Cesar Nucum

Background

Cesar Lacbu Nucum was born on May 15, 1938 at Pansinao in Candaba, Pampanga. He is the eldest son of Aurelio and Romana Nucum.

Career

He was also known as "Speed Bagal". Before being a radio announcer, he became a "dyaro, bote" and "balut" vendor at his hometown. He came to Manila and worked as a construction painter before getting the job as a radio announcer after he auditioned at DZMM, with the help of his very distinctive voice.

At first people at his town didn"t believed him but he proved them otherwise by retaining the job for many decades to come.

His career was shortly seized when ABS-Christian Broadcasting Network shut down in 1972 due to Martial Law. With no means to support his family, he became a construction worker

Then in the 1970s and 80s, Kuya Cesar joined International Biographic Centre-13 where he was the station manager of DWAN 1206. But when the ABS-Christian Broadcasting Network reopened in 1986 after the EDSA People Power Revolution, he returned to DZMM and his passion as a radio announcer was relived.

During his career, he hosted several radio programs of which featured his noted slow manner of speaking.

Audience find his style and endearing and somewhat comic as well. At his programs he gives heartfelt advices to listeners and plays music from his generation. He pioneered entertainment talk radio in Taglish on the FM band which at his time were a shock to many.

His noted radio programs were Dear Kuya Cesar, 12 a.m.

- 4 a.m. and Ikaw sa Likod ng mga Awit, 12:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. During the 80"s he also had a comedy television show called Super Laff-In.

He also gained the nickname "Speed Bagal" due to his slow delivery. On May 17, 2007, Thursday at 9:45 p.m., just two days after his birthday, he died of an apparent heart attack at the age of 69.

Efforts to revive him were done but upon arrival at Capitol Medical Center he was pronounced dead.

Many listeners of his program poured their deepest sympathy at his loss.

Achievements

• He won several awards or his radio announcer career and even appeared on movies like "Bala at Lipstick" in 1994, "Gagay: Prinsesa ng Brownout" in 1993 and "Tora-Tora, Bang Bang Bang" in 1990.