GMA launches One Western Visayas

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — GMA Network takes another bold step of delivering in-depth and comprehensive news and updates to residents of the whole of Region VI through One Western Visayas. Made possible by GMA Regional TV, the 30-minute Hiligaynon news program informs televiewers of what’s happening not just around the City of Love but also in five other provinces in the region which include Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras and Negros Occidental. It airs weekdays at 5 p.m.

In a recent interview with select members of media including The STAR, main anchor and lawyer Sedfrey Cabaluna revealed that it is the first time in the region for a news program to try “to unite” Western Visayas “because we share everything that happens here. We have the same aspirations, the same dreams and if the people are informed, through us as a medium, I think we will do a lot in paving the way for the more informed and critical citizenry.”

While the Kapuso network never falters in its commitment to wholeheartedly serve na walang kinikilingan at walang pinoprotektahan through its News and Public Affairs programs, it is only now — through One Western Visayas — that GMA has been airing the news produced in GMA TV-6 Iloilo with simultaneous broadcast on GMA TV-6 Guimaras and via satellite on GMA TV-13 Bacolod, TV10 Sipalay, TV-5 Roxas, TV-2 Kalibo and TV-7 Tablas.

Anchors (second from left) Adrian Prietos, Kaitlene Rivilla and Sedfrey Cabaluna with correspondents Darylle Marie Sarmiento (leftmost) and Zeny Quilantang

Sharing anchoring duties with Sedfrey are Kaitlene Rivilla and Bacolod correspondent Adrian Prietos. Zeny Quilantang and Darylle Marie Sarmiento handle segments of varying attention-grabbing topics that millennial viewers can certainly relate to. News stringers, on the other hand, are equally essential in gathering the news all over the region.

Aside from the program’s sports, entertainment and travel segments, the anchors are also encouraged to come up with their own portion. Sedfrey is interested in short documentaries featuring events that are happening in the community particularly to the youth and tourism.

Kaitlene plans to focus on the different organizations in Iloilo to share to the audience their different plans and activities for the betterment of the community.

For Zeny, the segment Balitang Barangay would train the spotlight on the residents as it aims to serve as an avenue to tackle the different issues and concerns in the barangay and at the same time to be more responsive and interactive to their needs.

“We’ll also have RTV Presents,” Darylle revealed. “It’s also a mini docu. Actually, One Western Visayas is not just a newscast we’re also featuring bloggers from all over Western Visayas so that they can share to us what they have and make us realize why we have to travel abroad if here in our country specifically here in Region VI we have our very own (attractive) sites where we can actually go, enjoy and, of course, experience the culture of Western Visayas.”

Adrian, Kaitlene and Sedfrey with GMA Regional TV VP and head Oliver Amoroso (center) and GMA Western Visayas station manager Jonathan Cabillon

Adrian is into highlighting the goodness in people through #Spreadkindness “where we try to collect and collate things we see on social media if not on a daily encounter. It’s either photos or videos like for example, a policeman offering water or helping old people cross the street. We are also coming up with Prangkahan, one-on-one interviews with significant newsmakers and personalities of interest in our local communities about burning issues in the community and the country.”

GMA Regional TV VP and head Oliver Amoroso, in the press release, said, “GMA Regional TV is committed to produce regional programs that are attuned to the stories, voices and viewership outside of Metro Manila. Access to local news on free TV is a great equalizer. Local news plays an important role. While national reports on a wider scope, it is the local stories that directly affect families and immediate communities.”

For Kaitlene, fake news is spreading like wildfire and it is happening so often. Individuals should be able to discern what is true. “For us in the media, we should be aware of giving important information and we should not disseminate information without evidence. So, we, at One Western Visayas, our main goal is to provide real news so we could help many more people and to serve the people.”