FM1 and FM2: A Saving Grace for the PCOO

THE Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) under the Duterte administration has been getting a lot of flak lately because of some major booboos, including the case of Undersecretary Mocha Uson and the big mouths of the Tulfo brothers over Radyo Pilipinas.

But if there's one thing that PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar has done right, then it has to be the way government FM radio sounds a little better thanks to the two new stations FM1 on 87.5 and FM2 on 104.3 (the former Business Radio).

Surveys have shown that both stations are giving their private counterparts a run for their money because of their music choices, plus the fact that both stations are run almost similar to the Tiger 22 stations like Magic 89.9, Wave 891, Jam 88.3 and the old 99.5 RT.

Philippine Broadcasting Service (PBS) director Bong "Sonny B" Aportadera and his deputy, Carlo Jose, both came from the Tiger 22 group and what they have done with their former company is what they are doing now with FM1 and FM2. Not surprisingly, both stations have DJs who used to work for the Tiger 22 group as well.

FM1's cast of DJs includes the pretty tandem of Alex Sy and Therese Garcia, who host separate programs in the morning but have banded together for the Mermaid Missions project whose aim is to help clean the Philippines' beaches that have been polluted by trash.

And since FM1 is located on the left side of the radio band, it competes with the Tiger 22 stations and Monster RX 93.1 with its contemporary pop music playlist plus early 2000s songs on Sundays.

But since I grew up in the 80s, my preference has to be FM2 because of its vast array of songs that bring back memories. Their DJs include Eric Tipan, Monica and Claudine on weekdays as well as 99.5 RT veterans like Jeremiah Junior and North Andrew on Saturdays.

FM2 has also launched several new weekend programs like Dance Republic on Fridays featuring dance remixes from the 80s and 90s, Rhythm n Booze on Saturdays featuring classic jazz and RNB tunes and Astig Sundays featuring easy listening tunes.

Incidentally, Tipan also does double duty on PBS because he hosts a motoring show on Radyo Pilipinas, The Gear Box, which airs Thursdays at 6 pm pre-empting the station's simulcast with PTV News. Aside from being a DJ and sportscaster, Tipan is also a motoring writer for the Manila Bulletin.

Since both FM1 and FM2 are run by the government, they also air public service announcements about government policies that are produced by Carlo Jose, who also produced similar plugs during his time with Magic and RT.

If there's one thing that listeners find irritating about FM1 and FM2, then it has to be the way Aportadera does double duty for both stations when he should be busy in his office supervising the entire PBS operations. The director goes on board Fridays and Saturdays on FM2 aside from his delivery of the Top 20 Weekend Countdown on FM1 on Saturdays as well.

With the way the government is being criticized lately, the people of FM1 and FM2 have done a good job keeping the listening public entertained with their kind of music that serves as some sort of a distraction amidst the problems facing Duterte in terms of politics and the economy. One wonders what will happen if Duterte is suddenly ousted from office and the people running PBS may also have to go because they are co-terminus with the president under government laws. By the way, all the DJs of FM1 and FM2 are contractual employees of PBS which is why some of them are free to do other jobs outside of their DJ duties like hosting and being on TV, as in the case of Tipan.

I hope whoever becomes the next president will keep Aportadera and company in PBS, even if they have flaws in the way FM1 and FM2 are being run. They have done a good job modernizing government FM radio.