Duterte, Congress grant BCRC new 25-year franchise

MANILA – President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, on July 25, 2019, signed into law the bill (passed by the Senate and the Lower House) granting the BOHOL CHRONICLE RADIO CORPORATION (BCRC) the franchise to operate radio stations in Bohol for 25 years.

Republic Act 11352 takes effect 15 days after publication in the Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines or published in a newspaper of general circulation.

From left Ely Dejaresco (BCRC vice president), Peter Dejaresco (president, general Manager) , Bingo Dejaresco (BC editor, board member), Senator Grace Poe (chair, Senate Legislative Franchise Committee), Senators Nancy Binay and JV Ejercito (committee members) and Atty Jay Dejaresco (legal counsel, BC Columnist)

RA 11352, signed by Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Speaker of the House of Representatives Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, was sent for endorsement for the president’s signature on July 23, 2019. The first deliberation was done on July 23, 2018.

Legislative process

The BCRC Franchise Bill was initiated by the sponsor then-Representative Arthur Yap, and strongly seconded by Rep. Rene Relampagos of the 1st District and Rep. Aris Aumentado of the 2nd district.

During the House deliberations, when it was brought out that the first station, DYRD, was set up at the instance of the late President Carlos P. Garcia as Bohol did not have a radio station back in 1960, all the attending members of the House Committee on Legislative Franchises unanimously affixed their signatures as co-sponsors of the Bill.

The Legislative Franchise Committee of the Lower House of the 17th Congress was headed by Palawan Rep. Franz “Chikoy” Alvarez.

In the Senate, Committee Chair Senator Grace Poe deftly anchored the passage of the bill supported by senators Bam Aquino, JV Ejercito, Nancy Binay and Chiz Escudero (committee members). On the other hand, senator Risa Hontiveros stayed till the final deliberation on the Bill was finished.

RA 11352 read in full: ” AN ACT GRANTING BOHOL CHRONICLE RADIO CORPORATION A FRANCHISE TO CONSTRUCT, INSTALL, ESTABLISH, OPERATE AND MAINTAIN RADIO STATIONS IN THE PROVINCE OF BOHOL.’

The franchise is in effect and valid for 25 years or up to the year 2044. Though technically a renewal, the approved law, in effect, gives a fresh new Radio Franchise to BCRC, under the new rules on legislative franchises.

BCRC radio history

Station dyRD-AM started its broadcast in October 1961 after its founder, the late lawyer-journalist Zoilo “Jun” Dejaresco got the inspiration from Bohol’s most illustrious son, Pres. Carlos P. Garcia to open a broadcasting station to serve the Boholanos.

The station easily became the source of information and entertainment with a balanced programming of news and music.

Public service was a guiding principle of the radio station as it started introducing public service programs.

“Inyong Alagad,” is the longest running public service program which later on shifted to public affairs format to what it is now the number one flagship program of DYRD. The program was once a national nominee as Best in Public Affairs by the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters ng Pilipinas (KBP).

In 1966, Congress passed RA 4792 granting franchise to construct and operate the radio station.

Fourteen years later, BCRC opened the first FM station in Bohol what is now known as Kiss 102.3FM.

In 2001, the broadcasting company opened the first AM station outside Tagbilaran City – the birth of station dyZD in Ubay town giving the Boholanos a provincewide coverage.

Keeping up with trend, station DYRD was the first Bohol radio station to be heard worldwide through the internet at www.dyrdam.com. To date, DYRD can now be monitored global even through the mobile phones.

Both radio stations, DYRD and Kiss 102.3FM are consistently topping radio listenership surveys conducted by Radio Research Council of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters ng Pilipinas (KBP) and the Holy Name University Research and Publication.