Anthony Taberna

Antonio Talens Taberna Jr. was born on January 16, 1975, in San Antonio, Nueva Ecija, the fourth of seven children.[1] His father, Antonio Taberna Sr., was a provincial bus driver in Manila who only finished his education up until high school. His father died on August 18, 2002, after a period of ill health.[2] His mother, Benita Talens Taberna, only finished her elementary education.[1]

Taberna started his career as a part-time news writer in 1992 at DZEC, operated by Eagle Broadcasting Corporation. In 1997, he transferred to DZMM, an AM radio station owned by ABS-CBN where he became a Radyo Patrol reporter. In January 2000, he joined Gerry Baja in Ito Ang Radyo Patrol (lit. transl. This is Radio Patrol). The tandem then moved on to Gising Pilipinas (lit. transl. Wake Up, Philippines) in 2002, before they were given their own show, Dos por Dos.

As a television host, Taberna was featured on the morning show Magandang Umaga, Pilipinas and in the documentary program Kalye: Mga Kwento ng Lansangan. Taberna has been widely criticized for his rape victim-blaming on live television. A campaign to remove him from his position due to his bad ethics was met by opposition from Taberna's employer company, ABS-CBN.[6] On July 31, 2020, Taberna left ABS-CBN due to the ABS-CBN franchise renewal controversy when the Philippine Congress rejected the new legislative franchise of the network and he subsequently joined Manila Broadcasting Company's AM radio station DZRH in August 2020 and his show Dos por Dos moved to the station and resumed airing on August 31.[7] On September 6, 2022, Taberna joined All TV and would host the television program Kuha All![8]

Taberna is married to former broadcast journalist Rossel Velasco, and they have two daughters named Zoey and Helga Taberna.

The couple are the owners of the coffee shop-bakery-restaurant Ka Tunying's Cafe. The first branch of his coffee shop is located at Visayas Avenue in Quezon City. The Tabernas also opened additional branches of their cafe due to its popularity.[9]

On August 30, 2015, Anthony Taberna announced that he will take a leave of absence from his two shows on ABS-CBN, citing "conflict of interest" due to the controversy surrounding the founding family of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC). Taberna was one of the personalities appearing in the INC members' assembly in EDSA on August 30, 2015.[10][11]

On February 19, 2018, a news report showing a video of a 19-year-old girl was delivered. She was allegedly gang-raped after meeting up with someone she was chatting with online. In the background, however, Anthony Taberna’s voice can be heard, saying:

This is just remarkable. It’s not the first time that this happened. There have been so many incidents like this of eyeball meet-ups. What’s more dangerous is you not only go to that eyeball meet-up, you even went out for a drink. That’s the problem, that’s the hardest of all, especially since you’re drinking out with an all-male group.[12]

Taberna, however, didn’t stop there. Seemingly cutting off Jeff Canoy, Taberna responded that in truth, women shouldn’t put themselves in dangerous situations.

No. The truth is it’s easy to say that to men. Excuse me in so far as the victim is concerned, the one who must be given justice. But this should be a (warning) for future incidents. If you’re a woman, don’t enter a hole of evil-doers.[12]