Finding a home in RX

It was a pretty big jump for Chico when he started off at RX. Coming from another radio station, he was doing a 10 PM to 2 AM show and shifted to do the sign on slot. “That was pretty exciting and terrifying at the same time because I have very little experience.” It was a challenge for Chico yet he remembers how it was an exciting time for him as well.

Chico is always a morning person, both in real life and on the radio. He was always in the morning shows, until he was asked to be switched with former RX jock Jude Rocha’s timeslot in the afternoon and vice versa. Chico recalls how that switch didn’t even last long and they were both given back their original timeslots.

Despite starting out somewhere else, Chico found a home in RX. This is the station that Chico really thrives in! Having a morning slot which suited his body clock, partners that just mesh so well with him and a daily show that he does to continue bringing smiles to the listeners’ faces.

The rise of The Morning Rush

Prior to The Morning Rush being The Morning Rush, radio shows before did not have show names. It was just simply a timeslot where DJs take over. TMR back then wasn’t a 6-10 AM show, it was a 5-9 AM slot. Chico was boarding in what was known before as just the 5-9 AM slot. Chico did emphasize how RX was the first one to start naming all their shows and have portions. When the RX jocks back then were tasked to come up with show names, Chico was the one who came up with the now well-known comedy program on FM radio, The Morning Rush! He just had an idea to call the show as such because of how its time slot coincides with the morning traffic or in other terms, the morning rush. 

Chico really is a true blue Rusher, starting the rush back then. It’s funny to think how he never really thought that TMR would be as big as it is now, he was just doing his job to comply with what the bosses asked him to do. Little did he know how much TMR would make a big impact on FM radio!

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Growing and evolving

It’s no secret that Chico has been in the RX family for “36 years” (We’ll let you, Monsters, think about this one!) and he has seen it all - the station growing, music changing, even the progress of social and digital media. In this time and age, social media is now a huge thing that is now a part of our daily lives. Throw in the current pandemic and the numerous lockdowns, we have no other means of communicating and entertaining ourselves other than being on social media. Of course, RX has to evolve and find itself in the world of digital media to keep bringing the music and good vibes to its listeners. 

The Morning Rush is also very famous for its Top 10 topics where listeners get to send in their entries. Before the digital age, the Top 10 entries were sent in via text message. Nowadays, it’s via Twitter. The Top 10 top tweets are also now posted on Twitter compared before to how it was just being said on air. When the Top 10 was first moved to Twitter, Chico was quite skeptical thinking that it might make it more difficult to use. But it turned out, it was the best thing to ever happen! Plus, the current pandemic made the Top 10 much more lively by incorporating video livestreams! Now, the listeners and Rushers get to see the crazy shenanigans that goes on and off air! 

In terms of social and digital media, Chico is very open to trying new stuff. As the Gen Z that he is, Chico doesn’t close off and tries to keep up with the current. Maybe soon enough we’ll see Chico on our TikTok For You Page? We’ll keep our fingers crossed for that one! 

His purpose on radio

Hosting radio shows, playing music, talking about all things entertainment, reading the Top 10 entries are just part of Chico’s radio routine but there’s so much more than that. He has a purpose in radio, and that’s inspiring and affecting the lives of listeners in a positive light. “It gives what you do something more than just ‘Excellence in Broadcasting’, ‘I’m awarded this, I was awarded that’” The multiple recognition Chico has received is a huge milestone for him and he is very grateful for those, but his gratitude goes beyond the awards. 

“When it’s something that affects actual people’s lives,  I can’t describe it. It’s something that [...] weeks after, I still hear it in my head and I’m like ‘Wow! That’s mind blowing!’” The listeners who are thankful to Chico for helping them get through the toughest times, just by tuning in on The Morning Rush, are really what makes Chico feel so accomplished! Even the RX jocks who shared their audition stories were vocal about how Chico was such an inspiration to them that made them try out for radio as well! It makes Chico feel like what he does truly matters.

Chico continues to bring his witty, entertaining personality on air as he's inspiring and helping people cope along the way. The Monster is proud to have Chico on our side! Catch Chico Garcia on his daily show The Morning Rush and on Riot Wednesday's Throwback: The Year That Was. More from Chico here.