Filipinas, Ahora Mismo, or Pilipinas, Ora Mismo (English translation: Philippines, Right Now), was a nationally syndicated, 60-minute, cultural radio magazine program in the Philippines broadcast daily in Spanish for five seasons from March 2007 to September 2009. The only one of its kind in the country, it was presented by veteran radio announcer, and stage, television and movie actor, Bon Vibar.
Background
Created by the Cádiz Press Association (or Asociación de la Prensa de Cádiz, APC) as part of the Cádiz 2012 project, the show was primarily targeted at Filipino listeners who could speak and understand Spanish. The program was a mixture of cultural, informative and educational reviews of various topics ranging from literature to cinema to history to geography to cuisine, all interspersed with traditional and modern music sung in Spanish. It aimed to promote Filipino culture and its ties with Spain, the empire that ruled the nation for 333 years. It also commemorated the forthcoming bicentenary of the Spanish Constitution of 1812, which was passed by the Cortes of Cádizwhich served as a parliamentary Regency after Ferdinand VII was deposed by Napoleon.
The show was first broadcast in March 2007. There were no commercials in each episode as the show was fully funded by APC and the Government of Andalucia, Spain.
Originally slated to fulfill a four-season contract, the program was renewed for a fifth season on February 20, 2009, until it aired its finale on September 1, 2009, due to a cut in funding from Spain as that nation was at the time in the throes of that year's economic recession.
Development aid
Unknown to many, the show was only one of three components that comprised a development project called "Proyecto de Cooperación Radio Manila (La Voz de Manila)", or "Radyo Manila Development Project" of APC. It was produced in coordination with Manila-based Fundación Santiago, a Filipino organization established and registered in 1993 that advocates cultural diversity and integration by promoting and sustaining historical awareness.
Its first component, a scholarship program called "Curso Teórico-Práctico del Periodismo Radiofónico", was targeted to develop the skills of Filipino mass media practitioners and students. It originally ran for two years, from March 19, 2007, to March 1, 2009, and was divided into four semesters, each lasting six months, or a credit of 432 hours.
The radio show Filipinas, Ahora Mismo, the project's second component, created a venue for the apprenticeship of the scholars who acted as production staff, writers, translators, and segment hosts, in a study-work setup called "Inserción Laboral de Profesionales del Periodismo".
The third component of the project was the development of the facilities of the Bureau of Broadcast Services (BBS). The broadcasting and office equipment, donated by Canal Sur (RTVA) and Axon, were released in June 2008 during the show's third season.
Training
The training was conducted by members of APC in collaboration with the Instituto Cervantes in Manila. The one-week training, dubbed "Curso de Radiodifusión en Español", or "Radio Broadcasting in Spanish Course", served as an intensive 15-hour workshop for applicants who were pre-screened based on language and vocal skills. In those sessions, the participants were introduced to the world of radio broadcasting, where they performed several exercises to prepare them for a possible stint in the radio.
Similar to popular talent reality shows on television such as American Idol and Pinoy Dream Academy, there was an elimination process that culminated in the selection of the top four participants who would be granted the six-month scholarship program after careful deliberation among the project coordinators. The chosen scholars would then become part of the production staff of the radio program Filipinas, Ahora Mismo.
Scholarship
Each scholar received a monthly allowance of 420 euros. A scholar could only be granted a scholarship once and could not reapply. Thus, there were no repeaters in the course of the original two-year program.
At the end of each semester, a formal graduation ceremony was held, still at the Instituto Cervantes, where the coordinators would also announce the names of the new batch of scholars who would carry on with the radio program for its new season.
Upon graduation, the scholars were awarded certificates of completion in "Curso Teórico-Práctico del Periodismo Radiofónico" from Spain.
An exception to the "no renewal" rule was made for the fifth season, when four previous scholars were asked to return to help produce the final season of the radio program.