Fritzie Andrea D.

Tirol
Bombo Radyo Iloilo making Waves

With a view to emphasizing the importance of clear communication and

technology as well as to enable the students to understand the same, our class
organized a visit to a FM radio station in Iloilo. Bombo Radyo Iloilo is the flagship
station of Bombo Radyo Philippines, 'ang Pambansang Radyo ng Pilipinas'. It caters to
the information, education, and entertainment needs of the people beaming from dusk
to dawn. It transmits centrally originated news bulletins in Ilonggo and Tagalog, plays,
sports, music, newsreel, and other topical programs nearly reaching the country's
population which fully reflects the broad spectrum of national life.

It was with great anticipation that I arrived at Bombo Radyo Iloilo for a visit that
would broaden our knowledge about another facet of technology. Having a former radio
broadcaster as a classmate who vividly talked about her experience, I expected that it
would be a visit full of surprises. The trip did not disappoint. Not only were we able to
talk to the staff of Bombo Radyo and get to know their jobs, but we were also able to
witness a live radio program while on the studio itself.
For the first time I saw the announcer’s room which is soundproof. No sound of any
kind can enter its doors. I also saw the recording room where a program was being
recorded. Next, we went to other section which keeps everything going over the air
without a fault. It was the technical sections where the staffs were busy looking after
numbers of machines. They made the different channels work. The transmitters work
faultlessly because of these people. After having a round of these sections, we come to
the place where we were to watch the program. It was a spacious room with small
platform. The radio broadcaster was occupying the platform where the rest of the room
was occupied by the audience. Soon we heard the voice of the announcer who
announced that the program was going to start. Immediately the programmer started.
The show lasted for a few minutes. It was a highly enjoyable program.
Through such experience, I realized how the programs can be flexible and
spontaneous enough to enable the station to function as the mouth piece of the local
community.
The visit to Bombo Radyo Iloilo is a unique experience for us students afforded the
chance to learn the myriad ways in which communication can have a positive impact on
the society. We were given the opportunity to discover the evolution of technology that
governs the modern means of communication and how to use them effectively for the
welfare of the masses. This is especially important to a number of people especially in
the rural areas, despite the advances in technology, were still bereft of modern means
of communication. Through this visit, I became more aware of the benefits that the
internet and its allied technologies have for the students and the society. I became
more aware and appreciative of how technology can continue to progress in bridging
the digital divide.