MY DESTINY

by: Aurell P. Arais

Hi it’s me Aurelius Parido Arais a.k.a mightyaurell.

I believe on destiny. And I do believe that I am destined to be a media man. My stamina in broadcasting started when I was still in high school days. Driven by too much passion, it came to a point that I projected myself and lied to my classmates that I am connected with a certain radio station, this was in Davao City.

When somebody ask me the particular station where am I connected, I choose and replied the least popular radio station for them not to bother to check whether I’m telling the truth or not and of course I’m just playing safe to avoid being caught that I am indeed lying.

Upon reaching the fourth year level in secondary, I applied to an AM Station still in Davao City named DXRR as radio reporter. I was rejected. However instead of losing hope I consider it as a challenge for me to pursue more on my dream to be a broadcaster.

When I enrolled in college in the University of Mindanao in Davao City, I applied to its AM station DXUM-UMBN.

Fortunately, at last, my talent and passion was given a break. The station manager then Mr. Ely Luciano accepted me as newswriter/reporter and became a working scholar of the station under Student Assistance Program (STAP).

I was taking up Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication (ABMASSCOMM). Admittedly, I give more priority to my career that is why I’ve got low grades in my studies.

However, due to my interest to learn almost, if not all of aspects of broadcasting, I choose to keep on transferring or hopping from one station to another, just to gain more knowledge and actual experiences.

I explored in writing and fortunately I was became a freelance writer for Peoples Daily Forum, a local paper and I was assigned in Camp Catitipan Davao PNP headquater. Then I explored disc jockeying, I was accepted at DXSS FM 97.9 Mhz and at the same time a TV Newscaster on SBN TV 7 and commentator on its AM Station DXIP.

From Davao City, I transferred to DXSF FM in San Francisco, Agusan del Sur as newscaster. I worked there for a little while then I went back to DXUM in Davao as one of the pioneering of Radyo Ukay Drama Production. I was a drama writer and director and an actor as well. I produced various radio soap drama, some of them was Ang Karaang Villa (An Old Villa), a horror story; Tres Marias (action), Dino (sci-fi) and more.

Then I transferred to DXGL FM Real Radio in Butuan City as program director/disc jockey and at the same time newscaster/director on TV 13 and eventually became a station manager of DXGL AM Radyo Kaalyado. Then I was transferred to Real Radio Tandag, Surigao del Sur as station manager.

Wheww… what a long list. Maybe my dear reader you are asking now, where am I connected at present? Well, currently I am the program/ production director of DXDB AM Radyo Bandilyo in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon. Thanks to the former station manager Fr. Rey Raluto (who is now in Belgium) who had trust on my talent.

Now, if you are going to ask me what is my unforgettable experience? The most nerve cracking and heart pounding part of my career was when I was in Tandag, Surigao del Sur. There I experience a libel case filed by a certain fiscal, sorry I forgot his name. He filed a libel case against one of our radio block timer whom he said maligned his name and reputation on the air and I was implicated accordingly in my capacity as the head of the station.

Due to this case not only me who suffered numerous sleepless nights but also my beloved family.

Fortunately, thanks to GOD, the said case was dismissed by the Prosecutors Office due to lack of merit and of course to the divine intervention. Wheew, what a big relief.

I really love broadcasting. In fact I found love in this field of endeavor. I’ve meet my wife Annie also a broadcaster when I was working with Real Radio in Butuan City. She was one of my disc jockey before. As the saying goes “the same feather flock together”. And now we are blessed with two beautiful daughters Reginah Reign and Kaycee Laureign.

The world of media is full of trials, hardships, challenges and surmountable obstacles but if you have the burning passion, you will still found happiness out of it. If you are planning to be a media practitioner, well it’s up to you. Who knows you and I have the same destiny.

By: Aurelius Parido Arais
aka mightyaurell
DXDB Radyo Bandilyo Malaybalay City, Bukidnon