do and eventually it all paid off.”
Yong since been on every red carpet event, among them the Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, SAG Awards and endless movie premieres. She has sat down with the biggest stars of Hollywood including Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Johnny Depp, Steven Spielberg, Keanu Reeves, Julia Roberts, and Amy Adams just to name a few.
Yong’s favorite moments include being able to connect with Hollywood actors, which she describes as a chance to see them as human beings more than just stars.
“Amy Adams cried with me when I temporarily lost myself when we were talking about a mother’s grief. I lost my first child and Amy’s movie ‘Arrival’ dealt with that immense loss. Keanu Reeves was my first interview after I buried my mom and his character in ‘John Wick 2’ was also grieving so we talked about that.”
One of the best parts of the job according to Yong is “the fact that I have meaningful conversations not just with the most famous people on earth but the best minds in entertainment. I love interviewing directors because I learn so much from them. The creative process fascinates me.”
But of course, every success story has its share of challenges but of these, Yong declared, “I had never reached a point where I felt like giving up. I have a survivor’s mindset. Having gone through so many personal hardships, the challenges I face in my line work don’t compare. There were tough moments for sure but I am always determined to keep going.”
When asked what keeps her grounded despite her success, she replied, “I never forget to be thankful and acknowledge how rare and special my job is. But the thing is, because I have another full-time job besides reporting my time is very limited. I seldom get to watch my own reports apart from what I stumble upon online when I’m tagged. I think that helps me to be grounded.”
She added, “I never take things for granted and I am never content so I still grind and hustle like a newbie. I still pursue leads and develop contacts constantly.”
Asked for advice to who have dreams they wish to pursue despite the odds, she shared, “I will tell them, as I did my former self, to hang on to that hunger and continue to work hard.”
Yong is honored whenever she is regarded as a role model for women, explaining “Being a woman and a Filipina in a world like Hollywood can be difficult but it’s possible to thrive with determination.
Behind the scenes
Behind the scenes, Chavez is a proud mother to only daughter Janine who is now treading her own path in the business as a Hollywood casting producer
Behind the scenes of her news reports Yong is also a model mother and wife.
“I’m a proud wife and mom. I’ve been with my husband since college and we’re still so—nauseatingly, as our daughter would attest—in love. To him, I could do anything I set out to do. And when someone believes in you that completely, you feel like you can fly. And if you fall, you know he’s there too so I’m blessed by his love.
“Now we are big TV and movie watchers in the family so it’s good that I’m in the business. Our daughter is, too, now because she’s a casting producer in Hollywood—the youngest in the company. I’m so proud of her but I tell her I’ll be proud of her whatever she wants to do as long as she’s happy.”
Unknown to many, besides news reporting, Yong also has a regular eight-to-five job. Asked how she gets everything done, she happily replied, “I wake up early, I plan ahead, and I use the Focus time-keeper app to keep me on schedule. I’m a list-maker and drink a lot of Coke,” she laughed. “I’m only half-joking by the way because that’s how I get my energy boost sometimes.”
When asked what it took to be Yong Chavez, she takes a moment to respond and soon shares a story with The Sunday Times Magazine that she said she has not told anyone else.
The journalist remembers her late mother whose dedication brought her to where she is today
“You have to have equal parts confidence and humility. And you know that saying, ‘Fall down seven times, stand up eight,’ I’m well aware of that. I have had so many embarrassing and even humiliating experiences because I’m just human and I’m also breakable.”
She then went into details: “Less than two years ago while doing an interview with Lea Salonga in New York for my showbiz special on Balitang America, I took myself to the ER in the middle of the night. I was experiencing shortness of breath. After hours of tests, the emergency doctors determined I had congestive heart failure. Turns out I had an undiagnosed heart condition that could have killed me if I didn’t go to the hospital that night.
“It was my daughter who I was speaking with on the phone that pushed me to seek emergency treatment because she said I didn’t sound like myself. She wouldn’t hang up until I was in the hospital. I slowed down for about two weeks after that ER stay.
“I wondered then if I could still keep my busy pace. There even was talk of putting a pacemaker on me.
Thankfully I found an excellent cardiologist who gave me the perfect mix of medicines that strengthened my heart. I’ve been on four heart medicines daily since then and I joke na para akong nagsu-sungka whenever I put them in the daily pill box.
Chavez is grateful to be blessed with a very supportive husband named, Jun
“I’m OK but my heart will always have a defect so I take care of myself. You won’t even notice that I have a life-threatening illness and that’s how I intend to keep it. Keeping busy actually makes me feel alive and healthy.”
That close call made Yong realize what is truly important in life.
“I clung on to my faith and I started ‘praying attention’ – I got that lovely phrase from the Oprah magazine. I ‘pray attention’ to the things I get to do and treat each experience as a blessing. When something bad happens or things don’t go my way at work, I consider how it could’ve been worse. I come at it from a point of view of having gratitude. I know it may sound corny but it’s the truth. As long as my family is safe and healthy, I’m OK. Everything else is cherry on top.”
And with that, Yong picks up her mic, and sets out for her next adventure.
The post The Hollywood reporter as mom, wife and fighter appeared first on The Manila Times Online.