Lipa Media Directors Shared Experience with Iloilo church media workers

(March 13, 2008) –  The Commission on Social Communications of the Archdiocese of Jaro, through its chairman Fr. Ryan Teves, invited Lipa’s top priest-mediamen to shared their experience in their broadcast ministry in the Archdiocese of Lipa.  Fr. Nonie Dolor, Lipa Archdicoesan Director of Social Communications,  and Fr. Ilde Dimaano, Director of DWAM-FM, Spirit Radio 99.1, were guest speakers at the 3rd  Msgr. Jose Buenaflor Memorial Media Forum, held at the John Paul Hall of the Archbishop’s Palace at Jaro, Iloilo.  

Fr. Nonie Dolor traced the history of the radio ministry in the Archdiocese, which started early 70s with Fr. Fred Madlangbayan’s acquisition of an existing AM station in Batangas City.  He started with a brief exposition on the importance of using media for evangelization and the promotion of human development, citing various Church documents and papal exhortations,  especially those of the late Pope John Paul II and the present Holy Father, Benedict XVI.  He cited the ups and downs the Archdiocese of Lipa radio encountered up to the time that they were able to put up an FM station, and their resolve to resurrect the AM programs in a new FM station they are presently building to replace the Am station which went off air sometime in 2002. 

Fr. Ilde Dimaano for his part presented the concept of community radio,  touched on the present efforts of Catholic radio stations in networking through the Catholic Media Network, and lastly shared the current programs of their FM station as a tool for evangelization.  The duo were invited to inspire members of the Katesismo sa Kahanginan Apostolate (KSKA), a tri-media effort started by the late Msgr. Jose “Pepe” Buenaflor, after he retired from active parish ministry.  This catechetical group has continued his effort to use radio, television and print as a means to evangelize and catechize the faithful in the Archdiocese of Jaro. The Lipa priests tried to encourage them to consider putting up their own radio station instead of just buying airtime and producing materials to be aired in friendly commercial stations.  With proper planning and deep faith, these Lipa priests said this could be done with better results for the Archdiocese.  The close to a hundred participants were certainly bouyed up by the enthusiasm Fr. Dolor and Fr. Dimaano exuded during the half-day forum.

The Jaro Archdiocesan Commission has recently been re-organized with Fr. Ryan Teves named director to be assisted by a Board of Trustees, composed of committee chairpersons and the KSKA CEO/President, Mr. Ramon Buenaflor,  and a Board of Advisers composed of all commission heads of the Archdiocese.  Executive Director is Ms. Elsa Subong.  The different committees and their chairpersons are:  Committee on Broadcast with Fr. Ryan and Ms. Belen Jaleco for Radio, and Fr. Elmo Montano for Television; Committee on Print with Fr. Ryan Teves and Ms. Eva Horvidalla; Committee for Special Media with Fr. jesus Glofel Mana-ay; Committee on Research and Documentation with Prof. Cora Geroche and Prof. Yolanda Janay; Committee on Media Training with Fr. Ryan Teves and Fr. Elmo Montano; and Committee on Marketing/Promotion with Elsa Subong and marianne Galaraga.