| Radyo Bandilyo | |
| Callsign: | DXDB |
| City: | Malaybalay |
| Area: | Bukidnon and surrounding areas |
| Branding: | DXDB 594 Radyo Bandilyo |
| Airdate: | As DXBB: May 26, 1971 July 1, 1971 September 11, 1971 As DXDB: March 22, 1991 July 15, 1991 |
| Frequency: | 594 kHz |
| Format: | Religious Radio |
| Language: | Cebuano, Filipino, English |
| Licensing Authority: | NTC |
| Power: | 5,000 watts |
| Callsign Meaning: | Dan-ag sa Bukidnon |
| Former Callsigns: | DXBB-AM (1971–1976) |
| Former Frequencies: | 540 kHz (1971–1976) |
| Affiliations: | Catholic Media Network |
| Owner: | Roman Catholic Diocese of Malaybalay |
| Licensee: | Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines |
DXDB (594 AM) Radyo Bandilyo is a radio station owned and operated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Malaybalay. The station's main studio is located at the Ground Floor, Communications Media Center Bldg., San Isidro Cathedral, Murillo St. cor. San Isidro St., Brgy. 1, Malaybalay; its alternate studio is located at the Ground Floor, San Agustin Parish Church, Sayre Highway, Valencia; and its transmitter is located at Brgy. Kalasungay, Malaybalay.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
DXDB traces its origins to its forerunner DXBB. The Confraternity of Christian Doctrine of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, where Bukidnon was under its ecclesiastical jurisdiction until 1969, had planned to put up a radio station for the purpose of teaching of Catholicism in the province.[7]
Despite a failed appeal for a grant, the CCD's Communications Media Center of the newly created Prelature of Malaybalay realized the plan. After a series of test (began May 26, 1971) and later, experimental (began July 1) broadcasts, DXBB, located at Malaybalay and operating at 540 kHz with the power of 2.5 kW,[8] under Bukidnon Broadcasting Corporation, eventually began its full-time broadcasting on September 11. Under the helm of CMC director Fr. Joseph Stoffel and prelate Bishop Francisco Claver, it became the province's pioneer radio station; and tagged as "Bandilyo sa Bukidnon" (town crier), it quickly became the most listened. However, upon declaration of nationwide martial law on September 21, 1972, President Ferdinand Marcos ordered the takeover and control of all mass media.[9] [10]
By that time, DXBB aired educational programs by the peasant organization Federation of Free Farmers, incurring annoyance by the local civil government, aside from that by the local military authorities. DXBB though obtained the permit from the government and resumed broadcasting on February 9, 1973; its licensee since then was the Catholic Welfare Organization. DXBB was able to operate through financial aids until its shutdown on November 18, 1976, though its license was never revoked since then.
The military raid and closure of DXBB, along with another Catholic radio station DXCD of the then Prelature of Tagum, Davao del Norte,[11] were due to allegations that these were used by the Communist Party of the Philippines for ideological training purposes[12] and broadcast coded messages to the New People's Army rebels.[13] The military later admitted that charges of rebellion against these stations were baseless.
Efforts on reviving the station began after the EDSA People Power Revolution. Through then Bishop Gaudencio Rosales (current Cardinal and Archbishop Emeritus of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila), as well as Misereor, a German foundation, and Bethlehemite Mission from Switzerland, DXBB was reopened 1991, this time as DXDB (carrying since then the branding "Dan-ag sa Bukidnon"; Light of Bukidnon), with its test broadcast since March 22. On July 15, DXDB eventually started its regular broadcast at 594 kHz.[14]
By mid-1990s, the station increased its power to 10 kW,[15] but was later reverted to the originally National Telecommunications Commission-authorized and present-day 5 kW.[16]
On January 10, 2003, DXDB was officially registered to Securities and Exchange Commission under the name Catholic Radio Station DXDB-AM of Malaybalay, Inc.