Popular and veteran broadcaster Doris Bigornia has suffered from a heart attack and faces the prospect of needing open-heart surgery, her co-host and fellow ABS-CBN reporter Alvin Elchico said.

With permission from her family, Elchico made the announcement over their DZMM Teleradyo program SRO on Tuesday night.

Her colleague said Bigornia suffered a heart attack on Sunday night and was rushed to the hospital, and is still confined in an intensive care unit (ICU).

“Bago po tayo mag-umpisa dahil marami po kasi ang nagtatanong so, nagpaalam po ako sa pamilya ni Mutya ng Masa Doris Bigornia na sabihin po sa inyo, pinapasabi lang po, ang Mutya ng Masa, siya po’y inatake sa puso noong Linggo, papuntang Lunes (Before we start this program as many people are raising questions, and I already got the permission of the family of Mutya ng Masa Doris Bigornia to announce that she had a heart attack last Sunday going Monday),” Elchico said.

Although she was confined in an ICU, Elchico said Bigornia is conscious and even talked to him through the phone.