Horacio ‘Howie” Severino as he is fondly called by his colleagues started his broadcasting career in 1988 as a professional broadcast journalist in print, television and radio broadcasting. He has already been recognized repeatedly as shown by his various several awards. He recalled that he has been interested in journalism ever since he was a little boy. He had earned his degree from Tufts University in Massachusetts in Bachelor of Science in History as magna cum laude, and he had pursued his Master’s degree from Sussex University in Environment, Development and Policy at the Sussex University.
Earlier in 1980, he got the chance to be familiar with exiled Ninoy Aquino as a college student. In 1983, after the Aquino’s assassination, Howie went home to the country and taught High School at his Alma Mater, Ateneo High School. He then joined the anti-Marcos movement and was arrested with Lino Brocka and Behn Cervantes. They were detained for eight days in Fort Bonifacio, which was a dreaded camp back then. Today it represents a developed business area.
In 1988, Howie started his career as a reporter in a newspaper and magazine writer. He became a co-founded the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism and customized himself as one of the documentary filmmaker. He also became Editor-in Chief of GMA News Online, a website on GMA Network. He then joined Che-Che Lazaro on “The Probe Team,” after which he decided to join “I-Witness,’ the longest-running public affairs program in the country.
He was then appointed as GMA Network’s Vice President for Multimedia Journalism in 2009 and pioneered the use of Google Maps for covering disasters in different affected areas. Howie can be seen as a co-anchor of the morning television show News To Go with Kara David on GMA News TV today.
Howie Severino has been married to Ipat Luna and they were blessed with a son named Alon Roberto. His wife is an environmental lawyer and TOYM awardee. His son is also into stage acting and was given the award for Best Child Performer by the Aliw Awards for the play entitled “Totong Hilot,” which was staged at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. His parents were Ambassador Rodolfo Severino, who was the past secretary-general of the ASEAN and Tati Gorospe Severino, an administrator and a schoolteacher back then.
Howie was also named by the People Asia Magazine as one of the ‘Men’s Who Matter.” He is being acknowledged for his stories that can be used as a witness and a weapon for a possible change by the magazine. Those who are being recognized are challenged to do work that really matters and to do things that matters especially to the people and to the country as well.
Up to this day, he remains loyal and dedicated to his work, presenting news and current affairs of what’s happening everywhere with truth and sincerity. He is a professional and responsible journalist, who is living to his beliefs that there is more to the news than the news itself. It’s the truth behind the news that makes real news.
