NDBC opens AM radio station in Koronadal

KORONADAL
CITY – Spurred by its desire to inspire and empower its Chief Executive
Listeners (Bidas) and reach more people for credible news and information
through responsible broadcast journalism, the Notre Dame Broadcasting
Corporation (NDBC) will inaugurate here on Monday, December 8, its newest
platform in propagating news, music and public service – the DXOM-AM Radyo Bida
Koronadal.

Happening
at 4 p.m. on the feast of Immaculate Concepcion, the blessing and inauguration
of the new building and state-of-the-art equipment will be graced by Oblate
Provincial Superior Fr. Larry de Guia and His Eminence Orlando Cardinal
Quevedo, OMI, DD, the first cardinal from Mindanao who grew up in South
Cotabato.

NDBC,
already an institution in Central Mindanao in terms of news, music and public
service, desires to reach more people in the region, aptly described in its
winning aspiration as CELs, inspiring and empowering them through credible
news, responsible journalism, informing entertainingly and deliver superior
value to its partners. Its core competency is commitment, adherence to quality
and innovative programming that reaped local and international recognition and
awards.

With its
state of the art Continental Lense 10,000 KW digital and HD Radio ready AM
Broadcasting Transmitter, 10KW of Nominal Power and full solid state, Radyo
Bida Koronadal will be heard crystal clear at 963 khz on radio dial in the
entire South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao and Saranggani provinces
with spill over signal in the provinces of North Cotabato, portions of Davao
del Sur and Davao Occidental and General Santos City.

Fr. de
Guia, also the NDBC Board of Directors chairperson, welcomed the advent of new
radio station in Koronadal, describing it as timely since the Oblate media will
have more significant roles in educating and informing the public in the Oblate
area of mission about the upcoming Bangsamoro government.

The
Bangsamoro government is expected to come by 2016 as a result of the government
peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

This
expansion was timely and NDBC will surely maintain its current standing as the
leading source of news and information in the region …malaki ang role natin in
terms of information and advocacy,” Fr. De Guia said.

He said
Radyo Bida Koronadal will be playing key roles for the SOCCSKSARGEN since
Koronadal is the seat of the administrative region. We will have bigger roles
in government and peoples’ advocacy in the region, so our coming is vital and
timely,” he added.

Fr. De Guia
also said the new NDBC media expansion will surely help OMI mission for the
Indigenous Peoples (IPs) in the hinterlands.
The OMI has IP missions in the Kulaman valley in Sultan Kudarat, in
Maguindanao and in North Cotabato.

We will
bring the Good News to them... the IP communities will be empowered through the
news and information that Radyo Bida Koronadal gives them,” he added.

He said
radio is still the cheapest and fastest ways to disseminate information. The
IPs will have the ‘cheapest’ source of information and public service, seldom
they get informed, other media organizations seldom reach them or not at all…so
our coming is timely and significant,” he said.

Fr.
Jonathan Domingo, OMI, NDBC chief executive officer, said as one of the media
ministry of the Oblates, the dynamic Radyo Bida Koronadal will bring the core
competency of NDBC programming and provide superior and valuable services to
its listeners through traditional and modern programming designed to meet the
peoples’ expectations at the same time adhering to the tenets of the Kapisanan
ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) where it is a proud member.

As OMI
media ministry, he said, DXOM-AM 963 Radyo Bida will adhere to broadcast
standards, respecting every human being, all cultures, traditions, beliefs,
ethnicities and responsibly help form public opinion.South
Cotabato was once a missionary area of the OMIs, arriving in the island in
1939, established parishes, schools and various ministries that to date still
exist.

The
Oblates, including His Eminence Cardinal Quevedo, helped spread Christianity
while respecting other faiths and collaborating in promotion of justice and
peace. It also brought education that
helped shaped what is now known as South Cotabato province, to include
Saranggani province today.

As one of
the three AM stations of NDBC, Radyo Bida-Koronadal will tackle social issues
objectively, responsibly and giving more than the ‘two sides of the coin’
opportunities to be heard.

This is a
participatory radio and interactive using the social media and displaying the
point of view of all, providing them a venue to discuss essential social
issues,” said Agnes Myra Pinol, station manager of DXOM Happy FM and Radyo
Bida Koronadal.

It will
adhere to the Broadcast Code of Ethics, regardless of what,” she said.

Radyo Bida
Koronadal forms part of the NDBC News ( and//www.ndbcnews.com.ph www.ndbcnews.com.ph ), a convergence of
DXMS-AM and DXOL-FM in Cotabato City, DXND-AM and DXDM-FM in Kidapawan City and
DXOM-AM and DXOM-FM (and DXOM-AM) in Koronadal City, The Mindanao Cross, Oblate
Communication and OMI I-Watch.

Like its
five broadcast institutions, the newest NDBC station is also anchored on its
Core Values of Credibility, Integrity, Commitment and Service. (Edwin O.
Fernandez)