LAST Thursday on Channel 7's ''Unang Hirit'' morning show, senior host Mon Isberto surprised viewers by concluding the program with a long farewell. No, he wasn't taking the week off, he wasn't going on extended leave, he was concluding his almost eight years' stint as morning show host on GMA-7.

It was a sad day for everyone on the show, and co-host Suzie Entrata was sobbing like a baby, but, as Mon said philosophically, one has to move on. More than seven years of getting up before the crack of dawn can do crazy things to one's body clock, not to mention one's family life.

Mon shared that he needed to leave partly so he could pay more attention to his wife and children, specially now that the kids were growing up and could set forth on their own in a few more years. And he wanted time for himself, to try new things out.

He said he was sad to go but he felt confident that he was leaving the show in very good hands. Well, we don't know about that. Sure, some of the co-hosts on the show are OK, but who will do the really in-depth interviews that Mon managed so well? Answer: nobody.

Clearly, GMA has to ''deepen'' its bench of interviewers who can talk to important people on their level, and not dry up or make fools of themselves, as some young TV hosts do.

We know that TV is hung up on youth and dazzling good looks, but they aren't much help when you're talking to a top executive or important government official about a complicated topic. You can't pretend to be on top of the situation, you really have to be well-versed and in command.

So, GMA (not to mention the other channels) have to discover and develop more people to do this difficult job. Too bad that Mon Isberto has decided he doesn't want to do it anymore, but good replacements must be found.

Otherwise, the ill-prepared replacement hosts will end up with a lot of egg on their faces--or shows could avoid difficult topics or interviewees, and that wouldn't do, either.

So, where can the TV channels find more Mon Isbertos? Well, Mon came from print media, and there are other promising people there, if the channels know how to look.

Another rich source could be the show's guests, some of whom think and talk so well that they can be developed into on-camera hosts. Thus, the channels should review their talk shows' most articulate, personable and intelligent guests and see if any of them would like to give in-depth interviewing a try.

Radio also has some people who can be developed into good TV hosts. And the performing arts have quite a number of articulate and intelligent folks. We believe that the promising talents are there. The problem is the channels' talent-scouting mechanism is deficient. If the right people look, they'll find the talents they're looking for.

Meanwhile, we wish Mon Isberto the best in this new phase of his life. He's right: it's great to be able to reach so many people on TV, but when push comes to shove, family is what counts most of all.

Fraser was most recently seen in ''Dudley-Do-Right,'' ''The Mummy,'' directed by Stephen Sommers, as well as the critically-acclaimed Oscar-winning ''Gods and Monsters'' opposite Sir Ian McKellan and Lynn Redgrave.

Fraser's other screen credits include: ''Still Breathing, for which he received the Best Actor Award at the 1997 Seattle Film festival; Disney's box office smash ''George of the Jungle''; Les Mayfield's ''Encino Man''; Robert Mandel's ''School Ties''; Michael Lehmann's ''Airheads''; Hugh Wilson's ''Blast From The Past'', and Michael Ricthie's ''The Scout.'' Fraser also starred in Showtime's movie adaptation of Jonathan Tolins' ensemble play ''The Twilight of the Golds.''

He will next be seen in 20^th Century Fox's ''Monkey Bone,'' directed by Henry O. Selick.

On the stage, Fraser received praise for his work in John Patrick Shanley's ''Four Dogs and a Bone'' at the Geffen Playhouse for director Lawrence Kasdan.

Born in Indianapolis and raised in Europe and Canada, Fraser has been dedicated to honing his craft since the age of 12, when he began attending London theater performances. He was educated in Toronto's Upper Canada College and received a BFA in acting from the Actor's Conservatory, Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle.

Fraser currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife, Afton, and dogs, Wylie and Lucy.

This holiday season, choose music that inspires. Public response to an invitation from Praise Inc. for readers to share their stories shows that gospel music has strengthened and uplifted many people at the most significant times of their lives.

Edith Baua, 43, and a single mother, said Don Moen's music helped her cope with the worst storm in her life, when her husband left her for another woman. She says she starts and ends her day with Don Moen, because ''his songs are like prayers.''

Loreto Q. Palad of Bataan says Moen's album ''Rivers of Joy'' helped him to overcome a stressful period at work, with peace of mind. Another listener, who simply calls himself ''Brother Gino'' of the ''Jesus the Risen Savior fellowship'' in Bacoor, Cavite, says he was healed of hepatitis A when he was in high school after meditating on God's Word. Moen's song, 'I am the God that Healeth Thee' reminds him of God's goodness in his life.

Anne Marie Samson, a pre-school teacher and therapist for autistic children, says, ''When you sing, you pray twice.'' She plays ''Kids Praise'' for the children in her school.

For people interested in ''Praying Twice,'' Praise music is locally distributed by Praise Inc., in leading book and music store nationwide.

You may also share your experiences with Christian music in a letter to the Adprom Dept., Praise Inc., 145 Panay ave., Quezon City; or e-mail your story to praise@compass.com.ph and receive a free sampler tape from Praise.

Good news for jazz fanatics: Dyna Music has come up with series of 15 albums titled ''Simply Jazz (The Lighter Side of Jazz)'' with 12 cuts in every CD album.

The ''Simply Jazz'' CD collections include performances by jazz musicians like David Benoit, Peter Nero with Kathie Lee Gifford, Robert Strickland, Debra Laws, Sabado Watanabe, Ben Sidran, Julie Eigenberg, Oceans, Kal David, Laboy, Max Bennett, Georgie Fame, Dan Estrem and Holmquist, Ricky Peterson, Peter Nero with Crystal Gayle, Will Lee, Rick Strauss, Peter Nero with Maureen McGovern, Dallas Smith and Susan Maazer, Cliff Sarde, Angela Bofill, Don Duncan, Bob Bangerter, Peter Nero with Doc Severinsen, Giorgia T., Gerard Dimitri, Chuck Mangione, Todd Nystom, Peter Nero with Peabo Bryson, Roger Lambson, Al Bloomfield, Bryan Savage with Peter White, Taliesen Orchestra, Bill Champlin and Versatile.

The pieces they perform include ''Stages,'' ''Someone To Watch Over Me,'' ''Daybreak On The Desert,'' ''I'll Always Love You,'' ''California Shower,'' ''She Steps Into A Dream,'' ''Kisses IN The Night,'' ''Ridin' The Tide,'' ''Wishing Well,'' ''Eleonor Rigby,'' 'Great Expectation,'' ''Cool Cat Blues,'' ''Meditation,'' (They Long To Be) Close To You,'' ''Feels So Good'';

''Very Special,'' ''Forever In Love,'' ''All The Things You Are,'' ''Forty Something,'' ''All She Wants Is Love,'' ''Sailing,'' ''Waltz At Dawn,'' ''Enchantment,'' ''Falling In Love,'' ''Smile,'' ''Sunset On Santa Fe,'' ''Moments Like This,'' ''Living Easy,'' ''Maryanne,'' ''Tag Your It,'' ''For All We Know,'' ''Two Steps Forward,'' ''You Take My faith Away,'' ''On The Street Where You Live,'' ''Maybe It's because Of Love,'' ''Sekenya,'' ''Love In Slow Motion,'' ''Now and Forever,'' ''Lilac Drive,'' ''Yeah, Yeah'' and ''My Funny Valentine.''

From John Guce of Makati City: ''Thanks for printing my letter about the ''Samurai X: The Movie.''

''The reason why I wrote to you again, is that I want to share something to all of my fellow Anime Fans--it's called Serial Experiments Lain.

''Last July 1999 in the USA (this includes the other countries) released the unusual Japanese Animation Series on Video (English) called 'Serial Experimentation Lain' through Pioneer Entertainment.

''Conceived as multimedia project, complete with a video game, CD series and an animation series, 'Lain' is the story of a 13-year-old girl for whom the line between living reality and cyber reality is growing increasingly thin.

''The day after Lain's classmate commits suicide, Lain discovers how closely reality and the wicked world are linked when she receives an e-mail from the dead girl: 'Just abandoned my body. I still live here…' Has the line between the real world and the wicked world begun to blur?