After receiving a special citation under the Educational Program category at the 43rd Catholic Mass Media Awards, Radyo Katipunan 87.9 FM’s ‘Sari-Sari: Panitikan at Kulturang Filipino’ was hailed as the ‘Best Educational Program’ at the 44th edition of the CMMA.
Now nearing its third year on the Ateneo airwaves, ‘Sari-Sari’ bested fellow finalists ‘DZRH Stories’ (DZRH 666), ‘Radyo Balintataw’ (DZRH 666), ‘Kapamilya Konek’ (Teleradyo/ABS-CBN), ‘Heard on Thursdays’ (RX 93.1), ‘Doctor’s Orders’ (DWWW 774), and ‘It’s All for You’ (DWHY- Star FM), to bring home top honors for radio.
Present to receive the trophy at the CMMA Awarding Ceremony held last November 23 at the Manila Grand Opera Hotel, was Radyo Katipunan 87.9 FM Station Coordinator Justin Pontino, accompanied by JesCom Creative Director Pauline Mangilog-Saltarin, Production Manager Ernestine Tamana, and Editha Sablan from Marketing.
“We are really humbled by this recognition, considering that we are really newbies in broadcasting and there are so many things to learn from it.,” acknowledges Gary Devilles, Associate Professor from the Filipino Department, of their program’s milestone achievement.
“But the good thing really is that, one, Radyo Katipunan gave us a space and believed in our project and second, we have the whole Filipino department’s support, and third, of course we have our listeners, mostly Filipino teachers and students,” he gratefully expresses, on behalf of his fellow faculty members who help co-host the program during Wednesday mornings.
“Sari-Sari: Panitikan at Kulturang Filipino” is an extension program of Sari-sari: Samahan sa Panitikan at Kulturang Filipino, an organization of Filipino teachers, where they share teaching strategies and best practices in the teaching of the Filipino subject matter, whether in basic education or in college.
From holding free monthly seminars on campus, the organization made the shift to online radio in response to the pandemic, launching a digital platform where continuous learning thrives and is encouraged.
“In effect, we are all producers and consumers of the program. We recognize the need and demand for an online supplementary course in Filipino literatures and cultures,” explains Devilles of ‘Sari-Sari’s’ concept and format.
“We all stand to benefit from each other if we share our experiences whether in teaching or reading these literatures. That has been the goal of the ‘Sari-Sari’ radio program,” he affirms.
Already taking the lead in tackling the big questions, ‘Sari-Sari’s’ last two seasons dealt with teaching Filipino in the age of disinformation and historical revisionism, and how Filipino studies or knowledge of Filipino, can become useful in various fields and disciplines.
With the recent strides ‘Sari-Sari’ has made, Devilles sees their CMMA win as a point of inspiration to continue building on the program’s success and sharing its vision to even more audiences.
“We really hope to invigorate our learning of Filipino as a subject,” he underscores while recalling the big plans he and his co-hosts envision for ‘Sari-Sari’ in the near future, including school tours and the construction of literary maps.
“The show is really a supplement that adds to the listeners’ experience of studying Filipino literature and cultures in their classes. We offer perspectives on how teachers, students and writers make sense and appreciate literary works,” he adds.
As ‘Sari-Sari’s’ success marks a huge win not only for the Filipino Department and the School of Humanities, but also for the study of Filipino literature, and its significance to nation-building, Devilles offers his heartfelt appreciation for the overwhelming support and recognition their award-winning program has received.
“We would like to thank Fr. Nono Alfonso, Justin Pontino and James Wong of Radyo Katipunan, Kagawaran ng Filipino and all our listeners, and hope that in our own little way we can contribute to their learning experience and gain a better appreciation of our literatures and cultures,” he commends.
‘Sari-Sari: Panitikan at Kulturang Filipino’ airs every Wednesday, 11:00 a.m. to 12 noon on Radyo Katipunan 87.9 FM
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