New Pres - CEO Katherine De Castro IBC-13 Promises A New Improved Network That Will Be Called The Kaibigan Channel

KAT DE CASTRO in IBC-13 presscon 

KATHERINE “Kat” DE CASTRO is the new President and CEO of Interisland Broadcasting Corp. or IBC-13. She met the press Wednesday at lunch to bare her plans for Channel 13 that used to be the number 1 station in the country with hit shows like “Eh Kasi Babae”, “Chicks to Chicks”, “Goin’Bananas”, “The Sharon Cuneta Show”, “Scoop”  and “Iskul Bukol”.

It’s now celebrating its 60th anniversary and a documentary about it will be aired this Friday night at 9:30 PM, titled “The Original No. 1: IBC 13’s Legacy of Philippine Television”, hosted by Chiqui Roa Puno, featuring interviews with former IBC 13 stars like Tito Sotto, Joey de Leon, Nova Villa, Lolit Solis, and personnel like Bert de Leon, Lilybeth Rasonable, Linggit Tan, and many more.

Kat promises a new improved IBC 13 in the days to come. “Kung may Kapuso at Kapamilya,” she says, “Kami naman ang magiging Kaibigan nyo. Like your friend, we’ll make you laugh, cry, give you news and information and also advice about life. In line with the coming election, we offer a show featuring our senatorial candidates every Tuesday and Thursday at 8:30 PM, titled ‘OOTD: Opisyal of the Day’.

This will help voters in making their decision who to vote for. Then we’ll have a different kind of travel show, ‘#Cooltura’, a millennial’s approach to traveling around the country. We will also bring back the most well loved shows of IBC 13 in the 80s and 90s in ‘Ultimate Throwback’, with classics like TODAS, “Sic O’Clock New’, ‘Hapi House’, ‘Retro TV’.

A comm arts graduate from Miriam College, Kat is the daughter of veteran broadcaster Noli de Castro and TV producer Arlene de Castro. She also hosted her own shows, like the travel show “Trip na Trip” and the business magazine show, “Swak na Swak”. Kat is serious in her desire to make IBC 13 fully competitive again.

“Yes, we’re still here,” she says. “Our aim is to make the network globally competitive, a leading light in the Philippine broadcast industry providing programs that are socially relevant, wholesome, entertaining, informative and commercially viable.”

Well, good luck to Kat and IBC 13! As they say, the more the merrier as a new network will surely provide more jobs for idle stars, writers, and other people working behind the camera. My best wishes!