“This is Dos Por Dos signing off.”
DZMM’s Dos Por Dos anchors Gerry Baja and Anthony Taberna bid their listeners goodbye on Friday as their radio program signed off after 17 years on air.
Just as their popular afternoon program was winding down to its last few minutes, the broadcasters announced that it was going to be their finale episode.
“Kami po ay magpapaalam na sa tunay po nitong kahulugan,” Taberna began.
“Ngayon pong July 31, 2020, kami po ni kumbachero at ang Dos Por Dos ay nagpapalam po sa inyo dito po sa Teleradyo sa DZMM na naging tahanan ng Dos Por Dos for 17 years and three months. Napakahabang panahon din yan.”
Taberna went on to recall that his working relationship with Baja was actually longer than the show itself, as they started out as DZMM co-anchors back in 1999 via the radio program Ito Ang Radyo Patrol and then followed by Gising Pilipinas.
Dos Por Dos started out as a 30-minute morning program before it moved to the afternoon time slot and became a longer show.
They also reminisced on how their broadcasting careers started.
Taberna said he had been with ABS-CBN for “23 years and a half”, noting that half of his life was spent with the broadcast network.
Baja, for his part, said that he had been with the company for more than 25 years, joining ABS-CBN Radyo Patrol in October 1994. He started out as a news writer because he wasn’t confident enough that his voice was meant for the airwaves.
“Ang gusto ko lang nuon ay maging newswriter kasi ako mismo ay di kumbinsido na yung boses ko ay pang radyo. Kaya sabi ko nuon, gusto ko maging writer ako, behind the scenes ako.”
Just a few weeks as a writer, Baja shared, there was a sudden emergency that a slot for another reporter opened up and he was called to step in.
“Nung unang gabi ko as a reporter, pag-uwi ko sa bahay ay naipanganak na ang aking panganay,” he recalled.
In an Instagram post, Baja’s other DZMM show GB (Garantisadong Balita) also signed off.
Nevertheless, both anchors profusely thanked the ABS-CBN management, saying that if not for the opportunities they experienced with the network’s radio arm, they wouldn’t be able to support their families, among others.
“Napakadami pong magagandang oportunidad ika nga ang binuksan ng ABS. Para po sa amin, gusto namin sabihin na ito’y pinagpapasalamat talaga namin,” Taberna said.
“Kung di po kami binigyan ng ganitong opportunity, wala pong Anthony Taberna at Gerry Baja,” added Baja.
According to Taberna, it was not easy to part with the network. He hinted that the program was one of the casualties of the management’s move to downsize and cut losses following the Congress’ rejection of its franchise application.
“Of course, hindi naman namin pwede sabihin na OK lang to, na mag-hihiwalay kami ng ABS-CBN. There are circumstances that are beyond our control,” Taberna said.
“Ito pong paghihiwalay namin sa ABS-CBN ay hindi po madali at kung pwede nga sabihin ay ayaw po namin.
“Pero nung kami po ay sinabihan tungkol sa mga financial constraints ay naunawaan po namin ang situation ng ABS-CBN.
“Mahal po namin ang kompanyang ito. Mahal po namin ang nangangasiwa po dito. Wala mang perfect na organization, kasama po ang ABS-CBN doon.
“Pero gusto ko pong sabihin na napakalaking bahagi po kayo (ABS-CBN) ng aming buhay at kayo po mismo nanonood sa amin ay mami-miss po namin dito po sa araw-araw na pag-upo dito.”
He said that the show might have ruffled feathers through their commentary but they chalked it all up to their journey as broadcast journalists.
“May mga taong nasaktan kami ni kumbachero, sa mga pa-komentaryo, meron ding napasaya kami, may napalungkot kami pero yan po ay bahagi ng aming journey bilang mamamahayag,” he said.
The anchors didn’t say what their future plans are. Taberna, however, said that if and when the time comes that they return on air, they hope listeners will still tune in to them.
“Hanggang sa muli. Kahit saan po mapapadpad ang tinig namin ni kumbachero, hari nawa dumating ang pagkakataon, sana masundan niyo pa rin kami,” Taberna said.
Baja added, “Mga kababayan, makalipas ang 17 years sa himpapawid, ang Dos Por Dos po ay titigil na sa pagsasahimpawid. Dos Por Dos is signing off. Maraming salamat po.”
Meanwhile, fellow DZMM anchor Bernadette Sembrano said that she didn’t believe the rumors at first that the show was signing off “until we heard them say goodbye” on Friday.
“Salamat sa pagkakaibigan at pagresbak sa mga nang-aapi,” Sembrano wrote on Instagram.
She also urged followers to continue to support their tandem.
RELATED:
