Between Hope and Fear: Philippine Community Radio Broadcasting Under a Culture of Impunity

by Raymund B Villanueva
Director for Radio, Kodao Productions (Philippines)

Kodao Productions was organized under very hopeful times in the Philippines: a peaceful uprising ousted a corrupt and immoral president in 2001.  Immediately after People Power II Kodao produced a daily radio program focused on good governance, transparency and democracy.  As it became obvious that the current Philippine government is even worse than the one it replaced, Kodao’s radio program had no choice but be critical and crusading.  In the process it won even wider listener-ship and various awards and accolades besides. 

As part of its core programs, alongside radio and video production, Kodao also has training and outreach projects. Kodao conducts radio broadcasting and video production trainings with farmers, community women, youth, workers and children.  It is also one of the very few organizations in the country that provides assistance and shares expertise in the establishment of community radio stations around the Philippines.   Kodao’s radio program spawned the Ngayon Na Bayan! Crusaders for Good Governance with membership from three of the Philippines’ most populous regions.  This organization functioned as community liaison for the radio program and its members became reporters, researchers and radio drama talents.  Ultimately, “crusaders” were invited to join Kodao’s Board of Trustees. 

Kodao is a duly registered media organization and is operating under Philippine laws.  It is governed by a Board of Trustees composed of a national artist, academicians, professional journalists and advocates of various social issues like human rights and the environment.  Its day-to-day operation is managed by a secretariat headed by an executive director, program directors and staff.

One later success story Kodao is very proud of was the establishment of the first community radio station in more than a decade—Radyo Cagayano.  It was located in Baggao Town in Cagayan Province in Northern Philippines.   It was primarily organized by the Cagayan Peasants’ Organization to act as a community voice of farmers, workers, community women and the youth.  The level of community participation was such that the farmers themselves cut timber and collected gravel and sand to construct the station themselves.  Kodao’s assistance came in the form of transferring competencies on the art of broadcasting, reporting, writing and operation of the various kinds of equipment.  When it was operational, albeit very briefly, Radyo Cagayano instantly became very popular—never wanting in listener-ship and station visits.   It even became a message center as the listeners used the station to send messages to relatives and friends living in other parts of the area.   Within a month of its launching Radyo Cagayano became a focal point in community life, crusading in its advocacies for peasants, women, youth and human rights and welfare.

All the successes mentioned above came at a heavy price, however.  In February 20, 2006, the Philippine government declared a state of national emergency that targeted groups critical of the gross human rights and graft records of the administration.  Kodao’s radio program became the first media casualty when it was ordered to cease broadcasting on the very same day.  In July 6 of that same year, Radyo Cagayano, the newest community radio station in the country that Kodao helped build and operate was attacked and burned by suspected elements of the Philippine Army.  Subsequently, Kodao was charged by the Department of Justice to be a subversive organization.  It took a Supreme Court of the Philippines decision to declare the charge was baseless.

These attacks against Kodao and its allied community radio station is part of the culture of impunity existing in the Philippines.  And it is designed to strike fear on the hearts of everyone, the most dedicated of community radio workers and advocates included.  According to the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communications and the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, there have more than 100 journalists/broadcasters killed since Gloria Arroyo assumed the Philippine presidency in 2001.  In November 23, 2009l, 32 journalists were massacred in one fell swoop, marking the darkest day of the profession in world history.  Many of those killed by rival political clans allied with the party of the current Philippine president were broadcasters. This makes the Philippines the most dangerous country for journalists. 

But Kodao is undeterred.  In 2008, it helped the Association for the Rights of Children in Southeast Asia (ARCSEA) to produce a groundbreaking radio program by children for children on children’s rights.  Kodao also hopes to duplicate the success of Radyo Cagayano as it continuously campaigns for its reestablishment as well as the establishments of other community radio stations elsewhere in the Philippines.

As part of its long-term plan, Kodao plans to organize a national alliance of community radio stations, broadcasters and advocates.  This national alliance is primarily aimed to be a collective voice of and for community radio broadcasting in the Philippines.  There is no law governing community radio broadcasting in the Philippines and this national alliance also aims to advocate for legislation to gain access to official support.  This is also seen as an effective tool to counter moves by big commercial radio networks to limit, if not frustrate, the establishment of community radio stations in the Philippines.

To work as a community radio broadcaster and advocate in the Philippines is dangerous to one’s physical and emotional wellbeing under such a culture of impunity.  But Kodao persists to tread along its promise to serve the people through the production of radio programs and establishment of community radio stations that give voice to the voiceless, among other projects.  

With the continued support and assistance of AMARC through various means, Kodao is ever hopeful that these objectives shall be at hand eventually.  One way of achieving this is through funding support from AMARC for the planned national conference of community radio stations, broadcasters, and advocates in forming the aforementioned national alliance.  Thereafter, the said organization shall offer trainings and conduct campaigns to push forward the interests of community radio broadcasting in the Philippines.  Kodao also relies on AMARC for continued support to its campaign for justice in the case of Radyo Cagayano.  Lastly, Kodao’s attendance to the regional conference in February next year will be another venue to campaign for support for community radio broadcasting in the Philippines.

At a time when a culture of impunity challenges us in the Philippines, we need the support and solidarity of fellow community radio and broadcasters in the region and worldwide to fight back and succeed.