N.B. – This was published in Asian Correspondent (September 6, 12:00 p.m.) where I write a column (Philippine Fantasy).

The first media casualty of Presidential Proclamation 1017 four years ago goes back on air starting today (September 6) at 2:00 p.m.

Sali Na, Bayan! (loose translation: Join us now, people) airs from Monday to Friday over DZUP 1602 khz (AM station) from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. (GMT -8). The main host is Raymund Villanueva. Joining him in the pilot episode today are two of his five co-hosts, journalist Benjie Oliveros and this writer. The other co-hosts will be announced within the week. The radio program is produced by Kodao Productions, an award-winning multimedia production outfit. Live streaming is available at Kodao’s website.

The one-hour program from Monday to Friday discusses social issues from the point of view of marginalized sectors of society. It will invite guests from various cause-oriented groups to shed light on burning issues of the day, particularly those that directly affect them. There will also be live reports from various regions regarding events, issues and concerns that the public needs to know. The program will also play progressive songs which do not usually get airtime from many FM music stations.

Sali Na, Bayan! is an incarnation of an award-winning radio program produced by Kodao which got cancelled ironically as the nation celebrated the 20th year of EDSA 1 (a people’s uprising that happened in 1986 which ended the dictatorship under then President Ferdinand Marcos).

On February 24, 2006, then Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo imposed a state of national emergency due to what she claimed to be a breakdown of peace and order, particularly the alleged conspiracy between the “extreme Left” and the “extreme Right.” Within two hours of the Macapagal-Arroyo’s announcement, the award-winning radio program Ngayon Na, Bayan! (loose translation: Now’s the time, people) was unceremoniously axed by the management of DZRJ 810 khz (AM station) where it used to air.

At that time, sources said that the latter’s decision was due to pressures from the Macapagal-Arroyo administration.

As if the cancellation were not enough, a witness named Jaime Fuentes executed an affidavit in March 2006 accusing Ngayon Na, Bayan! of being a propaganda arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). Kodao Productions denied Fuentes’ accusation in a press statement.

Prior to its cancellation, Ngayon na, Bayan! received the 2002 Golden Dove Award for Best Public Affairs program for Radio in Metro Manila from the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP, or Association of Broadcasters of the Philippines). Aside from that, the radio program was a consistent finalist at the Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA) from 2001 to 2005. From its first airing in 2001, it was the only radio program on DZRJ to be recognized by award-giving bodies like the KBP and CMMA.