The 1986 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts

RESPONSE by Bishop TEODOROJ. BUHAIN, D.D.

Executive Vice President and General Manager RADIO VERITAS

Ramon Magsaysay Award Presentation Ceremonies
Manila, Philippines

In the early 1970s RADIO VERITAS started identifying itself as "the station that cares" implying that its programs were intended to uplift listeners socially, intellectually, psychologically and spiritually. Through the years, the station tried to show it cared by providing information that gave all sides of an event, in contrast to the one-sided coverage the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos wanted the media to present. It tried to show it cared by providing listeners a forum to air their opinions, while other radio stations kept away from comments that might anger the government. It tried to show it cared by presenting Christian reflections on the events and the situations faced by the nation.

While our listeners saw us as the station that cares, the Marcos government looked on VERITAS as the "station that scares." There were countless instances when we received warnings from the government telling us to tone down our broadcasts or suffer being sabotaged or even closed. But despite these threats the announcers and the staff braved the odds and took the risk that the station might be closed and they themselves arrested. Like other ordinary human beings, we were on many occasions torn between toning down the broadcasts because of fear, and presenting the facts as we saw them because of conscience. But we always ended up by deciding to go on with our coverage, often with our knees shaking and our "stomachs full of butterflies." The Christian values of truth and justice gave us the courage to proceed.

In 1983, after the assassination of Marcos' opponent Benigno Aquino, VERITAS identified its radio band number (846) as "the number of truth." Only a few doubted its claim. As it kept the people informed, however, its existence became increasingly endangered, but we on the staff knew that the people were solidly behind us. We knew that, through the strength of the people, there was hope for the nation to grow stronger. This was evident during the hotly disputed election of February7, 1986 and the events that followed. When the Marcos government saw how RADIO VERITAS rallied the people to support the post election coup of February 22, it decided the time had come for its voice to be silenced. In the dark dawn of February 23 the regime carried out its threat of many years and destroyed our five transmitters.

But there exists a fraternity between radio stations, and when other stations heard what happened to our transmitters they allowed us to use theirs to broadcast our call for the people to support the coup leaders.

Thousands of individuals expressed appreciation for our efforts to report the events as we saw them happen. Many more expressed their appreciation by sharing with us their meager earnings so that we could continue with our mission. Many groups expressed their appreciation by giving us awards.

The Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts is for us an affirmation that a station that cares can really help uplift and give courage to the Filipinos. The life of President Magsaysay shows that he was a man who cared for the people; he also believed in their dignity and importance. With this Award RADIO VER1TAS is further encouraged to serve the common man whom Magsaysay defended in his day. This Award also inspires us to continue working for the building of a free nation, as Magsaysay worked for the building of a nation in which freedom could be enjoyed and in which man could live with man in honor and peace.

On behalf of Jaime Cardinal Sin, President and Chairman of the Board of RADIO VERITAS, other members of the board, and especially on behalf of my fellow employees, I gratefully accept this Award for Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts. It will be an inspiration to us to continue living up to our call sign: RADIO VERITAS, RADIO TRUTH.