Radio Sagada assembly pursues sectoral reps

HAPPY WEEKEND 

Gina Dizon

SAGADA, Mountain Province -- Radio Sagada Community Media Network in its 2^nd general assembly Dec.15 upheld its principle of community participation through the selection of  sectoral representatives in the membership of its expanded board of directors.

Representatives from peoples’ organizations and Sagada-based institutions selected their respective sectoral representatives to the board of directors-  Esteban Solang of the  Patay, Dagdag, Demang Farmers  Association and Yaki Aben Tumbaga of the Dagdag  Farmers Association representing the farmers sector, Gwen Longid-Gaongen of Binnadang  representing  the women sector, Domingo Manalog of the Sagada Environmental Guides Association (SEGA) representing the tourism sector and  Rose Baaten representing the lay of the Church of St Mary the Virgin.

The first officers were upheld to remain in their posts with their respective sectoral representation   namely  chairman Steve Dagacan from the academe, secretary Florence Daguitan from the non-government Organization sector,  treasurer Benjamin Capuyan from business and members Jaime Tigan-o Dugao  from Local Government Unit,  Thomas Killip representing the elders,  secretary general Rev Fr  Reyes of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) from  the ecumenical church, Bishop  Brent Alawas from the Episcopal diocese of Northern Philippines, and Rev. Prinzel Balitog  for the  CSMV of Sagada.

The board officers and members have a term of three years effective Dec. 15, 2012.

In said general assembly, the draft constitution and by-laws was ratified and amendments considered including additional officers for the board of directors namely a vice chairman and an internal auditor. 

Directions for the next three years were identified especially the need for capacity trainings for staff, review of manual  of operations, programming of relevant and quality talk shows, and fund sourcing.   

Radio Sagada in its objectives  airs information, analysis and events on  education, gender sensitivity and women’s rights, environmental protection and waste management, religion, sustainable agriculture, eco-friendly and culturally sensitive tourism, sound cultural practises, peace and order, good governance and transparency,  human rights and indigenous peoples rights.

September this year saw  additional one-hour talk host programs  of  the  staff namely Mountain Province LGU  Reports on Mondays,  Community Bulletin every Mondays and Fridays, News Commentaries and Police  Reports on Tuesdays,  Tourism  on Wednesdays, LGU Services and Ag-aggong  di Umili every Fridays , and Election Watch and Barangay Talents on Saturdays.  This apart from initial programs- 10 Bags Signature on Mondays, Gag-ay di Umili on Wednesdays, and Environmental Magazine on Thursdays.

September 2012 saw staffing changes with five part time staff from two full time staff and a station manager who remained full time. The Radio had its  initial airing July 201 till it closed for three months since May this year when the transmitter was struck by lightning. Airing resumed September this year.  

Volunteer  talk shows remained- Timek ti Mannalon by the Montanosa Research and Development Center(MRDC)and LGU Hour by the Sagada LGU on Mondays, Tongtongan by Tangguyub Peoples Center on Tuesdays, Moral Recovery  by Free Believers every Wednesdays,  FITS on the Air by Municipal Agricultural Office and Sapit id Sang-adom by National Commission on Indigenous  Peoples- NCIP Sagada Service Center on Thursdays,  Provincial Health Hour on Fridays; and Sunday talk shows  Ilaw ni Kristo by Beacons in Christ , Timek ti Namnama by southern Sagada based-charismatic  sects, and Shalom Beharim by EDNP.  New volunteer radio programs are  Pinagpagan by women groups on  Fridays, Dep-Ed hour on Wednesdays, Daily Bread every Sundays and Kalin di Umili every Thursdays.

Entertainment which initially composed around 70% of the air time last year was reduced with the introduction of information-based programs. Disk jockeying is heard  in the afternoon initially with volunteers and partly now with staff.

The radio network reaches  nearby towns of   Mountain Province namely Bauko, Sabangan, Tadian,  Besao, Bontoc and Sadanga. The radio’s airwaves are also heard in the fringes of  Ilocos Sur and Quirino of Ilocos region,  Viewpoint BanaueIfugao, and TuboAbra.

Operations for Radio Sagada was supported by Germany’s Miserior from 2010-2012 with Northern Media Network as program proponent.