Tuesday 5 August 2014

The last radio broadcast during Haiyan

The last radio broadcast during Haiyan
BY LEONIZA O. MORALES

MANILA, Philippines – “Nahuhulos na kita!” (We are getting drenched!)

These were the last words heard on the airwaves before the furious winds and storm surge forced the last radio station in Tacloban City to sign off.
Jazmin Bonifacio, a broadcaster in Radyo Diwa uttered those words around 7am on November 8, 2013 as Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) made its disastrous landfall in Leyte province. She anchored the program which gave updates and safety reminders to the listeners that day.
“People were relying on us; it is our responsibility to provide information that could save their lives,” Jazmin said on working even beyond her time slot was a call of duty.
Until the last minute, even if the raging sea water reached the announcer’s booth and cut them off air, she fulfilled that duty to the listening public.
Escaping the deadly water
Everything happened very fast. The water smashed the building. Jazmin along with the radio station’s driver, guard, wives, and children of the technicians were almost overtaken by the storm surge.
“Our strength was no match to the flood’s fury," she recalled.
"I thought we were all going to die as we have nowhere to go,” she added.
Yet by some miracle and sheer determination, all of them were able to climb the radio station’s rooftop. They all huddled together for what seemed to be an eternity, trembling and hungry as they helplessly saw children, men, and women swept and swallowed by the angry sea.
SECOND LIFE. During the worst part of Haiyan’s landfall in Tacloban, Jazmin along with the staff, crew, and their families climb to the radio station’s rooftop.
“It was a horrific sight,” Jazmin said.
"They were crying for help, but we can’t do anything," she recalled.
They were lucky to have survived. Three broadcasters and one technician from other radio stations were killed in the line of duty.
Biggest disaster story
Desolation was all over the entire region. Damaged houses, buildings, piles of debris, stench of death, power supply, water system and communications lines down made the days after the typhoon heartbreaking and unbearable.
It was both frustrating and painful for journalists and broadcasters like Jazmin not being able to report about what happened.
“It felt like being mute, not being able to share to our listeners the faces of Haiyan’s enormous destruction - how people are coping (with the disaster), their struggles and needs so others can do something for them,"Jazmin shared.
She found a radio station in Cebu where she gave reports on the situation in Leyte and Samar provinces. But there were no indications if DYDW, popularly known as Radyo Diwa, will again sign on air. The station's building and equipment, including the transmitter, were all destroyed.
At some point, Jazmin thought she would never be able to broadcast on air again. It was the most distressing thought as she's aware how crucial the news are for the people who are rising and restoring their lives back from the ruins of Haiyan.
Stronger sense of purpose
Hello, buhi ako. Ako ni Jaz, kausa niyo ha Radyo Diwa. Adi na ako ha FM station."
(Hello, I’m alive. This is Jaz, your companion in Radyo Diwa. I’m now in FM station.)
These were her first words when she went on air last January 13, more than two months after Haiyan. She was reported missing after the station went off the air as storm surge forced her to flee from the announcer’s booth.
It was the first broadcast of Radyo Abante, the newest radio station in Eastern Visayas region launched by First Response Radio and Peace and Conflict Journalism Network (PECOJON) to address the need to inform communities. The newly established radio station also served as venue for broadcasters to get back to their profession. They were also given training on humanitarian response and accountability.
Jazmin and veteran broadcaster Fred Padernos host a program that tackles issues and concerns of the communities and various projects of non-government organizations. Listeners are encouraged to air out their concerns on several projects using text messaging.
The radio program makes Jazmin affirm her decision to leave a lucrative career and pursue her childhood dream to be a broadcaster 18 years ago.
“I am now more than happy to resume my work. Nothing is more fulfilling than helping the survivors find their voice on the issues that affect their lives," she said.
Revisiting the announcer’s booth
Jazmin first hesitated to revisit the room where she nearly lost her life.
“I was afraid to go inside before since the thought that I could have died here always entered my mind. I realized I need to confront my fears now and the harrowing memories I have in this place," she said.
Her ordeal was a brush with death, but it made her more resolute to commit her profession to help fellow Haiyan survivors rebuild their lives. – Rappler.com
Leoniza O. Morales is Communications Officer of World Vision's Haiyan Emergency Response based in Tacloban City.


Doordarshan names interim DG


Vijaya Laxmi Chhabra has been named as the interim Director General of Doordarshan. The tenure of current DG, Mr Tripurari Sharan, comes to an end later this month.
Ms Chhabra is the former Additional Director General (Programs) at All India Radio (AIR) and was set to retire in March. Ms Chhabra will continue in this position until a new DG is appointed.
She has worked with both AIR and Doordarshan in senior management capacities for more than 33 years. During this period, she undertook several assignments such as creative content production in Hindi and English, channel marketing of AIR and Doordarshan, human resources, planning and organisational development.
She specialised as a Features/Documentaries producer while working at All India Radio, Delhi and Mumbai.

Source : ABU News

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Monday 30 June 2014

Amitabh Shukla joined as ADG(P) AIR

Sh.Amitabh Shukla,IRS holding the rank of Commissioner of Income Tax,has joined Prasar Bharati as Additional Director General(P) ,on deputation , wef 21.5.2014. He is leading the Commercial and the External Services Division under DG AIR. Shukla’s success story reads like a fairy tale. After completing his Bachelor of Arts, he enrolled for Master of Arts (History).Meanwhile he got a job as a Medical Representative in a reputed pharmaceutical company of UP.He did not have any experience or qualifications for being a MR, but in two years rose to become Area Sales Manager of Uttar Pardesh, overseeing one third of UP,which incidentally is equivalent to Brazil,fifth most populous country in the world. In his hallmark humility he credits his success not to his brilliance but to effective communication skills and networking. To cap it all he completed his MA with flying colours while still on the job.

All achievers have one thing in common and that is they never rest on their laurels. Sh.Shukla is no exception, not content with his superlative success,he decided to reinvent himself and appeared for Indian Civil Services Examination, the dream destination of all meritorious indian students.He qualified for the elite Indian Revenue Service of which he was Income Tax Commissioner till he joined AIR on deputation.His success story did not end here and he continued his studies and did MBA from United Kingdom, two more M.As and is currently finishing his LLB. He replicated the earlier success in the private sector in his government service too.

He has more than 23 years of exposure to the working of Income Tax Department at Delhi, Mumbai and Chandigarh and Ahmedabad in varied intricacies of Direct Tax Administration comprising Audit and monitoring of Tax Revenue collections from Corporates, Individuals and other categories of tax payers. In addition, has been involved with a variety of extremely sensitive Search and Seizure actions including those against Socially and Politically important personalities of the country. The assignments with the search and seizure wing gave him an opportunity not only to understand and apply provisions of the Direct Taxes Act so as to unearth undisclosed income and assets, but was also an experience of working in synergy with other national premium investigation agencies like Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate, Narcotics Central Bureau, Criminal Investigation Department of Delhi etc.He is extremely computer savvy and is a master and user of all the latest computing programmes, softwares and other cutting edge technologies.

Amitabh is a man of multi-faceted personality and has keen interest in Sports and Games like badminton, Cricket, Lawn Tennis etc. He also indulges in his favourite hobbies of listening to songs and music.