San Ag pays tribute to ‘echoes’ of former radio station

By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan

The University of San Agustin (USA) set a nostalgic tone for the celebration of its 122nd anniversary on Friday, July 10, by launching an exhibit commemorating dySA, its former radio station, which witnessed and became part of the histories of the university and Iloilo.

The “Echoes of DYSA” exhibit, which opened Friday at the USA Museum and Archives, celebrates the legacy of dySA Radio San Agustin, the university’s former flagship radio station, which also pioneered the city’s first frequency modulation (FM) station.

It features old equipment and materials, including long-play records and radio sets, as well as curated memorabilia from the station, including printed replicas of government licenses, pamphlets, archival recordings, and photos.

At the center of the exhibit is a looping video featuring personal accounts from the station’s anchors and disc jockeys, including Teresita Hermano, Menchie Hermano-Javellana, Enrique Luis Ballesteros, and Dr. Vicente Salas.

The exhibit forms part of USA’s 74th anniversary as a university and its 122nd founding anniversary.

University President Fr. Arnel Dizon, OSA, said the exhibit’s opening was an occasion both “to look back with a heart of gratitude” and “to look forward with confident hope.”

“We re-echo and relive the significant contributions of Radio San Agustin and its connections in our present-day context, challenges, and aspirations,” Dizon said.

“The well-curated exhibit embodies the continuous commitment of the university community to strengthening our Augustinian brand of excellence, whether through our collective institutional engagements for integral human formation and societal transformation,” he added.

Fr. Dominador Besares, OSA, director of the USA Museum and Archives, also called the exhibit a “tribute” to the legacy of the university and Iloilo.

“As the first FM radio station in Iloilo, DYSA is more than just a technological milestone. It became a voice of the university — informing, educating, and entertaining its listeners while embodying the Augustinian values of Unitas, Caritas, and Veritas,” Besares said.

“DYSA connected people to the power of sound, creating shared experiences and lasting memories at a time when radio was the most intimate and influential medium of communication,” he added.

Dizon also told the media on the sidelines of the launch that the old radio station’s legacy would live on through the university’s social media platforms and its communication program, which will host podcasts and share informative materials.

dySA was launched in 1965, was helmed by student disc jockeys, and was known among Ilonggos for playing classical music and hosting informational and religious programs.

The university-based station shut down around August 1991 because of financial challenges and was later sold and renamed Z100.