THE broadcast industry was shaken when then GMA7 Senior Vice President Mike Enriquez advocated for the withdrawal of GMA7’s membership from the Kapisanan ng Mga Brodkaster ng Piipinas (KBP) many years ago. GMA 7 management had repeatedly complained that KBP was allegedly favoring ABS-CBN Channel 2, its main rival, on the issue of overloading of TV commercials.
The KBP was conducting an inquiry mainly because of the numerous complaints from listeners against the two major networks. When KBP decided to tighten the limitation on the airing of commercials, GMA7 left the national association, which was put up to regulate the content and professional and ethical practices of the broadcast industry.
‘Public school employees and teachers in Metro Manila probably miss NCR Director Nilo Rosas of the then Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) in the face of the persistent inclement weather leading to the suspension of classes.’
Willie Inong, better known as Hill Billy Willy, a popular disk jockey at the then DWBL, a top-rating AM station managed by the late Mike Enriquez, visited and prayed for the latter.
Willie, a member of the Greenhills Christian Fellowship (GCF), made his last visit a week before Mike was rushed to the ICU of St. Luke’s Hospital in Quezon City.
Mike, a devout Catholic, initially laughed off or brushed aside Willy’s “teachings” on Bible-based salvation, repentance and eternity. Mike finally took him seriously and listened intently while Willie strongly advised him: “Father God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to suffer and die on the cross for all of us, for you, Mike. If you fail to recognize this glorious fact on the intense ordeal of the suffering and excruciating death of Jesus and still refuse to surrender your life to Him because of what He has done for you, you would have delivered a slap on God’s face and be condemned forever.”
Mike finally relented. A week later, the legendary broadcaster passed on.
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Public school employees and teachers in Metro Manila probably miss NCR Director Nilo Rosas of the then Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) in the face of the persistent inclement weather leading to the suspension of classes.
During stormy days, Rosas would be up as early as 2 a.m. to closely monitor the developing weather conditions from PAGASA, calling the weather bureau often, and anticipating the onslaught of any typhoon affecting flood-prone cities and towns.
He himself would call radio stations as early as 4 a.m. to announce the suspension or cancellation of classes, which was the mandate before of the DECS, the predecessor of today’s DepEd.
City governments have taken over the supervision of the suspension of classes, which has turned out to be sloppy and very disappointing. Three days ago, QC Mayor Joy Belmonte waited for heavy downpours to inundate many areas in the city and for students and employees to wade in knee-deep waters before announcing the cancellation of classes and office work.
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The following is an episode in the extraordinary life of Clara Barton, whose young life was enslaved by depression and fear (From Words To Die For authored by Lawrence Kimbrough).
“The doctor treating her saw nothing conclusive in her otherwise depressing world and he gave Clara’s mother this insightful advice: ‘She will never assert herself for her sake. She will suffer wrong first. But, for others, she will be perfectly fearless.’”
“After the Civil War erupted in 1861, Clara learned that a regiment from her home state of Massachusetts had been attacked and stripped of its luggage in Baltimore and was being shipped to Washington for surgery and treatment. She rushed down to the temporary hospital being set up at the train station. Seeing the supplies running low, she ran home to tear up old sheets and towels, returning with a full basket of clothes and bandages.
“The sight of blood, the screams of soldiers enduring surgeries without anesthesia clutched at her heart. But where fear couldn’t go, love could. And love – love of God, love of country, love for her old pupils who lay dying in Union blue – drove her beyond fear. Beyond herself.
“The next day she ventured into the streets seeking supplies and help. Then she petitioned the Worcester Daily newspaper back home to spread the word that their sons and husbands were dying for lack of medical equipment, necessities, clean socks, proper food.”
She wrote, “We trust we are ready to bind the wounds or bear those of our own, if necessary, I shall remain here while anyone remains, and do whatever comes to my hand. I may be compelled to face danger but never to fear it, and while our soldiers can stand and fight, I can stand and feed and nurse them.
“She would be true to those words throughout the war, even when a bullet pierced the sleeve of her dress as she held a cup of water to a dying man’s lips, even when she had to use her own pocket knife to dig shards of shrapnel from a man’s face in the field, even when she had to go without sleep or food for days on end. But how? God gives you the strength, and the thing that seemed impossible is done.”
Clara later founded the American Red Cross.
