By Catherine N. Pillas
AMBASSADOR Antonio L. Cabangon Chua, chairman emeritus of the ALC Group of Companies, would be the first to admit that owning a media organization is no walk in the park.
When he put up Aliw Broadcasting Corp. (ABC) in 1991, not many Filipino businessmen were partial to the broadcasting business, given the huge capital expenditure it requires and the uncertainty as to when they will regain their investment.
But the former envoy to Lao People’s democratic republic was undaunted. This is because Cabangon Chua believes that you can never put a price to creating informed citizens via the delivery of timely and accurate information through media.
“Back in the day, wala masyadong negosyanteng nagpupunta dyan but I took on the challenge. Wala akong alam sa radio broadcasting but I love media. To me, it’s a big responsibility to the listening public to report only the truth,” Cabangon Chua said.
Before he founded ABC, Cabangon Chua was already regarded as a successful businessman. For one, he put up Fortune Life Insurance Co. and Eternal Plans Inc.—two of the most well-known companies in the Philippines today. The former envoy was also into the real-estate market via Citystate Condominiums.
He would eventually learn that running a broadcast company is very different from the businesses he has already established. Cabangon Chua found out that there are certain complexities that he needed to deal with if he is to expand ABC and ensure its efficient operation.
“I bought [DWIZ] from Freddie Elizalde. The [station] was previously owned by Insular Broadcasting. At the time, [radio] frequency can never be a subject of commerce, so what I bought from him was the corporation,” Cabangon Chua said.
“But I wasn’t happy because [DWIZ] only had 20,000 watts. So I applied for an increase in power, and the National Telecommunications Commission [NTC] approved 50,000 watts. But upgrading DWIZ wasn’t very easy to do,” he said.
Back then, local areas had their own radio stations. Cabangon Chua said he had to personally talk to those who owned the local radio stations, including the Catholic Church.
“Individually, I approached the priests, and compromised with them na kung malilihis ko frequency nila, kung may maitutulong ako sa kanila, gagawin ko,” he said.
Currently, DWIZ 882 is only one among the five radio stations in the Philippines allowed by the NTC to use 50,000 watts of power. This allows the radio station to broadcast clearly and reach out to more Filipinos all over the country.
ABC continues to expand in other parts of the country. In two months’ time, another local radio station based in Tuguegarao City will be added to the company’s network. This will bring the number of radio stations, including DWIZ 882 and FM radio station 97.9 Home Radio, under the ABC banner to 27.
As a testament to ABC’s enviable reputation in delivering accurate and timely news and information to the public, the House of Representatives unanimously approved the company’s request to renew its broadcasting franchise for another 25 years.
Now in his 80s, Cabangon Chua continues to innovate and look for fresh ideas to expand DWIZ’s reach and serve more Filipinos. For one, ABC will soon put up a social-media department as it sets its sights on taking full advantage of the power of new media to engage the audience.
Because of his contributions in the Philippine broadcasting industry, Cabangon Chua was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas in April. He vowed to continue his advocacy of serving the nation through the timely and truthful delivery of information through media.
His biggest contribution to the media industry yet is his advocacy to bring back media’s role in delivering useful, meaningful and unbiased information to help Filipinos grow as a nation. This advocacy is the rationale behind the Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA), the award-giving body of the Archdiocese of Manila that encourages the media to uphold Christian values and positive Filipino traditions through their work. With Cabangon Chua as president and chairman of its board of trustees, the CMMA has become one of the most prestigious awards given to journalists.