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MILA BALATBAT (Sta. Ana)
Mila Balatbat, who started her radio career at age 15, found great success by becoming a
successful independent producer of programs (a‘blocktimer’) heard on DZRH,
DZBB, DZAQ, DZMY, PBS (Philippine
Broadcasting Service) and Eagle Broadcasting Corp. She was the host of such programs as “Mila
Balatbat’s Radio Stars”, “Let’s Go Shopping with Mila” (DZBB, 1960-1962).
ANGELO CASTRO SR. (Tarlac)
One of the earliest peronalities to join the
radio bandwagon was Angelo Ruiz Castro of Tarlac. A brother of former chief
justice Fred Ruiz Castro, Angelo joined Manila Broadcasting Company at Insular
Life Bldg. and was known as the “Good Time King”. In 1946, he became the chief
announcer of Station KZOK. Under Pres. Carlos P. Garcia, he headed the Radio
Department of the Office of the Press Secretary. Angelo’s sons, Angelo Castro
Jr.(husband of June Keithley) and Naldie also became announcers
ANGELO Y. CASTRO JR. (Tarlac)
The checkered career of Angelo
Y. Castro Jr. (b.6 Mar. 1945/ d. 5 Apr. 2012) includes being the anchor of
ABS-CBN’s “The World Tonight” (with Loren Legarda), broadcast journalist, news
manager (1986, ABS-CBN) and TV/ Film actor (Bong in “Baltic & Co,). For
ANC, he hosted the travel show Las Islas Filipinas. Retired in 2009 after being
diagnosed with lung cancer, he continued his anchoring duties together with
Teddy Boy Locsin and Tina Monzon-Palma on ‘The World Tonight”. Married to the
late TV and radio personality, June Keithley, with whom he had 2 children,
Diego and Gabriella.
BEN DAVID
The King of Over-Acting, Ben
David, was born as Bienvenido Parungao, the 4th of 8 children of Enrique Parungao
and Raymunda David, both Kapampangans. Baritone-voiced Ben made
his presence felt with his overly dramatic signature quips: “Oh, hindeeee!”and
“Hangaaal!”. He became an announcer for
DZAQin 1966, an apt host for the program ,”Ginoong Mananakot”. In 1967, he
became an announcer for ABS-CBN. He produced and directed “Dear Kuya Cesar”,
and disc-jockeyed for “Patrolman OA”. David also broke into the movies,
debuting in “Ismol bat Teribol” , a 1957 comedy from Sampaguita Pictures. He
was cast in “Da Best Show”, “Tang-Tarang-Tang”and “Buhay Artista”. His most
famous character role is playing Hudas Iscariote to the hilt.
MINDA FELICIANO (Guagua)
Arminda “Minda” Feliciano (1
June, 1931) was the daughter of Manuel Valdez Feliciano, a district engineer,
and Amparo Santana of Batanes. Before she became an international jetsetter,
Feliciano had a brief career with radio in 1956, specifically on DZFM. She had
auditioned for a single slot with Eddie Mercado and Johnny Wilson. But big boss
Koko Trinidad wanted all 3 of them, so he offered all 3 to share the Php120 a
month salary. Surprisingly, all three agreed. The arrangement was great for
awhile, but eventually the 3 broke up ,and Feliciano moved to DZMB.with a hefty
salary of Php150 monthy, plus 30 pesos add-on talent fee. The
pretty announcer then moved to the U.S., to pursue an acting career. She snagged a
role in the popular TV series,”Hawaiian Eye”, of Warner Brothers. Her world trips led to a chance meeting with actor Michael Caine. The two were
soon engaged, but nothing came out of their affair. Feliciano was also linked
with singer Tony Bennett, but a more lasting relationship was formed with Norman John McClintock Lonsdale, an English
blue blood, whom she wed in 1997.
REY LANGIT
Reynante "Rey" Magat
Langit (b. 30 Sept. 20, 1948) is known for his public service radio programs
that served mostly overseas Filipino workers. With his bombastic announcing
style, Langit became well-known for remaining on air for 2 straight days during
the People Power revolution. The multi-awarded broadcaster was the Station
Manager of the AM Radio station DWIZ 882 kHz. and vice president of Aliw
Broadcasting Corporation until 2016, disrupted by a foiled senatorial bid in
2016. After over 2 decades at DWIZ, he joined
PTV as anchor of programs "Insider Exclusive Kapihan"
"Kasangga Mo ang Langit" and "Balitang Tanghali". He is
producer of TV and radio shows under his
Heavenly Images Productions. A son,Reyster, also became a journalist,
but died of cerebral malaria while on assignment in Palawan in 2005.
CESAR NUCUM (Candaba)
The eldest of Kapampangan
Aurelio and Romaman Nucum, Cesar Nucum
(15 May 1938-d. 17 May 2007) was a balut vendor and bote’t dyaryo
dealer before he auditioned in Manila to become an announcer. He got a job at
DZRM, only to be pirated by ABS-CBN. For his narrative program “Mga Kasaysayan
sa Likod ng Langit”, he evolved thestyle of Eddie Ilarde, developing it into
his signature snail-paced, monotonous delivery.Thus, “Kuya Cesar”was born., a
personal used in his radio shows “Dear Kuya Cesar” and “Ikaw sa Likod ng mga
Awit”. His career lasted for many decades,
halted temporarily in 1972 during Martial Law. In the many programs he
hosted, Kuya Cesar gave out advice, played music, spoke in tagalog and
Eglish—always in his deep, distinctive slow-paced manner.
PERRY PANGAN (Mabalacat)
The quintessential voice of
Pampanga, Fernando “Perry” Pangan. He is
the seasoned voice and station manager of RW 95.1 FM that was put up in the
province at the height of the lahar inundation, where he reported the most
accurate information of the state of Pampanga towns. Under his helm, RW 95.1 FM
rose to become one of the most respected, and most awarded radio stations in
the province. In 2011, the radio station
RW 95.1 FM was selected as the country’s Best Provincial FM Radio
Station. A skilled commentator and public affairs host, he heads the “Talakayan Ngayon” with Boy Santiago and Albert
Lacanlale, Son Chester Pangan became a broadcaster at the age of 19 for a rival
station, GV 99.1 FM and a TV personality on Channel 3 in Angeles City,
Philippines. He now hosts a morning show on radio in Winnipeg, Canada.
ORLY PUNZALAN (Minalin)
The 1960s also saw the rise of
a former seminarian from Minalin as the quintessential voice of news and current
events. Orly Punzalan took the bus to Manila and auditioned for DZFM as a
newscaster for the Department of National Defense. He passed the auditions and
got a starting salary of 30 pesos a week, working with the likes of Jose Mari
Avellana, Joonee Gamboa and Tita Muñoz. Making the transition to TV, he became a
booth announcer for Channel 3 where he met and married Helen Vela.
JOE TARUC (Gapan)
Gapan-born Jose Malgapo Taruc, Jr. (b.18 Sep. 1946/d/ 30
Sep. 2017) ranks as one of the most
popular and most followed news anchor on DZRH, in which he was also the
station’s senior vice president. He anchored the longest-running public affairs
program “Pangunahing Balita” and
“Damdaming Bayan”, often heard interviewing high-profile politicians,
including the president. Best remembered for his trailblazing role in ABS-CBN
DZAQ Radyo Patrol before Martial Law,
Taruc also worked in tandem with Dely
Magpayo and Noli de Castro in a KBS morning program. from , then joined DZBB
Bisig Bayan 594 (later, Super Radyo) , until his transfer in 1991 to DZRH.
Taruc’s son, Jay Taruc is well-known TV documentarist.
RAFAEL YABUT (Candaba)
The most influential radio
personality from radio’s golden years is Rafael “Paeng” Yabut of Candaba.
Growing up in Tondo, he started as a commercial reader for blocktimer Luz Mat
Castro. During the Japanese occupation, he became an announcer at Star Theater
along Azcarraga. After Liberation, he became a barker for “Atomic Bomb”, a
honky tonk place along Rizal Avenue.In the late 1940s, he was offered by Hal
Bowie, General Manager of MBC to do a daily Tagalog program called “Tayo’y
Mag-aliw”. But instead of providing entertainment, he made stinging news
commentaries against certain characters in the government. His program drew not
only high listenership but also friends and foes alike. By 1957, Yabut had
accumulated so much pulling power at DZRH that he was urged to run for
president in 1957 against Carlos P. Garcia. Instead, he endorsed Manuel
Manahan, then shifted to Jose Yulo. Both lost. For his political meddling,
Yabut was suspended from his broadcast work, leaving behind his high-rating
programs like "Ruleta Musikal", "Tatlo Lamang",
"Gumising sa Pagsikat ng Araw". His most serious brush with death was
when he was ambushed by a gunman after his tirades against Philippine Charity
Sweepstakes. He recuperated, joined DZFM, but by then his credibility was in tatters.
After the People Power revolution, he joined DZBB, only to be assigned the
graveyard shift. Not long after that, Paeng Yabut died
SOURCES:
Aniceto, Ben. Stay Tuned: The Golden Years of Philippines
Radio. A Historical Perspective of Philippine Radio—its Beginnings, its Golden
Years and its Suppression in Sepetmeber 1972.Atlas Publishing Co., Inc. Quezon
City. © 2007
Rafael Yabut Photo: Castro, Alex R. viewsfromthepampang.blogspot,
“Pilot of the Airwaves”
Angelo Castro Jr. Photo: rappler.com
Minda Feliciano Photo: wikimedia commons
Rey Langit Photo: wikimedia commons
Cesar Numcum Photo: FB page
Perry Pangan photo: https://www.rw951.fm/about.html
All others:Aniceto, Ben. Stay Tuned: The Golden Years of Philippines Radio. A Historical Perspective of Philippine Radio
