Radioman vows to be ‘the voice’ of Quiot people

GERARDO “Gerry” Auxilio of radio station dySS said there was no conflict between his job as a radio commentator and his new role as councilman of barangay Quiot in Cebu City.

“It’s still public service,” he said. The 43-year-old radioman was among a handful of media practitioners who stood for election and succeeded in their respective bids in Monday’s barangay elections.

“Makatabang gyud ang akong pagka-mediaman. There is no conflict. In radio, daghan tag matabangan pero mosamot pa gyud kadaghan atong matabangan kung naa ta sa barangay (In radio, we can help many people. We can help even more when we are in a barangay position),” Auxilio said.

“I’m thankful to the people of Quiot who trusted me even if I was not able to campaign a lot because I was in Manila for the Bar exams,” Auxilio said.

Auxilio said he will focus on improving the cashflow of his barangay and will “be the voice of the people.”

Auxilio also teaches political science subjects in Southwestern University where he earned his law degree in 1996. He took the bar exams early this month. Two other dySS broadcasters were elected as barangay councilmen – Gabriel Bonjoc in barangay Poblacion, Talisay City and Allan Majait in barangay Apas, Cebu City.

The radio station has no policy prohibiting their on-air talents from holding elective positions in government.

Auxilio got the sixth highest number of votes in barangay Quiot in Cebu City with 3,159 votes. (Cebu Daily News erroneously reported yesterday that Auxilio had lost the election along with Bernie Cabusao of Brigada News FM. Cabusao did not run for office.) Auxilio started as a reporter at Bombo Radyo from 1998 to 2004 then moved to dySS in 2005. Correspondent Jose Santino S. Bunachita