Scams in the Philippines exposed in ‘Budol Alert’
SCAMS have become a growing concern globally, impacting even the US with $10.1 billion in losses in 2022 and the Philippines with a hefty P1 billion stolen by scammers in the same year. In 2023, the Philippines was ranked 5th worldwide for scamming incidents.
To help counter this illegal industry, TV5 launched “Budol Alert,” a news and public affairs show focusing on various scams and schemes in the Philippines.
Showing every Sunday, this program goes by the battlecry “Maging Alerto, Huwag Magpabudol,” rallying Filipinos to stay vigilant on various scams, including phishing, smishing, and fraudulent online shopping tactics. Spearheaded by veteran broadcast journalist and News5 Head Luchi Cruz-Valdes, Budol Alert presents the comprehensive news gathering and storytelling from the young and promising breed of News5 reporters composed of Gio Robles, Shyla Francisco, Reiniel Pawid, Dave Abuel, Briane Basa, Jes Delos Santos, and Nikki De Guzman. The show also features comprehensive reports from seasoned News5 journalists Mon Gualvez, MaeAnne Los Baños and Marianne Enriquez.
Gio Robles has been with News5 since 2022 and has covered major stories like the Socorro Cult and the West Philippine Sea dispute. Shyla Francisco is an award-winning reporter who has garnered honors such as the 2023 Broadcast Journalist of the Year (Agriculture) by PAJ SMC BINHI Awards. Reiniel Pawid has been a reporter for seven years and is a news producer who was awarded the 2022 Gandingan Award for the most development-oriented news story.
Dave Abuel brings 12 years of experience as a news Producer and reporter. Briane Basa hosts digital explainers on Covid-19 and global affairs. Jes Delos Santos and Nikki De Guzman are known as news anchors for “Frontline Pilipinas Weekend “and “Gud Morning Kapatid.”
Mon Gualvez is a seasoned news veteran with 12 years of experience and was awarded the 2023 Gawad Pilipino Awards for Outstanding TV Reporter. MaeAnne Los Baños has 15 years of experience as a Senior Correspondent for News5, One News, and One PH and anchored programs such as “Frontline Tonight;” she also secured the 2019 Edward Murrow Fellowship for Journalists USA. Lastly, Marianne Enriquez, a reporter and producer of news and public affairs for 13 years, received the 2014 Gawad Tanglaw Award for Best Public Affairs Program for the show “Reaksyon.”
“With our new breed and awardwinning pool of correspondents presenting eye-opening stories in each episode of Budol Alert, we help empower Filipinos with the right knowledge so that they are well-informed and protected from different kinds of frauds and scams, whether physical or online. This is our commitment, and we vow to dig deeper and make Filipinos smarter than these scammers,” News5 Chief and Budol Alert main host Luchi Cruz-Valdes shared.
Budol Alert airs Sundays 4:30 p.m. on TV5.