English: Description

The Philippine Navy Civil Military Operations’ public information component has desired to create/enhance public awareness about the organization and promote the Filipino’s propriety and ownership of the Navy, their ultimate defense force at sea. This paved way for the establishment of a news program titled “Oras ng Mandaragat at Mandirigma” or OMM. The OMM is Philippine Navy’s official virtual news and public affairs program using YouTube as its platform. It is a big leap from the usual public information access of the Navy in social media such as through its Facebook page and official website. The program is originally planned as a bi-monthly, one-hour episode program consisting of various segments formatted as Headline News, Balitang Probinsya, Balitang Isports, Ulat Pangkalusugan, Serbisyong Bayan, Pasada Balita and Talakayan para sa Mamamayan. On some occasions, “Special Report” in a feature story format was included to give the internal and external audiences a wider perspective of a major Navy activity. This allows more information that a mere news report limitedly provides. A segment titled “The Profile” was also included to provide the public with a non-traditional presentation of the Navy Chief’s biography, which is more personal and involves third-party revelations that the public may find interesting. The Title and Concept The title “Oras ng Mandaragat at Mandirigma” is the idea of Capt. Pacio. There were other titles considered for the program including “Balitang Hukbong Dagat”, “Philippine Navy News”, “Ang Inyong Hukbong Dagat”, among others; but the “Oras…” title was chosen as it reflects a dedicated period for the Sailors and Marines to showcase their accomplishments, and “Oras” literally connotes a 60-minute duration of a news program. Capt Pacio was also the brainchild of the different news segments, as follows: a. Balitang Probinsya – consists of news about the activities conducted or participated in by Navy units and personnel in the different regions of the country. These activities are reported by the Naval Forces, which are headquartered in San Fernando City, La Union; Legaspi City, Albay; Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu; Puerto Princesa City, Palawan; Davao City, Davao Del Sur; and Zamboanga City, Zamboanga Sibugay. However, Navy regional news that has a greater impact and with the national scope is included in the Headlines. b. Balitang Isports – news about the latest happenings of the Navy athletes and personnel in various sports engagements, whether within the Navy or AFP like the Admiral’s Cup and AFP Olympics; on a national level such as in club sports competition, qualifying events, and invitational games; and the international arena such as SEA Games, Asian Games, Asian sports federation competitions, and world sports competitions. c. Serbisyong Bayan – is a feature story comparable to the endeavors of GMA 7’s Kapuso Foundation and TV5’s Alagang Kapatid Foundation. This segment consolidates and reports all the Navy’s commitments and services for the community such as, but not limited to, gift-giving, donation of school supplies and materials, feeding programs and activities, free barber services, sports clinic, free medical, dental, and veterinary services, blood donation and other humanitarian assistance, and other free services in partnership with other government and private agencies, non-government organizations, private organizations, and other stakeholders. The most common activity of the Navy in target communities is called CMO from the Sea—a nationwide interagency service caravan prioritizing barangays and municipalities in the far-flung islands in the Philippines that can only be reached by Navy vessels and hardly, less often reached by either national or local government services. d. Pasada Balita – is the consolidation of 45- to 60-seconder news bits that are not included in the headlines or Balitang Probinsya because it has no supporting videos but is only visually supported by photos. e. Ulat Pangkalusugan – is a segment that gives information about the Navy’s health programs, policies, and protocols; medical forums and seminars; physical fitness programs; and other announcements and activities from the Department of Health, AFP Chief Surgeon General, the Chief Surgeon Navy, and Manila Naval Hospital. f. Talakayan para sa Mamamayan – is supposedly a segment of the news program where resource persons (officer, enlisted personnel, or civilian employees) are invited to provide information that the public has to know and discuss issues regarding any particular topic like PN recruitment in the regular and reserve forces, Navy modernization program, and others. However, because it entails a surmountable period, It was elevated as an independent talk show program. History

The idea of having a virtual news program for the Philippine Navy was conceived in 2013 during the time of Vice Adm. Jose Luis Alano PN as Flag Officer In Command but because of prior-laid out plans and programs and having limited financial capability, the Navy did not give it proper attention and the idea was forgotten. It was during the leadership of Vice Adm. Adeluis Bordado PN in the last quarter of 2021 when the idea resurfaced and was given approval in principle pending the presentation of the concept. The establishment of the news program was specified in the Philippine Navy CMO Plan and the Flag Officer In Command CMO Guidance for CY 2022. It was in December 2021 when Capt. Jonathan V. Zata PN(GSC), then the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff for Civil-Military Operations, N7 had a meeting at a Filipino restaurant in Uptown Mall, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig with former Deputy N7, Capt. Gilbert Ordas Pacio PN(Ret) and Indie director, Juan Paolo Pasatiempo for the formulation of the concept and the start of shooting for the proof of concept. With their desire of helping the Navy, Capt. Pacio and Direk Pasatiempo laid out plans and held various conferences with then Deputy N7, Capt Levi Carane PN(GSC), Naval Public Affairs Office Director Capt. Benjo Negranza PN(GSC), Office of N7 officers Lt. Cdr Jonathan Fernandez PN, Maj. Kerwin Collado PN(M), Lt. Cdr. Juven Mel Sunny Aklan, and personnel from concerned offices and units. In May 2022, Capt Pacio, Direk Pasatiempo, and personnel from the Office of N7 and Naval Public Affairs Office conducted the shooting for the proof of concept of OMM in various locations such as in the Philippine Fleet, Naval Special Operations Command, Naval Air Wing in Sangley Point, Cavite City; in Marine Base Ternate, Ternate, Cavite; Naval Education, Training and Doctrine Command in San Antonio, Zambales; and even in Naval Forces West in Macarascas, Puerto Princesa City. When the proof of concept was approved and the go signal was given, Capt. Pacio was verbally designated as the Program Manager and Chief News Editor while Director Pasatiempo was designated as the Program Editor and Head of the Technical Department. In June 2022, the first taping of the pilot episode of OMM was held at the Philippine Navy Officers Club Datu Kalantiao and Solaiman Hall, which served as the first studio of the OMM production team. It was during this three-day, all-day/all-night taping that the OMM program ID, theme song, closing song, and segment music IDs were all created. Capt Pacio wrote the lyrics of the theme song “Oras ng Mandaragat at Manidirigma” which was musically arranged by Director Juan Paolo Pasatiempo and keyboardist Seaman 1st Class Jambonn Realubit PN and was immediately recorded and sung by Seaman 2nd Class Jose Alfonse Fernandez PN with backup singers from the production team including Lt. Cdr. Jonathan Fernandez, CPO Roger Salud, Navy reservist Journalist 3rd Class Bernard Ver PN(Res), ON7 civilian supervisor Bernadeth Escobar Ph.D., ON7 admin personnel Lovelin P. Tiongco, and other Navy personnel present in the taping. On the other hand, the program credits and closing used the song “Isang Hukbong Dagat” composed by Capt. Pacio in 2006 when then FOIC Vice Adm. Rogelio Calunsag instructed him to give the Navy its own identity by creating an original song to replace America’s Village People’s song “In the Navy” that is being played during activities of the Navy. The song was originally sung by Eat Bulaga’s AFP Singing Soldier Champion CPO Mel Sorillano PN(Ret) with musical accompaniment by PMC Combo. Its melody piece was created by now CPO Zosimo Batacan and was arranged for the band by the NBC Band and Orchestra under CPO De Leon and CPO Jonson. The other segment and background music were also collaborated on and created during the first taping of the OMM Production team. On July 16, 2022, the pilot episode of Oras ng Mandaragat at Mandirigma was published on the PN News Channel on YouTube. After Capt Zata’s retirement in December 2022 and the assumption of his Deputy Capt Carane as a replacement, the Office of N7 has been managing and supervising the operations, taping, and publication of the OMM episodes with the new Flag Officer In Command, Vice Adm. Toribio Adaci Jr PN. However on January 2023 after the publication of Episode 7, the OMM operation was transferred from Office N7 to the Civil Military Operations Group-PN with its commander Capt. Gregory Fabic PN(GSC) as the producer. As of this writing, three OMM episodes were published under the new management.