Alexis Ray Celestino asked:




Here are some tips to help guide you and other travelers find these historical sites:

1. Ask around.

When you have time to visit any locality, fell free to ask the local residents on where they go to hear mass, or where you can find the oldest church, the miraculous shrines, someone surely will direct you on your way.

2. Buy a Travel guide and Map.

This is of course a must for any traveler, especially a foreigner or even a local first timer. Or else, how can you expect to get around without any form of knowing how to navigate your way. Travel guides and maps, such as the Philippine atlas and E-Z maps are easily purchased in bookstores and department stores. These are maps that are also available at the tourism office in any locality.

3. Search the Web.

You can also search the internet on anything and everything about the Philippines. There are many websites that feature the country and touch extensively on various topics, including old churches and historical religious sites.

Perhaps you can visit the Google website and look under:

a) Churches in the Philippines

b) Wow Philippines old churches

c) Baroque Churches in the Philippines

d) Philippines Churches

As you search on those different sites, you can see their different pictures, historical backgrounds, statues of the different Saints and altars. You can also read their different history from when they were built, why they were built and the people involved in building the different Gothic designs of the churches and the beautiful garden designs of the shrines.

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Jason A. Martin asked:




Before you rush out that door to enjoy your vacation in the Philippines, I have ten quick tips you should know. The Philippines is a great place to vacation, but plan poorly and your dream can quickly turn into a nightmare. Preparation is the key to any successful vacation.

Ten Quick Tips:

1. The temperature of the Philippines stays warm year-round. The range is from 78F to 90F.

2. If you have any questions about your visit, contact the Department of Tourism.

3. While the Philippines is one country, there are many regions–each with its own culture. Each culture has its own spin on food.

4. Don’t be a miser. When services are provided, don’t forget to tip. 10% is a common tip amount.

5. The Philippines’ monetary unsit is the peso (PhP). Get some of these and travel around with them. It makes dealing with local commerce much easier.

6. As mentioned in point #3, the country has different regions. There are 16 of them to be exact. Take the time to know the difference and you might find locals warming up to you.

7. If you want to see traditional festivals, celebrations and events then you need to go during the summer. This is the best time to see these attractions.

8. There are many ways to get around the Philippines including jeepneys, tricycles, pedicabs, and air-conditioned taxis. Explore and enjoy yourself.

9. Get to know some common Tagalog phrases. Many in the Philippines speak English, but they light up when someone is trying to speak their language.

10. Have fun, be nice and take lots of pictures. Don’t be shy about mixing with the locals. You might find some hidden gems that way.

There you have it; 10 great tips for traveling to the Philippines. All that’s left is for you to go and enjoy yourself.

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Mary Cecile Lluisma asked:




Are you curios about the transportation in the Philippines? The Philippines has different kinds of public transportation’s depending on what region you are. The Philippines has very cheap expenses compared to other western countries public transport. You can also choose what kind of public transport you want to avail, it depends upon your choice.

The most common in the Philippines in different areas is the so-called “The king of The Road” which is Jeepneys. It is also one of the most affordable public transportation’s in the Philippines. There is also so-called “Tricycle or a motorcycle with a side car”. It is kind of fun to travel in Jeepneys and Tricycle. But if you wanted to choose a more comfortable way of rides than Jeepneys, you can try to use the Bus. You have two choices, you can ride in an air-conditioned Bus or a non air-conditioned bus. It is also a very affordable public transport. Just tell the conductor where you are going, he will then tell you to know how much it costs.

Wanted a faster transportation? You can use the LRT (Light Rail Transit), it is fast and affordable as well. It is mainly in manila from Monumento to Baclaran. There is another type of transit, which is the MRT (Metro Rail Transit), it provides access more on areas that are businesses districts of Makati and Ortigas Center. The Philippines has taxi also, but it is cheaper compared to other countries. You can see them lined up in some tourist spots like hotels and some restaurants. If you wanted a more private ride with your family, you can rent or avail private rental cars, including Jeepneys and even limousines.

There are so many different kinds of public transportation in the Philippines. These are just the main public transport that is commonly used in different areas or regions in the Philippines.

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Sharona Bancs asked:




Whether you are a Filipino working abroad or a foreigner who wants to know the best time to visit Philippines, you’ll be glad to know that every day is the best time to visit the Philippines.?This Southeast Asian country is beautiful all year round.

?It is the best time to visit the Philippines during Christmas holidays.?Christmas time in the country starts as early as September and lasts until the first week of January.?When you are driving or commuting in the city or in countryside during the night, you’ll see beautiful rows of Christmas lanterns hanging out of the houses and establishments.????

?During early dawn, you will see people all dressed up for Church.?Yes, this predominantly Catholic country has a Christmas tradition of 9 masses during 4 o’clock in the morning as a way to celebrate Christmas.?It starts 9 days before Christmas.

?It is the best time to visit the Philippines during summertime also.?Summer in the Philippines is from the months of March to May.?The main attraction of the Philippines is its world-famous beaches:?Boracay, Subic Bay, Bohol, Cebu and Batangas and Puerto Galera.?

?Boracay which is located Visayas Island south of Manila is visited of millions of foreigners every year.?The beaches at Bohol, Cebu and Batangas are also frequented by foreigner. ?Except for the rainy months of June and July, you can visit Philippines beaches because the country has a tropical weather all year round.?

?What is the best time to visit Philippines [http://www.philippinesguestbook.com/]??All year round is the best time to visit this country.?When you experience the place and the gentle and hospitable people, you’ll always return year after year.? There are so many beautiful beach destinations in the countryside.? During Christmas, the celebration and decors and tradition are feast for the heart and eyes.

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Greg Pierce asked:




The Philippines is considered one of the richest countries in terms of natural resources. It is composed of 7,107 islands and has a tropical environment that can be enjoyed by any tourist. It is a place where you can relax and enjoy all of its panoramic views, whether natural or man-made. It is known to the whole world that the country has some of the best tourist destinations. Some of these places may not be that grand or majestic, but they will be spectacular, nevertheless, even for local folks.

Enjoying the different destinations in the Philippines is easy and may be due to the fact that English is considered to be the second tongue. Considering that the country has over 180 languages, many people do speak English, even in the rural areas. Some foreigners may wonder why this is so. It’s actually because Americans were the country’s last conquerors. The country also has strong ties with English-speaking countries. When you tour the country, you will find your vacation more enjoyable because it’s easy to understand why things are the way they are. It’s also easy to understand the Filipino culture because they will know how to converse to you.

If you’re planning to spend a holiday in this tropical haven, it would be great to know a little about it. the Philippines is an archipelago where islands are united by seas and divided by mountains. Geographically speaking, since the country is a composition of many different islands, people tend to share their sub-cultures to each other and everything will still be united as the larger Filipino culture that all regions will be known for. Because of this geographical nature of the country, Filipinos can be so diverse yet one in a unique way.

Today, the Philippines has risen as one of the most fabulous destinations in Asia. There are many spectacular views that any tourist can enjoy. If you go to mountains, you can see the man-made rice terraces in Banquet which were made by the natives of the mountains as a way of sustaining their livelihood. The Banawe Rice Terraces are actually counted as one of the eight wonders of the world, and so are the Chocolate Hills of Bohol. Those who love the underwater will also marvel at the rich marine life in the country’s many diving sites.

Most of all, tourists will often leave the country thinking of it not only as a land of beautiful views and beaches but also as a place where warm and spirited hosts will effortlessly go out of their way to accommodate an eager tourist. Immediately after arriving in the Philippines, most foreigners would see how friendly and hospitable Filipinos are. In fact, some actually come back because they have found love in the Philippines. This love does not always mean romantic love. It can also be a fascination for the country’s fabulous attractions, including its culture.

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Manuel Maniquis asked:




A famous Philippines travel destination up north is Baguio City. Baguio is fondly called as the summer capital of the Philippines because tourists flock to the area during summer. The reason – it is much cooler to spend summer in Baguio than any other place in the Philippines. With its location atop the Cordillera Mountains, at an elevation of 1,500 meters above sea level, it is the closest thing the country has to a mountain resort.

There are so many things you can do in this Philippines travel destination. True enough, you might have to travel 6 hours by land or 45 minutes by plane to Baguio, but for sure, it will all be worth it. Baguio is also called as the City of Pines because of the thousands of pine trees in the area. The presence of these trees adds to the already cool atmosphere of Baguio. One other thing that the city is known for is its strawberry farms. If it is harvesting season, you can ask your travel agent to set up your trip in such a way that you will be able to go to a strawberry farm for some picking.

Places of interest in this Philippines travel destination include the Burnham Park and the Wright Park. You can enjoy boating and horseback riding in these parks respectively. Baguio is also the home of the Philippine Military Academy, the training grounds of the future leaders of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Souvenir shopping is one thing tourists will enjoy in Baguio because several shops operate in the area.

For your accommodations, you can choose from a variety of hotels and pension houses that will fit your budget. You can also stay in Camp John Hay, which used to be the R&R place of the US military troops then. Certainly, there is just too much to do in Baguio.

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Roberto L. Bacasong asked:


Yuppie Filipinos get the chance to be employed easily once they obtained their bachelor or diploma degrees because of the emergence of contact centers everywhere in the Philippines. These workers started to fill the 24-hour skyscrapers that gives a colorful background to metro Manila’s financial districts at nighttime.

This only shows that people employed in this job for a couple of years were used to on their ticking biological sleeping habit. They slept all day long just to regain their strength and wake up again at the wee hours to prepare themselves for a nightlong work. Clad in casual attire with matching fashionable coats are the most common props if you are a customer service representative. During break time some even used to occupy the al fresco various dining areas in Manila. In Ortigas for instance, call center agents enjoy their 30-minute to 1 hour break at McDonald’s, Starbucks, among others. For those who have extra pennies, they enjoy the hot aroma of Brazilian coffee in various blend. Others may sit on the corner and lit up their cigarette in a way of releasing their stress from work. It is enjoying isn’t it?

At 8 pm. about 100 people, most 25 younger, sit in a room of enclosed cubicles outfitted with phones and computers. They’ll be working until 4 am. or depends on the schedule of their shifts. As their shifts starts, it is usually morning in the US. These contact centers are following US standard zones such as Pacific, Eastern, Mountain and Central.

Meanwhile, 20-year-old Luisa Geneta disclosed that call center is her first job when she finished her bachelor’s degree on May 4, 2007. At 12 am., Geneta left her house in Tondo, a suburb village in Manila, as her shift starts at 2 am. This Banking and Finance graduate from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) is one of the top caliber representatives for Unique Interaction, an American call center based in Ortigas.

“Working in a call center in the Philippines is really a big challenge for me especially that I’m new to this business. I spent most of my time and energy on this job,” she said, who handles an inbound account.

It is a very risky to leave my house at midnight for a young lady like me. However, I consider that this is the most rewarding career that we have nowadays and this will be a big help in creating another means of livelihood for us Filipinos especially for fresh graduates like me, she claimed.

On the other hand, Margaret Estanislao, 19, a team leader of the same company, disclosed that placing the agents into action challenge her in keeping her job.

Estanislao, who started as an agent added that they tried everything in sorting out the problem of the customers. “We need to maintain our empathy if the customer is upset. They are pissed and upset not because of the representatives but to the products itself”.

Both Geneta and Estanislao agreed that this job has given them the opportunity to enhance their skills and boost their confidence when it comes of interaction with their clients in a phone-to-phone conversation.

“Not to mention the financial aid that it gives to me and my family. I think this industry will continue to prosper in the succeeding years and it will continue to be one of the leading providers of career opportunities for Filipinos,” Geneta further said.

It cannot be denied that outsourcing business is one of the most flavored industries in the Philippines and other Asian countries. It appears that contact center executives preferred this country because of the number of students produced every year, which can speak English in American way. As the third largest English-speaking country in Asia no doubt that business process outsourcing is in demand today.

BPO companies provides a state-of-the-art equipment in outsourcing their business in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. These companies trained their employees to speak like American way. In Unique Interaction, they provide fundamental call center training before the call center trainees will be allowed to take calls. The trainees has to learn account information first. Once they know the account then they are deployed ready on the floor and receive as many calls as they want. The company also teach their employees on how to handle their customers well. It is so hard to lose a customer, we know that they are considered as the lifeblood that gives full stream of support to make the company up and running and stay on the business for long.

The fact is call centers are part of the Philippine economic activity. Almost half of the 86.2 million people in the Philippines are younger than 20 years old. So don’t be surprised if you will be able to meet supervisors, team leaders, managers below 25. This is because that call center has the fastest way of promoting a career development. If the agent is performing better and receiving good CSAT ratings then no doubt that within six months or less than, this certain employee is entitled to move to another level in his or her career path. The Philippines is also one of the potential factors for outsourcing. It has been also forecast by the XMG Inc., Manila-based research and advisory firm that the nation will surpass India by 2008 as home to the world’s largest call center companies.

The Philippines offers attractive environment for the BPO companies, which is one of the key requirements by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) in applying for this business. Even now big contact center firms also expanded their centers not only in Manila but targeting the provincial levels. So it means, the revenues will not only take place within the National Capital Region (NCR) but it will also circulate to the provincial areas after passing the standard set by the Peza. Largest call centers are also found operating in Pampanga, Laguna and Baguio in Luzon; Bacolod, Cebu, Dumaguete and Iloilo in the Visayas; and Cagayan de Oro and Davao in Mindanao.

The Philippine Government is very supportive to this. Under the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, she said that BPO companies will generate billions of pesos in the country with target by 2010. When it starts to operate in 2000, now off-shore call center industry estimates to employs 60,000 people.*

Kylie Evans asked:


Happy Egg-Day!

Easter is a pretty flexible holiday for many.

If you are Christian, it is a day of celebration – for according to the gospel, today is the day that Jesus arose from the dead, after a nasty run in with the Romans, and was able to go about his business of healing and feeding the masses.

I have never read a story with such a happy and completely surreal ending; but then again, I also read this week that officials in Manila were issuing health-warnings to the general public about the hazards of not getting their tetanus shots and using clean nails for their own annual DIY crucifixions.

I believe the Filipino Surgeon General also went on to suggest the use of 30+ sunscreen. After all, if one is going to nail oneself to a couple of pieces of 2 X 4 and hang around for awhile, one can’t be too careful about melanomas and the like. (I can only wonder if there is a specific section in IKEA in Manila for such activities).

Easter Sunday is also the quintessential event on the calender for Chocolaphiles. Chocolate Eggs, Bunnies and Bilbies (for my non-Australian friends – An Easter Bilby is a short, squat little mammal that is currently endangered for many reasons, not the least of which is that people keep dipping them in cacao and eating them)

                    

With the amount of sugar consumed during this period, it is little wonder that Easter marks inordinate sales figures for the retailers of Play Station I – MMCCCXXIIV. What better a time to buy a mind-numbing, intellect-stunting piece of equipment that will keep the little sugar-crazed blighters from shaving the cat and filling the sink with sun-dried tomatoes and Pine-O-Kleen.

Given that I am not a religious person, and I am one of the few people in the street…the town…the globe (according to reliable sources) that has a distinct aversion to all things chocolate, it should come as no surprise that Easter is a little bit of a non-event for me (I keep hoping that an Easter Deli-man will arrive with eggs made of King Island Brie and mild Hungarian salami but this is inevitably met with annual disappointment)

So, normally I approach this public holiday (by the way, cheers for that Herod…) with a fairly relaxed attitude, but still adhering to some of the culinary tenets set out in the Good Book.

I drink plenty of wine and eat lots of disgustingly good fish. I may not go to such extremes as nailing myself to the kitchen cupboard, but I endeavor to at least assume a sedentary position six times a day, before and after meals.

What sets this year apart from the rest of my Easters to date, is that I read yesterday that Pope Benedict XVI has decided to add 7 new “deadly sins” to the list of what will apparently send you over into the Ninth Circle of Hell.

Included in these new list of dogma-related No-Nos are:

*Thou shalt not be a billionaire

* Thou shalt not help create poverty

*Thou shalt not contribute to the widening gap between the rich and the poor

*Thou shalt not use “Bioethical” violations such as birth control

Okay, let’s just dissect a few things here…..

If the Vatican wants to put a stop to excessive wealth, then it should look in it’s own backyard.

I would be more than happy to support such theological threats of eternal damnation if perhaps the Pope and his cardinals would maybe start selling off some of their own odds and sods.

                                                     

Bit of a “two birds with one stone” that one. They could tear down some of their gilded cathedrals and have a good, old-fashioned cent-auction say, in Darfur. In one hit we get rid of some of the obscenely excessive wealth, and by doing such, make positive steps towards relieving the poverty.

Just a side note too – if gross expenditure of wealth is the new and trendy sin du jour Number 1, the Catholic Church might want to perhaps engage the services of a public defender for any future cases against naughty priests. Any cash leftover could be used in addressing sin du jour Number 3 – Thou shalt not contribute to the widening gap between the rich and the poor.

Which brings me to the new and improved sin-alert regarding the banishing of “Bioethical” violations such as birth control.

Forgive my hell-raising here Benedict, pal, but perhaps if some of those living in the more impoverished countries, such as Bangladesh, had a little more access to “Bioethical violations” ie: birth control, we could probably stem some of the poverty there as well. Reducing gross overpopulation, and thus poor living conditions, could be achieved by introducing a little *** education and a supply of condoms.

Note to the Billionaires: Therein lies your “Get Out Of The Underworld” Free card.

If the Vatican INSISTS on giving us more things to be afraid of and/or ashamed of by way of introducing new sins, can we not, at least swap a few of the new ones for the old ones?

If I have to curtail my working and spending habits, could I at least be able to indulge in  a little Gluttony and Sloth. It’s a slog trying to continually say “No” to that fourth glass of Merlot, and do not even get me started on how I have managed, only in the name of all that is pure and holy, to finally figure out how the vacuum works.

If I MUST pour all of my time and energies into closing the gap between the obscenely rich and the desolate poor- do you think it would be TOO much to ask if the Lord Almighty might look the other way whilst I occasionally lust after a shirtless Matthew McConnaghy?

                            

I will endeavor to observe these new rules and regulations, upon fear of dancing cheek-to-cheek with Beelzebub, but I have got to say, I am not happy Jan!

If I had my way (or looked good in a smock and a tall, silly hat) the new and improved sins would read something like this:

*Thou shalt not watch FOX news

*Thou shalt not wear large and inane yellow sunglasses and go around acting like a purile meat-head.

                         

*Thou shalt not ring people at 10pm…from Delhi…. to ask them if their Internet provider is serving all of their telecommunication needs.

*Thou shalt not invite people over for coffee only to ambush them with AMWAY

*Thou shalt NOT submit his/her (whoops….that would be just “his”) resume for Pope and white-out the bits regarding support for genocide during their time in the ****** Youth Programme.

So, on that note, I am off to drink some alcohol and watch a DVD with a decent cameo of Orlando Bloom’s buttocks, all the while being very careful not to spill any Pito chip crumbs on the doona.

Those chips are the BEST, and wasting any of them is tantamount to a deadly sin………. if ever I knew one.

Christine Layug asked:


When you want to buy or purchase some magazines the convenient way in the Philippines, then the perfect place for you is the M-Express.

The M-Express is the first ever door-to-door online magazine shop that not only provides a wide collection of magazines, but also a free delivery of any magazines throughout the nation with its very own Magazine online free delivery.

Magazine online free delivery can delivery any kind of magazine that the M-Express provides such as art magazines, auto and cycle magazines, business and finance magazines, children magazines, cooking and food magazines, entertainment magazines, fashion magazines, health and fitness magazines, home and gardening magazines, lifestyle magazines, men magazines, photography magazines, sports magazine, teen magazines, and women magazines.

M-Express Magazine online free delivery can also provide the best kind of magazines made by the most popular publishers in the Philippines such as ABS-CBN publishing, C-Magazine, English M publishers inc, Hinge inquirer publications, and rogue magazine.

M-Express Magazine online free delivery can also provide and deliver the most popular magazine titles in the Philippines such as Calibre: The Luxury of Time, FOOD: The Philippines’ Largest Selling Culinary Magazine, METRO: The Independent Woman, CHALK, and Game! Magazine.

Now you might think on how can the M-Express provide a free delivery on magazines nationwide? Well there’s a very simple explanation about this, the M-Express Magazine online free delivery is s owned and operated by eLBC Direct, Inc., an LBC company that is dedicated to providing Filipinos access to products and services apart from the traditional products offered by LBC.

So if you ever wanted to try some online magazine shopping in the Philippines, then the best place to start is with the M-Express. And with its Magazine online free delivery, you’re assured that your magazines will arrive on time and free of charge.

For more information about the M-Express and its Magazine online free delivery then visit www.m-express.com.ph.

Isabel Tiong asked:


69 years ago, at exactly 6 in the morning, announcer Hal Bowie took his seat before a microphone in a little studio at the top of the Heacock Building in Escolta, and bid his unseen audience good morning.  Thus was born the fourth commercial radio station to operate in Manila.  In just a few years, with the entire Philippine archipelago caught in the maelstrom of the Second World War, the fledgling station – which took the call sign KZRH  -  would buck the challenge of history and remain as the only surviving radio station in the country. 

Its auspicious beginnings as the mouthpiece of one of the largest department stores in the Pacific must have laid the groundwork for the station’s commercial viability all these years – a major factor in the survival of the so-called “stepchild of media arts.”

New as it was, KZRH management led by Bertrand Silen was not just armed with the technical know-how in radio operations, but likewise had fundamental marketing knowledge down pat.  They knew what radio listeners liked and disliked.

Musical variety shows, comedy skits, and short newscasts were the order of the day.  Jazz and ballads became standard fare.  Together with American wit, the English language spread.  KZRH found itself as an advertising medium, with sponsors like Purico underwriting specific shows which carried their names.  Apart from 15-minute blocktime sold to advertisers, commercial spots mixing announcements with music were also produced.   KZRH found itself amidst lucrative times.

Then came the grim shadow of war.  The Japanese Imperial Army took over the sophisticated equipment, which eventually got blown sky-high by the Americans.  And while Silen’s staff – considered the best in the Far East – found themselves either in Bataan, at the internment camps of Santo Tomas and Los Banos, within the guerilla movement, or simply felled by enemy bullets, plans for the rebirth of KZRH upon liberation were kept alive. 

Upon being released, Silen sought help from the National Broadcasting Company in New York to secure new transmitters, and with the Elizalde family financing the new operations at the Insular Life Building on Plaza Cervantes, KZRH was back on the air under the auspices of Manila Broadcasting Company on July 1, 1946 – just in time to cover the inauguration of the new Republic.

Soon after, the International Telecommunications Union adjusted the call letters of Philippine radio, and all allusions to the western United States through the letter K were removed.  Until today, all radio stations in the Philippines begin with the letter D.

What followed in the next three decades is now collectively known as the golden years of Philippine radio.  Programming flourished and a new breed of radio personalities became cultural icons.  As the recording industry grew, the live orchestras of yore soon gave way to music on vinyl.  Cover versions and Disc Jockeys came into being.  Radio dramas hit an unprecedented boom, eventually translating to the celluloid screen.

Lina Flor’s immortal  Gulong ng Palad, which debuted in 1949, led a slew of soap operas that filled the airlanes in the mornings and afternoons.  Because they had the housewives and sometimes the rest of the domestic ménage as captive audiences, these dramatic serials were strongly supported by major advertisers whose sales messages got very close attention through each saga. Radio dramas picked up on domestic relations, but also featured action, adventure, horror, and even murder-mysteries. Appealing to the imagination as well as to real-life need, DZRH secretaries fondly remember some callers even insisting on speaking to Ginang Hukom herself.

Indeed, DZRH easily adopted the habit of setting trends and institutionalizing them.  Sportscasting dean Willie Hernandez, the network’s comptroller in the mid-fifties, lent his voice to sports coverages and in so doing, made legendary Filipino basketeers like Carlos Loyzaga, Francisco Rabat, and Luis Lorenzo household names.

The feisty commentator Rafael Yabut, also had his sterling years with DZRH.  Starting out as the station electrician, he rose through the ranks to become the station’s PR man.  Loyal fans kept glued to their radios when he hosted the game show Ruleta Musikal.  On the top-rating Tayo’y Mag-aliw, Yabut dwelt on government and politics, family values, trivia, and entertainment.  

But it is easily Dely Mapayo who has been – up to this day – the most widely known personality behind the microphone at DZRH. Her easy chatter, contagious laughter, and sparkling wit won her sponsors and hosts of listeners through her career’s work. From the PMC-backed Tugtugin Natin to Himig Panghapunan in vintage years, and eventually the starkly simple Tiya Dely, which DZRH still airs today,  the lady and the station have remained synonymous for over 50 years. Radio quiz shows also emanated from the DZRH studios.  In Spell-to-Win, household appliances were at stake for someone who could spell words like “bouillabaise”. On Best of the Band, popular crooner Bimbo Danao tried to stump the audience with his original game format a-la “name that tune.”  And on Palmolive’s Knowledge Unlimited, even listeners contributed questions such as “what war took place in 1812?”

The Vicks Variety show opened doors for a new program format that addressed Tagalog-speaking audiences with pop-concert presentation of Philippine music.  Singer Jimmie Navarro who won the DZRH radio popularity poll, replaced Mystery Singer Cecil Lloyd and teamed up with Priscilla in performing a new romantic duet every week. While listeners wrote to request old favorites, new compositions were also introduced to the public. 

Letter-sending, has indeed, contributed greatly to the way DZRH developed over the years. Ira Davis, who produced the long-running programs of Philippine Manufacturing Company, patiently read through thousands of letters that came in every week. The notes were routed to management and gave them firsthand information on what sort of radio entertainment – even commercial copy – that listeners preferred.  And the advertisers took note of those market preferences. 

In later years, DZRH received more immediate feedback — through the telephone, through pocket pagers, through mobile technology, and today, through cyberspace.   But the formula remains the same: innovate…improve…listen…keep the pulse. And decades hence, the station which survived the horrors of war is also surviving the competition. DZRH as the flagship station of Manila Broadcasting Company is proud to be the purveyor of news as it should be delivered, adhering to the highest standards of broadcasting excellence in the country.  It continues to be a witness to Philippine history as it unfolds, and yet remains faithful to the mandate of fair and responsible journalism.  In 1986 it was the only station that aired nationwide a detailed account of the ouster of President Ferdinand Marcos.  Three years later, DZRH reporters found themselves risking life and limb to keep the public abreast of the attempted coup d’etat, and manifesting its spirit of compassion to wounded rebel soldiers.

DZRH today boasts of veteran radioman Joe Taruc anchoring the DZRH team in defining the public affairs program genre from the Pinoy perspective. Despite the seeming erosion of the morning news by the telemagazines,  Taruc remains confident that nothing beats the immediacy of radio. 

DZRH News Director Andy Vital, on the other hand, has  taken new media by the horns for the station’s benefit. Internet radio and live chats are used to maximize the station’s accessibility to audiences both here and abroad.  He has also encouraged popular DZRH announcers like Ruth Abao and Rey Sibayan to maintain individual blogs.  And with his iconic colleague “Lakay” Deo Macalma  seemingly attuned to the secret lives of public figures and celebrities alike, vigilance in good governance through reports from his bubwits is still in keeping with the station’s mien for  popular entertainment. But perhaps it is in the field of public service where DZRH has truly earned its merits.    Through Operation Tulong – the station’s socio-civic arm first launched in 1978 –  corporate social responsibility and anonymous Samaritans work hand in hand. Armed with their credo of Serbisyong Bayan, DZRH responds to the needs of the ordinary man-on-the-street with the same compassion and determination it devotes to massive disaster-relief operations, through networking support from advertisers, NGO’s, and government agencies. 

On its 69th anniversary, DZRH will conduct a medical-dental mission in cooperation with the Philippine Medical Association, Gat. Andres Bonifacio Medical Center, the Department of Health, the Philippine Air Force,  the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, PAGCOR, and other generous donors.   DZRH has also invited the Optometrists Association of the Philippines to provide free eye examinations, with MBC donating 500 free eyeglasses.  Teaming up with Islands Exhibit Link, the station will likewise hold a two-day Job Fair, with more than 40 participating companies and recruitment firms providing domestic and international work opportunities.   DZRH has also invited the Public Attorney’s office, Batas Barangay, and their network of lawyers to provide free legal assistance.  And for those availing of these public service offerings, DZRH is also serving free porridge (lugaw) as a gesture of unity with the masses who have supported them all these years. 

Over a decade ago, the station embarked on a “One Nation, One Station” initiative, expanding its coverage to an unprecedented 97% of the Philippine archipelago. To date, DZRH is the only station in the country that is on the air nationwide 24/7 on stereo-quality, simulcast via satellite to relay stations in key provincial cities.  Through all these, DZRH and the top brass at Manila Broadcasting Company have remained fully cognizant of their target listeners and have used this to master their programming thrust.  They have convinced advertisers to support their efforts at activation and integration in reaching mass audiences.  DZRH taps into the consciousness of the Pinoy, takes inherent socio-cultural phenomena like fiestas, raffles, and machismo sports. . . and actively makes them tick.    At the same time, through creative thinking by the staff and high-quality execution by their announcers, DZRH has translated traditional broadcasting techniques like talk-radio and soap operas into productive and impacting forms of integration or product placement that have become increasingly more efficient in moving brands across a complex media landscape. 

 

But it is the way DZRH announcers today relate to their listeners that truly spells the difference. It is a legacy handed down through generations of broadcasters who knew their audiences.   It is foresight brought about by the changing of the times. It is a style acquired through personal interaction with the man-on-the-street.  And it is a mantle of leadership, new experiences, and empathy toward mankind brought about by having made it through 69 years.

Congratulations, DZRH – kaunaunahan sa Pilipinas!