BAGUIO TOURISM COUNCIL FETES LOCAL MEDIA DURING GROUP’S GENERAL ASSEMBLY

September 30, 2024 Community Billboard

BAGUIO TOURISM HONOR ROLL

The Baguio Tourism Council (BTC) through the leadership of its chairman Gladys Vergara presents awards of recognition to members of the Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club of Baguio (BCBC), whose commitment and dedication of their journalism works for years, contributed to the development of tourism and preservation of culture. Veteran broadcasters/writers Jimmy “Lolo Doro” Lozano and Elyral Refuerzo ,both Lifetime awardees led a number of media honorees. Vergara is assisted by Thomas Picaña, incumbent BCBC president, Councilors Leah Aromin Farinas and Lulu Tabanda. The awards marks the BTC Stakeholders Assembly held on Sept. 23 (2024) at the Baguio Convention Center. Later, BTC tendered a dinner and Media Appreciation Nite at Baguio Palace.

ABN

Some 64 local journalists were feted by the Baguio Tourism Council Monday during the organization’s general assembly at the Baguio Convention and Cultural Center. Jimmy Luzano and Felix Eliral Refuerzo led the awardees who were honored by BTC chair Gladys Vergara before the council’s general assembly that saw members coming from the hotel industry, restaurants conventions and events, among others. Luzano recalled nearly 60 years of experience in the industry and at 77 is now considered the eldest among journalists and members of the Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club.

“And he is still very strong,” admitted the 74-yearold Refuerzo, who has slowed down due to health reasons. They were joined by fellow seniors Jaime Bernabe, Sr., the so-called “Voice of God” of DZWT-DZWR, Joel Arthur Tibaldo, Primo Agatep and Romeo Gonzales, BCBC president Thomas Picana and former SunStar editor Samuel Bautista, among others. The last was with his wife and two children as he has difficulties on walking after suffering a stroke in 2018. The day-long event saw Vergara make his president’s report, Baguio Tourism Officer Aloysius Mapalo on the secretary’s report, the state of the council’s finances by treasurer Jeffrey Ng and the auditor’s report by former city councilor Elaine Sembrano.

Baguio Media the last six decades It was after Baguio started to elect its officials. They are the journalists who joined that momentous event when the people of this city, nearly 50 years after its foundation started to choose their officials who led Baguio to what it is now. Refuerzo and Lolo Doro or a then young Jimmy Luzano took the microphone and became radio personalities. Voices that Baguio people hear every morning learning from the wisdom they share or what is going on around the city we love. DZWX was the home for Lolo Doro, when it was still right in front of the Rose Garden which in the early 70s was known for its singing contest as well as the radio dramas– horror or Aninas or the Wonder Woman – like Amorsola.

It was shuttered for a while, but came back strong two months later and Mr. Lozano took over the reins of running the radio station at a very young age of 25. Refuerzo started his glory days young. Barely 17, he was named the youngest broadcaster in 1968, a year after joining the airwaves. In Manila, Rolando Fernandez started his career covering national broadsheets for the likes of Manila Times and way before he started calling Baguio his home as Bureau Chief of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Some 61 journalists join them onstage as the Baguio Tourism Council honor them today, September 23, for giving the information the city and the Cordillera region need.

They have helped in the tourism effort including its promotion through the annual Lucky Summer Visitors and many of the 58 awardees, who started writing about the daily happenings in the city. They who joined the media community in the early 80s and to as young as joining said community in the middle 2000s and before the city celebrated its centennial in 2009. The youngest journalists feted were those in service for 15 years like Hanna Lacsamana, recently of the Baguio Midland Courier, Philippine Information Agency – Cordillera’s Redjie Cawis, Leo Mercado of RNG and Big FM and Kapisanan ng Broadcasters ng Pilipinas president Ericson Ferrer or Rico John.

Those who have served for at least 20 years are: Maria Elena Catajan and Roderick Osis formerly of Sun Star Baguio, Bombo Radyo’s Jordan Tablac, Jane Cadalig and Rimaliza Opñia of the defunct Midland, Rose Malekchan of DZWT and PTV 4’s Alah Sungduan and Edgar Fernandez. Those who have been in the industry for 25 years are: Briccio Domondon, Jr. formerly of Bombo Radyo and Irene Buenaventura of the same outfit, Radyo Pilipnas’ Jonathan Munar, Jonathan Llanes, Eufeldion Lobien, Ernesto Calinao Jr. of DZWR, Rappler’s Franklin Cimatu, GMA 7 stringer Jimmy Ceralde, Z Radio’s Miguelito Velarde Jr., Andrew Pinero, Philippine News Agency’s Flordeliza Galao, Dexter See and Joseph Manzano of Herald Express, Mauricio Malanes, Philippine Star’s Artemio Dumlao Jr., Mauricio Victa of Business Mirror, Rizaldy Comanda of Manila Bulletin, PTV 4’s Dodie Mendillo, Eddie Carta of the Tambalang Tatang and Lolong (wuth Jimmy Lozano), Dhobie de Guzman of RNG, and former Midland editor in chief Harley Palangchao.

Those who are in the service for 30 years or more are: Nonette Bennette, Zigzag Weekly top man Atty. Antonio Pekas, Northern Philippine Times publisher/editor in chief Alfred Dizon, DZRH’s Romeo Gonzales, Radyo Pilipinas’ Joseph Cabanas and Andre Amadeo, former SunStar Baguio editor Samuel Bautista, Public Information Office’s Aileen Refuerzo and Gabriel Baban Keith, Amianan Balita Ngayon publisher EIC and Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club president Thomas Antonio Picaña, Philippine Star photojournalist Fernando Zapata Jr., Philippine Daily Inquirer correspondent Vincent Cabreza, Eladio Landingin of Manila Bulletin, David Leprozo Jr. of Manila Syandard, PDI photojournalist Edgardo Espiritu, Philippine Information Agency Cordillera director Helen Tibaldo and husband Joel Arthur Tibaldo, and Joseph Zambrano, formerly of PIA – Cordillera and now of PTV 4.

Those who came during the Martial Law days or at least 40 years in the industry include:former Midland staffer March Fianza, Victor Loakan, Jaime Bernabe Sr., DZWT’s Christopher Bartolo, retired RPN DZBS station manager Malou Laxamana, former Philippine Star writer Aurora Alambra, PTV 4 Cordillera top honcho Richard Valdez, retired PTV 4 cameraman Joseph Esteras, and Primo Agatep, now with Amianan. From the 14 weeklies and sole daily, the number dwindled to only five – Amianan Balta Ngayon, ZigZag Weekly, Northern Philippine Times, Herald Express and Baguio Chronicle.

This, after the Baguio Midland Courier ceased operation late July this year. Two years ago, the sole daily, Sun Star Baguio stopped printing after nearly 27 years, no thanks to Covid-19. Noted papers that closed in the 2010s are the Baguio Reporter of Mr. Refuerzo and the Molintas owned Cordillera Today. The 90s saw the also the closure of Vibrations Weekly, its sister paper Vibrations Daily transformed into SunStar Baguio. That same decade saw the shuttering of Gold Ore which in the 70s and 80s gave Midland a run for its money. Its 2000s iteration, the City Digest also signed off before the first decade ended.

Pigeon Lobien/ABN