“I still remember the likes of Sheila Pojas, Merly, Jajilyn, and Romy Resureccion very well,” he says with fondness. He’s referring to some of the listeners he’s had the pleasure of meeting in the past. “They were the type of listeners who would visit the station almost everyday, often bearing gifts. Nothing fancy, like they’d ask what food I like. I’d answer something random, like chicken adobo. They’d arrive with galunggong and ginisang kalabasa at sitaw - because that was what they could afford. And I’d wolf those down with much gusto,” he shares. “It was easy to see that they were the type of people who were there for the long haul.”
Such view is a far cry from how he felt about being a DJ when he was just starting out. It was all about experimenting then, and wanting to see if he could follow in the footsteps of his idol, DJ Triggerman of 97.1 WLS FM.
The budding announcer
Eric was only 16 when he applied to be a campus jock for the said station. “I went a number of times, but I’d always be told that I was too young to be a part of the program,” he says.
He finally got his chance when he was 19. He was a Communication Arts student at the University of Sto. Tomas at that time, and was riding a shuttle to school when he heard the announcement that LS was once again looking for campus jocks. “I was already a familiar face to the staff by then. When they learned that I was finally of the right age, they allowed me to audition,” he says. “I passed and was given a training schedule.”
But being a young college student who enjoyed late nights out drinking with friends, he’d usually be in bad shape whenever he reported at the station for his early morning training. The opportunity quickly slipped out of his hands.
It would be his sister Dittie who’d remind him of his interest in radio. “She was working for ABS-CBN International then, but prior to that, she was with the network’s FM radio station WRR 101.9. She brought me with her to the station so I could audition,” he relates. “Eight months later, WRR called and asked me to start training.”
This time around, Eric took training seriously, and didn’t lose focus even if he had to juggle it with school. His efforts bore fruit: he was given the 8 pm-12 midnight timeslot, and was christened with the airname Chinaheart.
He was finally living the dream, but one wrong decision would cost him the job.
An unexpected turn
“I was young and would break rules every so often, like not following the station’s playlist despite numerous reminders from the boss,” he shares. “Worse, I got hooked on a bad habit that would terribly affect my performance.”
Things got so bad that it led to an argument with his boss where they almost came to blows. Eric took his cue from there and tendered his resignation.
It resulted in an unexpected turn in his career – he became a medical representative who pitched medicine to different markets. He was assigned in Ilocos where he managed to make big sales. “Apparently, I arrived in Ilocos at a perfect time: harvest season. The locals had money, and that’s when they stock up on medicine since they won’t be able to buy much come low season,” he says. “Because of that, I was able to reach my one-year target in only 5 months!”
But then, his former radio colleague Alvin Ancheta called him up and encouraged him to come back. “We miss having you here,” he told Eric. “And I’m sure you miss radio too.” That was all it took for Eric to decide that it was time to once again find his way back to the job he loved.
When the pharmaceutical company he was working for asked him to attend a marketing conference in Manila, he arrived in shorts with his resignation letter in tow – much to the surprise of his colleagues. They tried to convince him to stay, but he had already made up his mind.
“It was actually a risk. There wasn’t even a vacancy at WRR that time, but I still wanted to give it a try,” he said. Luck was on his side: the station took him in again.
This time, it felt right. Moreover, the listeners would affirm that he was indeed in the right place at the right time. “I didn’t think I made an impact during my initial radio stint, but many of the them called to say they’ve missed me. That, plus my love for music, made me want to build a solid foundation in radio," he said. "I was no longer in it just for the thrill. It was because radio truly was my passion.”
That passion translated into performance, which didn’t go unnoticed by award-giving bodies. He has been recognized as Best FM Radio DJ in the KBP Golden Dove Awards and the Gandingan Awards.
He credits several people for helping him flourish in radio. “My mentor in handling the console is one of my bosses Mars Ocampo ,while my fellow DJ Martin D taught me about proper segues. I also took cues from the seamless adlibs of RX 93.1’s Chico Garcia and the humor of NU 107’s Zach and Joey,” he says. “And of course, I have to mention Triggerman, who was indirectly instrumental in helping me discover this career.”
Taking on new roles
Today, Eric not only goes on board as Chinapaps at what is now known as MOR 101.9 For Life!, but is also an Associate Producer for the station, in charge of supervising content for all its social media assets.
He admits that this can be a challenge sometimes, especially since millennials – the new audience – consume social media at such a fast pace. “Sometimes it’s hard to bridge the gap, but fortunately, I’ve got young, talented people in my team. We work together to find the perfect balance in communicating with the station’s varied audience,” he says. “It’s a challenge I’m happy to take on.”
Not to say that he doesn’t find himself longing for the good old days of radio, when everything was much simpler. “But then, I understand that the industry has to evolve,” he muses. “Anybody who resists will simply get left behind.”
Eric himself has evolved. Apart from the tasks he handles at MOR, he also dabbles into dubbing telenovelas, where he’s able to apply all that he learned during his college theater days. When he has time, he also accommodates gigs as a professional host.
But of course, his most important role today is being husband to his wife Vicky, and father to their three daughters Jada, Reema, and Ava.
“It’s heartwarming how my daughters appreciate what I do, especially my eldest Jada who’s 11 years old. She listens to me on the radio and observes my dubbing sessions sometimes. She’s expressed interest to pursue the same path, and of course I will guide her through if she does end up in radio,” the proud father says.
Eric’s career has been quite the rollercoaster ride, but he understands why he had to go through such a journey. “I feel like everything I experienced in the past prepared me for what I’m doing now. It pays to believe that God has plans for every one of us,” he says.
When he was a kid, Eric dreamed of becoming a pilot who would maneuver his way up in the air. But then, the universe has a sense of humor. While he didn’t end up flying planes, he did become a pilot - that of the airwaves - and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
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