Philippine Post War Period (1946-1969)

1946 - 1950 KZFM, The first radio stations to reopen after the war. The U.S. government turned it over to the Philippine Government. The broadcast call letter "KZ" was replaced by "DZ" for Manila, "DW" for Luzon, "DY" for the Visayas, and "DX" for Mindanao. The newspaper Manila Chronicle, started by a group of pre-war newspapermen in 1945, was sold to businessman Don Eugenio Lopez, brother of then vice president Fernando Lopez. It built up a name as a paper quality, until it was closed by martial law. In 1946, the Commonwealth Act of the US Congress permitted the US President to grant temporary permits to operate radio stations. In 1947, Philippine radio stations were required to change the first call letter from K to D with DZ standing for Luzon stations, DY for Visayas and Palawan stations, and DX for Mindanao and Sulu stations. (Link to radio 50's) In the 1950s, television came to the Philippines The University of Sto. Tomas and Feati University experimented with television before it turned commercial. In February 1950, UST demonstrated its home-made receiver, Feati opened an experimental television station two years later. As early as 1935, UST had graduated its first journalist Narciso Reyes, later to become ambassador. In 1950, Republic Broadcasting System was incorporated. DZBB-RBS (now GMA-7) goes on air. DZBB introduced political satire.

1951 - 1960 Characterized by the emergence of pioneer personalities in tri-media, advertising, PR, and education; big businesses and the Press and the introduction of television in 1953. Considered Milestones were: the publication of pioneering works of Jose Luna Castro the style book of the Manila Times (1960) the Manila Times Journalismn Manual (1963) Clear and Effective Writing (1969) of Philippine Press Institute (PPI) Atty. Perfecto Hernandez' books on How to Manage a Community Newspaper and the Law of the Press Handbook. The establishment of communication schools/ departments in colleges & universities The establishment of professional organizations Publishers revived pre-war newspapers like the Manila Bulletin and the Philippines Herald. The new Manila Times was established by Joaquin Roces in place of the Tribune. Up to the time of Martial law, Manila Times led all the Philippine- language dailies in circulation. Philippine Broadcasting System under Francisco "Koko" Trinidad pioneered in development broadcasting; it aired farm programs on some radio stations and entered into regular program of exchange of cultural programs with countries in the Asian region. In 1952, Lyceum University established a school of journalism. National Press Club was organized in 1952. Commercial television came in 1953 when DZAQ-TV Channel 3, the very first station was opened in Manila by Alto Broadcasting System owned by Antonio Quirino who was brother to then president Elpidio Quirino. By 1957, Chronicle Broadcasting Network, owned by the Lopez family, operated two TV stations - DZAQ and DZXL-TV Channel 9. (link to dzaq-tv) In 1957, the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) was organized.

1961 - 1969 The National Media Production Center (NMPC) was created in 1954 under the Office of the President. Its "builders" were Hernando R. Ocampo, Conrado V. Pedroche and Gregorio Cenda�a. NMPC was mandated to produce information and education materials for government development programs. In 1960, the Philippine Women's University also established a school in journalism. In 1961, the National Science Development Board was established; it was the earliest initiative to use local TV for education, "Education on TV" and "Physics in the Atomic Age." In 1962, UPLB established the Department of Agricultural Information (now Development Communication). Metropolitan Educational Association (META) (1964-1974) in cooperation with the Ateneo Center for Television Closed Circuit Project, produced television series in physics, Filipino and social sciences which was broadcast in selected TV stations and received by participating secondary schools. The META team was headed by Leo Larkin, J. with Josefina Patron, Florangel Rosario, Lupita Concio and Maria Paz Diaz. In 1965, Dr. Gloria D. Feliciano who was first dean in UP Diliman, established the UP Institute of Mass Communication (now UP CM. Dr. Josefina Patron became the first head of Ateneo de Manila University, Department of Communication in 1965. The first University Press organized in March 1965 was the UP Press In 1965 Maryknoll College established a communication department. By 1966, the number of privately owned TV channels was 18; ABS-CBN was the biggest network by the time Martial Law was declared. In 1966, Silliman University in Dumaguete City was the first school of journalism outside Metro Manila. In 1968, the first provincial television stations were established in Cebu, Bacolod, and Dagupan. The daily content was mostly canned programs; only 10% of programs were locally produced. Communication programs were established by West Visayas State College in 1965 and St. Louis University in Baguio City in 1968. St. Paul's College in Quezon City established a communication department in 1968. In 1969, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila established a communi-cation department. Factors that fostered greater openness for college graduates as reporters in later years - journalists as part-time lecturers, publication of landmark books on journalism by Jose Luna Castro - Style Books of the Manila Times in 1960 and Manila Times Journalism Manual in 1963. Some journalists at the time also served as lecturers: Jose Luna Castro, Crispulo Icban, Pocholo Romualdez, Hernando Abaya, I.P. Soliongco, and Armando Malay.

  

 

Philippine Music and Arts during the Post War Period:

After independence in 1946, Philippine music showed a marked growth in cultural consciousness and nationalism. Music schools increased from the pre-war 12 to 33, offering Bachelor of Music courses in piano, voice, strings and wind instruments, music theory, composition and music education. Some schools offer course for the Master of Music degree.

The League of Filipino Composers was established in 1955 with 11 charter members. Filipino composers continued writing major works using western idioms with conventional traditions utilizing folk themes and legends. The concerto, symphony, symphonic poem, overture, suite, opera, choral, chamber, art song, ballet and incidental music were written during this period.   Contemporary composers utilized percussive dissonance, polyrhythm, atonality, music concrete, electronic music, synthesis of East/West in fresher modes, producing works of distinct cultural personality.

The ethnomusicologist/composer Jose Maceda whose exposure to Asian music and Filipino tribal music has produced an embodiment of his advanced thinking combining sounds with 20th century techniques in his avant-garde compositions.

Pioneering on the synthesis of East/West idioms, this writer has utilized ethnic Filipino/Asian instruments in her works. The younger group of composers led by Ramon P. Santos and Francisco P. Feliciano and followers like Ruben Federizon have pursued Asian environmental orientation, producing avant-garde works like Santos’ Singaw for jew’s harp, takumbo, gongs, violin, and Tinig for voices and percussions; Federizon’s Gabag-an for voices and ethnic instruments, and Tinig ng Lupa (Song of the Earth). – Dr. Lucresia R. Kasilar