Kat de Castro says ‘Dad’s okay’ amid Noli de Castro’s brief absence from ‘TV Patrol’

MANILA, Philippines — Katherine “Kat” de Castro, daughter of veteran broadcaster and former Vice President Noli de Castro, thanked the public for their concern after her father’s recent absence from television news prompted questions about his health. 

In a Facebook post, Kat said the longtime “TV Patrol” anchor is now in good condition. 

“Thank you to everyone who prayed, messaged and called. Dad’s okay,” she wrote. 

Kat, who serves as director-general of the Philippine Information Agency, did not initially give further details, but her post followed days of speculation after Noli had been absent from TV Patrol for several days for undisclosed reasons. 

According to Kat, her father underwent a medical procedure. In a now-deleted post, she had asked the public to pray for the broadcast veteran. A few hours later, she shared an update saying he was already doing fine. In the comments section, she clarified that her father had a “surgery,” though she did not disclose the reason for it and the specific procedure.

The 76-year-old broadcaster was last seen anchoring TV Patrol on Nov. 7. This is not the first time the veteran news anchor took an extended break from his programs. Earlier this year, he was also absent from both television and radio for several weeks due to complications related to sciatica, an injury involving the nervous system. Kat had likewise provided updates on his condition at the time. 

De Castro, widely known as “Kabayan,” is one of the most recognizable figures in Philippine broadcast journalism, having spent decades in news before serving as vice president from 2004 to 2010. He later returned to broadcasting, resuming his role as a senior news anchor. 

Meanwhile, the family’s latest reassurance also recalled past instances of online misinformation about the broadcaster’s health. In 2021, Kat was compelled to debunk death hoax posts circulating on social media. Among the false claims were allegations that her fahter had slipped, fallen into a coma and died. Speculations further intensified when de Castro, who had earlier announced a senatorial bid for the 2022 elections, did not push through with his candidacy.

As of this writing, the family has not released additional details about De Castro’s surgery or when he is expected to return to the evening newscast.