The groundbreaking radio show makes its return to the airwaves on October 1 (Saturday), this time via sarisarisounds.com—an online radio station that plays and promotes OPM (Original Pilipino Music).

First heard on Jam 88.3 in 2007, Bigkas Pilipinas earned the distinction as the only spoken word show in the country.

The program instantly gained a cult following, with listeners across the nation finding solace and inspiration in the poetry and words presented by host Kooky Tuason and her guests coming from different fields.

Bigkas Pilipinas caught the attention even of critics. In 2007, the radio show was nominated in the annual KBP (Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas) Golden Dove Awards for the Best Culture and Arts Program category.

Now, and after taking a hiatus, the show only gets bigger and better as it reaches out to Filipinos stationed here and abroad courtesy of its new online home station.

Kooky says that the new Bigkas Pilipinas will focus more on local poetry instead of mixing it up with foreign materials.

A long time advocate and champion of the Filipino spoken word community, Kooky feels that this new format will benefit homegrown artists who love expressing their thoughts through pen and performance art.

“This is certainly a great way to promote and help the local scene,” says Kooky, who aside from performing live gigs all around the country, has released three spoken word albums in the past: Romancing Venus Vol. 1 (2005); Romancing Venus Vol. 2 (2006); and Bigkas Pilipinas (2007).
Just like in the past, Kooky plans to invite guests from all fields and give them a stage to express their artistry put to words.

Spoken word, after all, goes beyond traditional poetry in the sense that it is not measured merely by meter and rhyme. Rather, spoken word allows an individual more leeway when it comes to construction and self-expression thus making it appealing even to the masses.

“That’s the beauty of this kind of art form. While it’s true that not everyone can be a poet in an academic or scholarly kind of way, all of us are entitled to express ourselves through words. Of course, there is still a technique and a method here to make your thoughts touch the minds and hearts of your audience. But for me, honesty provoked by genuine emotion is art and poetry in itself,” rationalizes Kooky.

“Bigkas Pilipinas is exactly like that, because it gives us the chance to think outside of the box while not sacrificing self-expression and artistry,” concludes Kooky.

Listen to Bigkas Pilipinas every Saturday, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. on www.sarisarisounds.com.