Advice to Radio Personalities - please don't become a media whore

I don't know if there are a lot of young people listening to AM radio. After all, the FM station would sometimes blurt out some news about celebrities so why bother? But I tend to shun myself from music most of the time and listen to good old talk AM stations.

But election is coming and there's a really bad trend going on in AM radio - block timers. For those who are not familiar with this programs. A block time program is a paid program which means the show is not sponsored by the radio station. The radio station is paid by the shows producer or the one who simply wants to talk on radio. They can say almost anything on radio and the radio station do not care what they say. The radio stations are paid and the commentators can blurt out anything they want. Everyone is happy - except the freakin' listeners.

These block timers are only there for two things: to praise those who hired them and attack the enemy of those who hire them. Most of these block timers are former radio personalities or public officials who has a knack to talk without anyone in front of them. They talk bad against the enemy because they were paid to talk that way. In Iloilo, the trend of block timers that attacks politicians is just starting. Personalities that are for Gov. Tupas are already in the radio stinking the airwaves. Those for Syjuco, Gonzales, Biron and Mabilog are also taking some time in the radio just to get their black propaganda across. Bacolod is already doomed with paid broadcasters for Mayor Leonardia and Congressman Puentevella.

Don't get me wrong. I love a good banter against the enemy. In fact, my favorite past time is to listen to broadcasters lash out the bad guys in the government. But these are legitimate broadcasters. They were specifically paid to tell both sides of the story and not just lash out the enemy. I still believe they are not really paid to broadcast in a bias manner because they still have some conscience left.

So please...this is an appeal to radio stations and "paid" broadcasters. Do not stir the airwaves with bad messages. The country is already in the **ithole as it is and you just made it smellier. Get off the airwaves or have your show at 2.15 to 3.15 in the morning.

Douche of the Moment: Oil Companies in the Philippines

Wow…look at these guys. Everyone is having a hard time adjusting to the natural calamities and the oil companies are the last ones to provide the much needed service. I'm in Visayas so the price hike can be a bit annoying and if I want it, I want to stop the hike (who doesn't). Mindanao is also having economic trouble even before oil deregulation was introduced. Luzon and especially NCR seemed to be having trouble as well - but since they are near the central power, they can breathe easier than the rest of us folks down here.

But typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng have virtually downed most of Luzon for a few days and will continue to do so for a few months. You've seen acts of heroisms from unknown individuals, celebrities (I don't like them but) and other organizations. They are doing everything they can to help. The oil firms on the other hand are thinking of their losses when they do not freeze the prices of their fuel. Wow. A market lady who earns only 300-500 a day can still implement price freeze in response to the devastation but the million-dollar (with an $) companies are not going to life one finger.

Sure, they still have other activities to help the poor. But instead of asking for a price cut, why not do something beneficial to the folks at Luzon and do a TEMPORARY FREEZE ON RATES. You know what's the keyword there? Temporary. That means it's not permanent.

Douches.

Some Tidbits on the Local Elections in 2010

I will be voting for the first time in another town - specifically in the city. I'm sad that I have to leave my hometown to vote in the city but excited since this is the first time the automated voting process will be used.

Anyway, what I'm also riled up is that the local election here in Iloilo City is heating up. As of this writing, Mayor Jerry Treñas has just announced his bid to run for Mayor. This means he will be running against Raul Gonzales, Jr. - the son of former Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales, Sr. who I believe will be running for mayor. Rumor has it that the Sr's wife will also run for congress through party list. Talk about legacy.

Anyway, Vice Mayor Jed Mabilog has already announced his bid for the Mayor position. This means he will be running against the former Justice Secretary. For an outsider, this might be a one-sided race but believe me; Jed Mabilog is like a rock star here. He is a blend of traditional politician but can entice the crowd more than Michael Buffer.

But the best part is that no one is affiliated with anything yet. There are other players: Former Mayor Malabor, Undersecretary (what's his name?), Dr. Plagata, Councilor Baronda and even Councilor Perla Zulueta. Everyone is playing the waiting game. The mud slinging has not started yet (at least on Mayor Treñas) but I think come December, things will get nasty. But it should be fun for everyone to hear.

Bad Move, Smart Move, Dumb Move for the Philippine Elections

Presidential hopefuls are doing everything that they can to one-up each other and draw the attention and care of the voters. They announce their political affiliations, plans and or simply go through an activity to get the attention of everyone.

But doing something for your political gain is not always seen as a good move. Although your intentions are good, the people might see it as a stunt which means it will only hurt your career.

Now for the list:

Bad Move: Chiz Escudero - I always like the guy because of his feisty criticism of the President. I always listen to his interviews because of his straightforward answer. Heck, many (including me) are considering him a strong candidate even though he's just 40 years old!

But his numbers are lately going down largely because of Erap in the picture, Noynoy having that "Obama" phenomenon, Villar spending like rockstar and Teodoro having the backing of the system (hehehe). As a young man facing all these challenges what can he do? Unfortunately, he opted to bolt out from the platform that helped him succeed: his political party.

Tip: You stay in your party Sir because people still care about loyalty.

Smart (and Scary) Move: I say scary because I've seen this before. Secretary Teodoro, amidst this brouhaha in Philippine politics is as calm as the morning cooking oil. He also has commercials on radio and television but the volume is not that much that he can be beaten by Secretary Puno (and he claims they do things in silence).

What made me choose the guy for the smart category is the fact that he uses the "Karambola" technique: Let everyone duke it out and stay aside because everyone will die in the process and you become the survivor.

The scary part: he has the President at his side and has the Ramos pre-election vibe.

(Rumored) Dumb Move: Senator Villar courting celebrities as Vice President. I was about to place the guy in a pedestal for the dumb move of choosing a celebrity. Fortunately, latest rumor is that he might end up with Loren Legarda as the VP.

Tip: Sir, No matter what happens, don't go for celebrities. You already knew what happened last elections.

A Lot of Politics During Halloween

Politics will always be part of the way of life of the Philippines. With the 2010 Elections coming, it's hard to ignore the political side of everything the politician does from November 1 and November 2.

Here are some tidbits:

Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III - believed by many as the next president, his visit to the tomb of his mom and dad is nearly star studded. People did not only came to the cemetery to visit the two Aquino heroes but also a presidential candidate.

The Syjucos - this story is a bit local so forgive me readers. I heard in the radio that the couple are distributing candles with their name on it. It's a creepy way to remind voters on how their tax money is spent. There are also those who claimed that their current arch-rival in their district (Mayor Gorriceta) is also doing the same thing.

Of course, I've seen a lot of politicians in the cemetery. I was in Villa, Molo, Mandurriao and Forest Lake. So I've seen pretty much everything. I'll have a seperate blog on that. Stay tuned :)

Midnight Madness (DZMM DZRH and DWIZ)

Midnight Madness

I don't sleep well during the night which works wonders for my small office work and my ability to gather news. Thanks to the internet, I can gather as many news as I can not only in text but also in audio. Radio stations in the Philippines are now offering live audio streaming of their shows to attract more listeners outside the country.

The following are good stations that will keep you company during the night:

DZMM (630) - the official AM station of ABS-CBN. This station is home of the most popular broadcasters in the country and they don't joke around when it comes to selecting people for night shift. Midnight during weekdays features Amy Peres (is it Perez?) (he actress) wherein she plays songs and provides messanges good for the heart. The show is followed by the same format but hosted by a guy.

DZRH - this is the first midnight station that I love to listen to. When midnight strikes, the feisty Dating Daan program lasts for one hour. You can listen to "vintage" Eli Soriano duke it out to answer every question imaginable on the bible. After the "Dating Daan" the legendary Manny Val will be the master of the show from 2AM to 4AM. This show is very informative because he holds debates, takes DBK (Digital Bolang Kristal) on certain days and provide commentaries on the government.

DWIZ (882) - I stumbled upon the show of Percy Lapid (Lapid Fire) one night. While looking for a station to listen, I accidentally heard someone shouting and swearing like a sailor. From that time on, I was hooked. His show now lasts for an hour and a half because of popular demand. Every Monday morning he also invite his friends over for music jamming. After his show, Direk Anthony Taylor provides music and "vibes" for the caller.