‘Smiling with no front teeth’

CMN father talks about another challenge for the Catholic voice be heard in Davao again

“Davao is the center of Mindanao. I saw this even before, ten or twenty years. But where is the Catholic voice in the center of Mindanao?” said Catholic Media Network President and CEO Fr. Francis Bernal Lucas, also known as Fr. Francis.

Being one among the happiest individuals who waited for DXGN 89.9 Spirit FM’s re-launch, Fr. Lucas never left Davao City’s Catholic radio until it opened last June 13, 2016. “Davao took it 4 years when we started it. I was very happy then. So the CMN-National did everything to help out. So, I am very happy because this is God’s work. Another dream has come true. If God wants it, he’ll give it.”

A father to 55 strong Catholic radio stations in the Philippines, he further said that each station goes beyond radio. “This means we have penetrated the internet, cable network because we have internet radio with the broadcast radio. We are penetrating the youth. That’s why we have many Spirit FMs,” Fr. Lucas added.

Previously known as Philippine Federation of Catholic Broadcasters (PFCB), a radio network owned and operated by different pioneering Catholic Broadcast media corporations, CMN was the only remaining voice on the air during EDSA People Power revolution in 1986 and it continuously work for peace until now.

“CMN has grown in self-disposition. The whole network manager has seen the wonders of possibilities. The CMN has become a formidable force. I used to say the Catholic media is a sleeping giant. Now we are starting to stand. We are here to proclaim the Good News.”

Instead of stress, the CMN’s father thinks more of the reopening as a challenge. “It is another chance. It is another well that has to be cared for. It is another gem that has to be chiseled to make it sparkle. That’s how I see DXGN Spirit FM, the Best.

Davao covers a big gap in the whole network. Without Davao radio station is like smiling so nice, but missing your front teeth. But now, the network is complete for the whole nation. Davao is far away from Manila and the network CMN is to go to the periphery, to the neglected, to make people know that God cares for them.”

CMN is a network of 55 radio stations spread over the Philippine Archipelago in 14 regions and 42 provinces. It is the biggest radio station network in the Philippines, both in total number of transmitting power per station. More at http://catholicmedianetwork.org/index/about/