Cherie Mercado

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Cherie Mercado
Born
Cherie Lei Ariza Mercado

Manila, Philippines
OccupationsJournalist, Radio Commentator
Years active1994–2016, 2018–2019
Agent(s)GMA Network (1994–1995)
ABS-CBN (1995–2004)
ABC/TV5 (2004–2016)
CNN Philippines (2018–2019)
Filipino TV (?–present)
Spouse
Mike Santos
​
(m. 2004)​
[1]
Children2[2][1]

Cherie Mercado-Santos is a Filipino broadcast journalist. She has worked for various broadcast networks in the Philippines, the longest with TV5, and is currently based in Canada.

Career

Mercado's career as a news anchor, reporter, researcher, and eventually as a live on-the-scene reporter began with GMA News (1994–1995) and then ABS-CBN News (1995–2004). With ABS-CBN, Mercado hosted morning show Alas Singko Y Medya (lit. Five-Thirty, for the show's airtime)[3], The Global News,[4] the health and weather segment of Magandang Umaga Bayan (Good Morning to the Nation),[5] and her own lifestyle show on ANC, Coffee Talk with Cherie Mercado. As a reporter, she covered the EDSA II Revolution[6] and the May 1 riots.[7] After nine years with ABS-CBN[4], she signed with ABC/TV5 (2004–2016).

In 2011, together with Shawn Yao and Cheryl Cosim, Mercado served as one of TV5's special correspondents for the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, reporting live from London.[8]

Mercado was the anchor for several news programs. She was the co-anchor of the late-night newscast Aksyon JournalisMO (Action: Your Journalism) together with Jove Francisco and Martin Andanar. She was the host and anchor for CNN Konek, which aired on AksyonTV,[9] and starting in 2012 was the co-anchor of the late newscast Pilipinas News (P-News), together with Francisco and Paolo Bediones.[9] Mercado was also one of several co-hosts of the news documentary series Insider, along with Cosim, Bediones, Andanar, Luchi Cruz-Valdes, Raffy Tulfo, Erwin Tulfo, Mike Templo, and Lourd de Veyra.[10][11]

She and Bediones also co-hosted Trabaho Lang with Paolo and Cherie (Just Work with Paolo and Cherie), which aired every weeknight on Radyo5, 92.3 News FM from 8:00-9:30pm.

On July 2014, Mercado was moved to the noontime newscast Aksyon sa Tanghali (Action at Noon) together with Raffy Tulfo.[12]

On July 15, 2016, Mercado left TV5, her home network for 12 years to become the spokesperson of the Department of Transportation (DOTR).[4] She later resigned in May 2017 due to her motherhood.[13]

On February 12, 2018, Mercado joined CNN Philippines, as she took over as a new anchor of the Evening Edition of Newsroom replacing Mitzi Borromeo.[14][15] On September 3, 2018, Mercado moved to mid-morning Filipino newscast Newsroom Ngayon.[16]

Mercado and her family moved to Canada in 2021 in order to give her children a specialized arts education.[17] There she began working at Filipino TV, a channel targeted at Filipinos in Canada.[17] Her programs with Filipino TV include Thrive in Canada, which introduces services and resources to new immigrants, and The Hub Daily, a news roundup show.[18] In 2023, she hosted The Cherie Mercado Podcast, which features conversations between Mercado and another Filipino living or working in Canada.[19] On September 20, 2025, she received the Excellence Award in Media at the Golden Balangay Awards, a recognition for outstanding Filipino-Canadians.[20][18]

Personal life

Mercado is married to Mike Santos, a stockbroker, and they have two children, Christiana and Anabella.[1]

Filmography

Television

YearTitleRole
1995–2004The Weekend NewsNews Anchor
1996–2001Hoy Gising!News Anchor (substitute for Gel Santos-Relos)
1996–2001Balitang KReporter
1998–2001Global NewsNews Anchor
2001–2004Alas Singko Y Medya (now Magandang Umaga Bayan)Host
2001–2003Coffee Talk with Cherie MercadoHost
2004–2008Big NewsNews Anchor
2008–2010TEN: The Evening NewsNews Anchor
2010Aksyon WeekendNews Anchor
2010–2012Aksyon JournalisMONews Anchor
2010–2011Sapul sa SingkoHost
2011–2013CNN KonekNews Anchor
2012InsiderHost
2012–2014Pilipinas NewsNews Anchor
2014–2016Aksyon sa TanghaliNews Anchor
2018NewsroomNews Anchor
2018–2019Newsroom NgayonNews Anchor
2018–2019CNN Philippines UpdatesVarious Contributor
2019CNN Philippines The Filipino Votes: Senatorial ForumCo-Moderator

Radio

  • Trabaho Lang! (2013–2014; 2015–2016)

References

  1. Mercado-Santos, Cherie (January 12, 2015). "A dream fulfilled: An escape to the south of France (First part)". The Market Monitor. Ana Publishing Incorporated. Retrieved October 22, 2015. She is the proud mother of two daughters, Christiana and Anabella, and happily shares life's journey and travel adventures with her stockbroker-husband Mike Santos.
  2. Pangilinan, Robbie (February 1, 2010). "Teacher mommy". The Philippine Star. Philippines. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
  3. Salterio, Leah (2021-03-03). "Kris takes over 'Balitang K' slot". Philippine Daily Inquirer. pp. A21–A22.
  4. dela Paz, Charisse (July 17, 2016). "TV5's Cherie Mercado is new transportation spokesperson". Rappler. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  5. Torre, Nestor U. (2003-07-18). "Two faces of show business". Philippine Daily Inquirer. pp. C3.
  6. Salterio, Leah (2001-01-19). "ABS-CBN coverage of people power better than GMA". Philippine Daily Inquirer. pp. A26.
  7. "Women make the difference on ABS-CBN News". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 2001-05-26. pp. C9.
  8. "NEWS5 delivers multi-platform royal wedding coverage from London on April 29". PEP.ph. Archived from the original on 2026-06-13. Retrieved 2026-06-13.
  9. Paglicawan, Mc Richard (February 17, 2012). "Pilipinas News changes late-night newscast landscape starting Monday on TV5". LionhearTV. Retrieved August 14, 2022.
  10. "TV5 launches newest program Insider". Philstar.com. Archived from the original on 2026-06-14. Retrieved 2026-06-14.
  11. "Cherie Mercado on working relationship with TV5: "Kapatid talaga ang turingan sa isa't isa, kasi dito yung friendship naho-hold, mas masarap magtrabaho. Hindi nagsisiraan ang mga tao."". PEP.ph (in Tagalog). Archived from the original on 2026-06-14. Retrieved 2026-06-14.
  12. "TV5 unveils unified 'one-brand' news programs". Philstar.com. Archived from the original on 2026-06-14. Retrieved 2026-06-14.
  13. "CHERIE MERCADO RESIGNS AS SPOKESPERSON OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION". Medianewser.com. May 19, 2017. Archived from the original on May 23, 2017. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  14. "Join @cheriemercado now on Newsroom. (CNN Philippines on Twitter)". February 13, 2018. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
  15. "Former TV5 anchor Cherie Mercado joining CNN Philippines (Media Newser Philippines)". February 1, 2018. Archived from the original on January 23, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  16. "Ruth Cabal and Cherie Mercado to switch roles (Media Newser Philippines)". December 14, 2018. Archived from the original on August 20, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  17. "Cherie Mercado-Santos: From news to new". Philstar Life. Archived from the original on 2026-06-14. Retrieved 2026-06-14.
  18. "Filipino broadcaster Cherie Mercado receives Media Excellence Award in Canada". PEP.ph (in Tagalog). Archived from the original on 2025-10-01. Retrieved 2026-06-14.
  19. "The Cherie Mercado Podcast - Apple TV". Apple TV. Archived from the original on 2024-12-28. Retrieved 2026-06-14.
  20. "2025 Winners - GOLDEN BALANGAY AWARDS". GOLDEN BALANGAY AWARDS. Archived from the original on 2026-02-13. Retrieved 2026-06-14.