Mariz Umali

If you were looking for the actress, see Mariz Ricketts.

Mariz Umali is a Filipino newscaster known for anchoring Unang Hirit and its news segment Unang Balita.

Career[]

As she was about to turn 21, Umali started as a producer and researcher at GMA Network, covering the 2001 general elections in the Philippines. Later on, she became a news reporter and her first live news field report was at a PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Service Administration) press conference also in 2001. According to Umali, she considers the exclusive interview of the suspects of the Nida Blanca murder case as her big break of her career. She also had reported dangerous coverage such as Manila Peninsula siege and Typhoon Parma (Pepeng).

Other than being a reporter, Umali is also a newscaster and host in various television programs of GMA Network and GMA News TV such as Balitanghali Weekend, News TV Live, Born to Be Wild and Out of Control. She also delivered news in the now defunct hourly news update program GMA Flash Report. In the public affairs program Hired! (previously known as May Trabaho Ka) of the former QTV/Q (later GMA News TV, now GTV), Umali received an Anak TV Seal award. She also became one of the host of the travel and lifestyle show entitled Travel: More Fun In The Philippines and she along with other hosts Kara David, Susan Enriquez, Cesar Apolinario, Maey Bautista and Betong Sumaya were nominated as Best Lifestyle/Travel Show Hosts in the 26th PMPC Star Awards for Television in 2012. In the morning news program Kape at Balita, Umali along with her co-hosts Susan Enriquez, Joel Reyes Zobel, Michael Fajatin and Valerie Tan were nominated as Best Morning Show Hosts in the 27th PMPC Star Awards for Television in 2013. From time to time, she is invited to be a host or speaker in various events.

In 2016, during a press conference for the incoming President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte, he catcalled Umali. Due to this incident, Raffy Tima, Umali's husband, commented on social media that the catcalling done to his wife is "uncalled for and disrespectful to women". Umali on her part did not expect an apology from Duterte. In defense, a spokesperson of Duterte, Salvador Panelo said that Duterte did not intend to hurt the feelings of Umali. Panelo added that the catcall was "a joke and a compliment".

During the 17th Gawad Tanglaw Awards in May 2019, Umali won the Best Female Field Reporter award. In July 2019, Umali became one of the news presenters and hosts of the morning show of GMA 7, Unang Hirit.

In June 2024, Umali interviewed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy one-on-one during the president's visit to Manila amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

TV programs[]

Year	Title	Role
2010	Balitanghali Weekend	Anchor
2012	Born to Be Wild	Host
2019	Unang Hirit	Host/Anchor (Unang Balita)