IT WAS, indeed, a very proud and fulfilling moment — becoming part of The Filipino Channel’s (TFC) celebration of its 20th year in using the airwaves to touch the lives of kababayans worldwide.
TFC is the first and most successful Filipino content distribution company in the US. It has been helping Filipinos abroad to remain connected with their roots, by delivering television and radio programs produced by ABS-CBN in the Philippines. Even the network’s Filipino movies have become part of the collective cultural experience of Filipinos, wherever they may be.
On April 23, TFC pioneers, employees and artists, as well as loyal supporters and subscribers from the community gathered together for a special gala and show held at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, California.
The program was hosted by Philippine Concert King Martin Nievera, along with yours truly, Henni Espinosa and Yong Chavez of TFC’s Balitang America; Michi Salta, Lee Robin Salazar and Tet Hernandez of Adobo Nation; Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel of Citizen Pinoy; and Gelo of Barangay USA.
Aside from hosting, Martin also sang nostalgic songs and provided entertainment with X-Factor finalist Ellona Santiago and Mr. Pure Energy himself, Gary Valenciano. Gary wowed the audience with his signature dance moves and his medley of his popular songs used as theme music for ABS-CBN teleseryes, plus Gary V’s “made-for-Pinoys-abroad” song, Babalik Ka Rin.
Everybody became nostalgic, as we all looked back to when and where it all began. This was captured by Senior Correspondent and Executive Producer Henni Espinosa on Balitang America:
For the pioneers of The Filipino Channel, it was a moment to look back to how it all began. TFC opening in 1994 with just eight employees in a garage warehouse in the San Francisco Bay Area. Twenty years later, TFC is available in over 190 countries with offices in key regions.
Raffy Lopez, COO of ABS-CBN Global shared, “Around 1991, we started selling videotapes of our programs and we would sell it to local Filipino stores and they were selling like hot cakes so we already got the indication that there was a demand for this Filipino type of content.”
“When we tried it in Saipan and saw it was a success, we decided to bring it to the shores of America and it was following what my father would always say — that this was in the service of Filipinos, wherever they may be,” Gabby Lopez, chairman of ABS-CBN Corporation added.
Monchet Olives, former managing director of ABS-CBN International related that when they started 20 years ago, they started as a ragtag team. He said, “But 20 years later, we’re now all over the world.”
Fast forward to 2014, ABS-CBN has gone beyond entertainment and telecommunications. The company now also offers retail, theatricals, money remittance and cargo services, online audio and video streaming, IPTV, On Demand, along with philanthropic support for Filipinos and the communities they now call home.
The anniversary show’s highlight was the tribute to three organizations in North America for being Global Bayaning Pilipino 2014 — Anak, Inc., Carolina Medical Mission and Filipino-American Community and Development Center of Ocean County Incorporated.
As San Francisco Bay Area Reporter Rommel Conclara reported on Balitang America:
“It’s a reciprocal program in that not only are we helping students adjust to the new life in Canada and also the academic support and such, but also for the volunteers,” Daisydee Bautista,Executive Director of Aksyon ng Ating Kabataan or Filipino Youth in Action(better known as ANAK), told Balitang America.
“It’s an opportunity to connect back with our community and with our Filipino heritage, and our group is very open to how you define that.”
The second honoree is the Carolina Medical Mission in North Carolina — a non-profit organization that sends doctors and volunteers to far-flung areas in the Philippines providing disadvantaged kababayans there free medical, surgical, and dental services for over 21 years now.
“I thank ABS-CBN. Thank you, because on the 21st year of Carolina Medical Mission, someone discovered us and, to me, that’s unbelievable. That’s why I said it must be a gift from God,” Dr. Arturo de Leon, founder of CMM, said.
The last honoree is the Filipino-American Community Development Center of Toms River, NJ educates the youth by teaching them Filipino dance and music.
They also encourage them to give back to the homeland.
After Typhoon Yolanda hit the Philippines five months ago they came together to help.
“In a span of two months we were able, it’s called the bayanihan, we were able to raise funds and send 59 balikbayan boxes to the victims of Yolanda,” Joji Babuschak, member of the Board of Directors for FCDC, said.
“Galing ng Filipino, Ituloy Mo” (“Forge ahead with the greatness of the Filipino”) is the theme for this special 20th anniversary year of The Filipino Channel.
Grateful for the trust and privilege given to the company, ABS-CBN International’s Managing Director Chinky de Jesus said: “I think TFC would not have lasted for 20 years if it had not grown with the market and with the trends. We will be playing in the digital space. We’ll be very busy on social media and we will make sure our products will offer a lot of inter-activity with our subscribers.”
MARAMING SALAMAT PO, mga Kapamilya!
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Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
