castillo cuban radialist

Rogelio Castillo: a Genuine Cuban Radio Worker

I have had the opportunity to work with Castillo on several events. I remember one of them was carried out in Caibarién, in the central part of Villa Clara province during the National Radio Festival. We had another time to share in Havana city during a meeting of radio presenters who write for children.
From humble origins, Rogelio Castillo is one of those virtuous people who have developed himself by his own efforts. When the Cuban revolution triumphed, he became militant and taught the population to read and write. He also participated in the fight against bandits (196-1966) in the Escambray, a mountain region in the center of the island, and enrolled in the Aviation Cadet School of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) during his youth.
Castillo worked in the archive of the Library of his hometown. He was an instructor of theater and one of the founders of literary workshops. He was considered self-taught, till the Cuban Broadcasting Institute (ICR) once called a course for writers of Radio and Television. At that moment, he felt he had found his true calling and began writing scripts for children’s programming for the national Radio Progreso station.
Castillo became a radio professional in 1970, when he started to collaborate with CMHW provincial station and thus began to provide his talent and passion as a radio presenter on the radio program “Canta, rie y cuenta” (sing, laugh and tell) which turned into the current radio program ” Pañoleta Azul” (Blue Neckerchief) with over four decades of continuous labor on the radio.
Roger remembers with gratitude the many colleagues who gave him their support at work. He also expressed gratitude for their advice, talents and spirit of shared team work, side by side, as in the case of his own wife Teresita Riverón, who has been and remains his radio sidekick in all these years.

Radio is not an easy task, mainly during difficult times like those years when CMHW station facilities were severely damaged due to the passage of a hurricane in Villa Clara province. The staff of the radio program decided to continue broadcasting “Pañoleta Azul” live despite those unfavorable weather conditions.
 
For him, the main aim for a good radio presenter is working at any time and place with love, sincerity, honesty and responsibility. I can affirm that Rogelio Castillo is a radio worker dedicated to the radio, particularly, programming for children and youth.