Mindanaotoday.com | Marian Radio station in Oro signs off
By: Uriel Quilinguing
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – A Roman Catholic radio station, whose listenership ratings went up for live-airing of masses and religious events at the height of the pandemic, has stopped broadcasting on New Year’s day, the spokesperson of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro said on Sunday, January 22.
Fr. Der John Favorada, who directs the Archdiocese’s Social Communications Apostolate, said Marian Radio’s five-year contract with broadcast franchise-holder Radyo Bandera News Network has expired, hence the “collective decision” to temporarily close.
Marian Radio, whose call sign is DxFO on 103.9 megahertz frequency and started operations on 10,000-watts power in 2017, has been a vital part of their social communications apostolate, Favorada said.
He said Archbishop Jose Cabantan has been in discussion with the leadership of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on how Marian Radio could resume broadcast operations under the Catholic Media Network franchise.
Fr. Juliano Retiquez, Marian Radio station manager, confirmed the ongoing talks between the Archdiocese and CBCP after their contract with Radyo Bandera ended and was optimistic they could be back on air, soon.
“We’re waiting for a new frequency that would be assigned to us,” said Retiquez, adding that once an arrangement with the CBCB is finalized, Marian Radio would be operating under the Catholic Media Network (CMN) – the radio broadcasting arm of the CBCP which has a 25-year broadcast franchise granted in 2019.
He said they have not renewed their contract with the Fairwaves Broadcast Network, the franchise holder of Radyo Bandera.
Engr. Teodoro Buenavista, National Telecommunications Commission-10 regional director, said he is aware of the status of Marian Radio and that its contract with Fairwaves Broadcast Network-Radyo Bandera has expired.
Buenavista said somebody had informed him that Marian Radio would likely operate again under another franchise holder, but has no details yet.
Two of Marian Radio’s regular broadcasters, Edgar Navarro and Popoy Yburan, said they were informed of the radio station’s closure on January 1, this year, and that they got their salaries for the month of December.
Navarro, who has been multi-tasking in coverage, reporting and on-board, said he has turned down a job offer from a privately-owned radio station while Yburan said he would rather stay home to further recuperate from a mild stroke.
Both said they would wait for the resumption of Marian Radio’s broadcast operations.
Marian Radio’s “temporary” closure came in the wake of the Archdiocese’s 90th Anniversary, January 20, and when the “Vision and Mission” for the period from 2023 to 2033, the Centennial Year was launched.
Cabantan, who presided a Thanksgiving Mass at the St. Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral, presented the “Vision and Mission 2033” to more than 300 members of the clergy, consecrated persons and lay leaders who were earlier engaged in generating the contents of the document. (MT)
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