The Tragic Death of UNTV Reporter Naomi Sorianosos Asong: A Stark Reminder of MCGI and UNTV’s Exploitation
- Rosa Rosal
- Sep 24
- 4 min read
In 2019, the untimely death of UNTV reporter Naomi Sorianosos Asong exposed not only the callous disregard of MCGI and UNTV leadership for the welfare of their members and workers, but also shattered the myth behind their self-proclaimed image as “champions of charity and public service.”
Naomi, a bright and dedicated journalist, lived and died under the crushing weight of MCGI’s exploitative system. One that demands relentless sacrifice while giving nothing back in return.
UNTV Reporters: Overworked, Underpaid, and Left Unprotected
Despite serving as a news reporter for UNTV, Naomi received only a ₱150 daily allowance inclusive of meals, a pittance that stands as damning proof of UNTV’s labor exploitation and unfair labor practices.
She was denied basic benefits such as medical insurance, despite the dangerous and exhausting nature of her work. Her death came not from a chronic illness or an unavoidable tragedy, but from a simple complication from a wisdom tooth extraction, something that could have been prevented with basic medical care and timely assistance.
Yet when Naomi needed help most, no support came from either UNTV or MCGI. She was abandoned by the very institutions that endlessly preach about “caring for others” and parade themselves as bastions of charity.
The Deadly Burden of Pagkakatipon
Naomi’s final days illustrate the crushing reality of MCGI’s exploitative worship system. On Sunday, she had a dental procedure. Instead of prioritizing rest, she was compelled by church demands to attend a full 8-hour make-up worship service the following day. Already weakened, she developed a high fever afterward and died the very next day.
This was not just an unfortunate chain of events. It was the direct consequence of MCGI’s onerous “pagkakatipon” requirements, where attendance and compliance matter more than health, family, or life itself.
Her death underscores the inhuman culture of guilt and compulsion that drives members to push their bodies beyond their limits, even in times of sickness and vulnerability.
A Victim of Cult Injustice
Naomi’s life trajectory mirrors the fate of many who grew up inside MCGI.
She became a member in 2003 as a teenager, active in the KKTK youth group.
During this era, MCGI propagated the infamous “Anytime Soon” doctrine, convincing young people that the world’s end was imminent. Education and future careers were dismissed as pointless. Naomi, like many others, was robbed of her full potential.
Though she managed to finish her studies, her formative years were diverted into servitude to a system that never intended to give back.
In her late 20s, she married a church worker and policeman twenty years her senior and bore two children early, an arrangement all too common in MCGI, where members are pressured into relationships and family setups dictated by the cult’s internal hierarchies.
Her life and death are proof that MCGI devours the youth, drains their potential, and discards them when they are no longer useful.
The Mask of Charity, the Reality of Exploitation
Naomi’s story tears down MCGI and UNTV’s carefully constructed image. They brand themselves as a charity powerhouse, running endless donation drives and publicity campaigns. But when their own member and worker fell ill, they offered neither medical nor financial aid.
This hypocrisy is consistent with what we’ve uncovered in other investigations:
Lavish spending on mansions, theme parks, and political deals by Kuya Daniel Razon and his allies.
Exorbitant foreign remittances disguised as “charity work” while local members are left impoverished.
Exploitation of UNTV workers with low pay, no benefits, and no security of tenure, even as the network enriches itself off their labor.
In reality, MCGI’s “charity” is a front directed outward for propaganda, never inward for the well-being of its own people.
A Reminder for All
Naomi’s tragic end is not an isolated case. It is the inevitable outcome of life in a system that thrives on exploitation, guilt, and silence. She gave her youth, her labor, and her health to a cult and its media empire. In return, she received neglect, poverty wages, and ultimately abandonment in her final hours.
Let this be a stark reminder. Never dedicate your life to a cult that will not care for you when you are most in need.
Behind the glitter of their television programs and the grandstanding of their leaders lies a brutal truth that MCGI and UNTV profit from sacrifice, but never share in the suffering of those who sustain them.
Why We Speak Now
The incident may have happened years ago, but only now have we obtained the full consent of Sis. Naomi’s family to tell her story. Out of respect for her family’s grief and privacy, the details of her suffering were long kept in silence.
But silence has only served MCGI and UNTV, allowing them to bury the truth while continuing their propaganda of “charity” and “public service.” With the family’s blessing, we bring Naomi’s story into the light not to reopen wounds, but to ensure that her sacrifice is never forgotten and that others may be spared from the same fate.
Her family want this account to stand as both a testimony and a warning: no member’s life should ever be wasted for the vanity of leaders who demand everything but give nothing in return.
