DZVI
DZVI,[1] operating as 105.5 Radyo Natin Padre Garcia is a low-power, community FM radio station licensed to serve Padre Garcia, Batangas in the Philippines, owned and operated by the Manila Broadcasting Company's Radyo Natin Network and its municipal affiliate LM Broadcast and Advertising since October 2016. The station is located at the Maharlika Highway, Barangay San Felipe, Padre Garcia, Batangas and operates daily from 4:30 AM to 11:00 PM.
| City | Padre Garcia, Batangas |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Central-Southern Batangas |
| Frequency | 105.5 MHz |
| Branding | 105.5 Radyo Natin |
| Slogan | Your Friend, Your Radio Grabe! (Filipino for Awesome!) |
| Programming | |
| Format | News/Talk, Community Radio, Music |
| Affiliations | Radyo Natin |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | LM Broadcast and Advertising |
| Operator | Manila Broadcasting Company |
| History | |
| First air date | 2000 |
| Former frequencies | 105.3 MHz (under original ownership, 2000-2009; under revived operations, 2017-2018) 105.5 MHz (original and reinstated operations, 2010-2014, 2016-2017) |
| Call sign meaning | Fray VIcente Garcia |
| Technical information | |
| Power | 500 watts |
Station history
2000s-2014: Dual affiliation and inactivity
Radyo Natin Padre Garcia first went on the air on 105.5 FM as a dual affiliate of MBC and the Philippine branch of the Faith Broadcasting Network, heavily carrying religious programs during Radyo Natin's clearance for local programming and preempting the latter, except during news of utmost importance.
The station was noted for occasional lengthy disclaimers from FBN disassociating its religious content from that of MBC's and American broadcasters who were already fluent with Filipino providing its program stingers and sermonettes.
Due to lack of funding and frequency conflicts, the station was forced to close down by mid-2014. The frequency, however, alternated between distant feeds from Calapan City and Angeles City, Pampanga during the interregnum.
Notably, DZRH's Henry Uri was the station's newscaster under this timeframe, with his tenure lasting from 2000 until his promotion to the main network in 2002.
2016-present; Revival and new investors
In October 2016, investors led by veteran Lipa City disk jock Queenie Kinita resurrected the station on a test broadcast, this time as a full MBC-Radyo Natin station. In the latter months, the revived station recruited more personnel, including former CitiBeat 102.3 jocks and Batangas blocktimer Larry Karangalan. Faith Broadcasting Network remained with the station, albeit as a late-night block.
In March 2017, veteran Batangas freelance journalist Ron Lozano joined the station, followed by DJ Banjo Valdemor five months later. Lozano left the station in March 2018 to concentrate as a stringer for CNN Philippines and has been an on air talent at 101.5 FM since October 1, 2018.
Area of coverage
Radyo Natin Padre Garcia covers the central-southern part of Batangas, with the eastern barangays of Batangas City as its southernmost limit, south-central Lipa to the north, and San Antonio, Quezon to the east.
Frequency assignment conflicts
The station was also beset with frequency assignment conflicts with Calapan City-based DWOM at 105.5 MHz in the early 2010s. The latter, broadcasting with a stronger 1 kW output constantly posed problems to the Padre Garcia station's southern broadcast range on the eastern parts of Batangas City as both signals overlapped. Furthering the dilemma was if the former moved to 105.3 FM, it could pose problems to Tayabas-licensed DZCT. That station, however moved to 97.5 FM in 2014 but the DCG-Radio TV Network later reactivated the old frequency as a repeater to its Manila flagship. The Tayabas repeater, however, was later shut down.
On January 15, 2017, Radyo Natin Padre Garcia moved to 105.3 FM after years of broadcasting at 105.5 FM. However, on January 29, 2018, the station was forced to return to its former position as Tayabas City reocuppied 105.3 FM under the banner The Big 30K, Pakakak ng Bayan (lit. The Town's Trumpet), forcing DWOM to sign-off after sunset.
News operation
Radyo Natin Padre Garcia provides 7 and a half-hours of local news output through Kasangga ng Bayan with Larry Karangalan on the weekdays. National outputs are provided by the network feed.
Current news staff
- Larry Karangalan
- Banjo Valdemor
Notable past news personnel
- Henry Uri (2000-2002, now with DZRH)
- Ron Lozano (formerly with CitiBeat 102.3, 2017–18, concurrently a CNN Philippines stringer, moved to 101.5 FM)