Manuel Leuterio de Castro Jr. (; born July 6, 1949), professionally known as Noli de Castro, is a Filipino journalist, news anchor and politician who served as the 12th vice president of the Philippines from 2004 until 2010, under President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. He was elected to the Senate of the Philippines in 2001 after receiving the most votes of any senator in the 2001 election. De Castro is the anchor of radio programs Kabayan and TeleRadyo Balita (formerly Radyo Patrol Balita: Alas Siyete) on DZMM Radyo Patrol 630, ABS-CBN TeleRadyo and Kapamilya Channel and the original and long-running anchor of TV Patrol on ABS-CBN, DZMM Radyo Patrol 630, ABS-CBN TeleRadyo, ANC, Kapamilya Channel and A2Z. He is one of the key television figures in favor of the Philippine drug war undertaken by the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte. Early life and education Noli de Castro was born as Manuel Leuterio de Castro Jr. in the town of Pola, Oriental Mindoro at 4:00 pm on July 6, 1949. He is the fifth child of Manuel de Castro Sr. (born c. 1909) and Demetria (née Leuterio, born c. 1911). He studied at the University of the East in 1971 with a degree in Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in banking and finance, and a doctorate degree Honoris causa from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. Broadcasting career De Castro began his career as a broadcaster during the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos , when press freedom was suppressed. He worked as a field reporter for Johnny de Leon, a popular radio announcer at the time. He later became a radio announcer in RPN's DWWW station from 1982 to 1986. After the ouster of Marcos in 1986, de Castro joined ABS-CBN. He got his break into television as the segment host for "At Your Service" of Good Morning! Philippines. He also joined DZMM, a radio station of ABS-CBN, as the anchorman of Kabayan. It was because of the popularity of the program that he gained the nickname "Kabayan Noli". In 1987, he became one of the pioneer anchors of the news and public affairs hit, TV Patrol. In 1988, de Castro became an anchor on Magandang Gabi... Bayan. In April 1996, he became the sole anchor of TV Patrol, and in January 1999, he became the newscast's overall head of production and became the vice president of DZMM. During his term as Vice President