130. Brand Stories: RADIOWEALTH, INC. (1930)

RADIOWEALTH APPLIANCE AND ELECTRONIC, FOUNDED IN 1930

Since its foundation in 1930, RADIOWEALTH has been making appliances with an eye to the future, putting out modern products which become pace-setters in the local appliance market.

It was started by a visionary from Camarines, Domingo M. Guevara (b.1909/d.ca.1990s) who took up a correspondence course to become a radio technician—even as he was manning the family farm. 

After a land dispute that made him decide to move to Manila, Guevara set up a a one-man radio repair shop that would grow to become the country’s most dominant, well-known name in electronics and appliances before Japan-made products took over the market.

The enterprise, fittingly called RADIOWEALTH, would make Guevara one of the richest and most successful modern-day industrialists of his time.

RADIOWEALTH VINTAGE LOGO, 1955

The company’s history has interesting highlights:

OWN A RADIO FOR 62 CENTAVOS A DAY, 1957

1930 - Founded by Domingo M. Guevara as a radio repair shop an later, as a radio dealer.

RADIOWEALTH-THE BEST BUY! 1957

1935 – Incorporated, started importation and distribution of radio sets.

RADIOWEALTH HAS THEM ALL!, 1957

1951 – Under exchange controls, launched assembly of radio sets.

FOREFRONT OF ELECTRONIC PROGRESS, 1955

1955 – Pioneered in the manufacture of TV sets.

RADIOWEALTH DRY BATTERY, 1957

1956 – Started the manufacture of electronic components such as transformers, coils, chassis and metal parts.

BRIGHT MOMENTS IN TRANSISTORS, 1955

1958 – Started the manufacture of room air  conditioner.

MISS PHILIPPINES LALAINE BENNETT MODELS FOR RADIOWEALTH, 1963

1963 – Started the manufacture of local televison tuners under a license from Standard Kollsman Industries, the major manufacturer of TV tuners in the U.S.

RADIOWEALTH CARMEN MODEL, COMBINATION TV, PHONO, STEREO. 1965

1964 – Introduced TV sets with the implosion-proof Shellbond picture tube.

RADIOWEALTH ODOR-FREE KOLDPOINT, 1972

1965 – Introduced Koldpoint refrigerators

NOCTURNE PANORAMIC HI-FI RADIO-PHONO, 1960

1966 – Organized nationwide Radiowealth franchise dealerships.

RANGE OF RADIOWEALTH BRANDED PRODUCTS, 1968

1967 – Introduced the RW-RCA TV. Added ranges, beds, pianos, to its household appliance lines. Received Presidential Award for pioneering in electronics.

1968 – Acquired production facilities for manufacturing Worthington central and packaged air conditioning systems.

RADIOWEALTH PORTABLE APOLLO, 1972

1969 – Introduced the revolutionary Apollo 19 TV with Bubble Screen, the Nocturne LSD stereo with Light and Sound  Diascope and the Interlude AC-DC operated stereo.

This year, RADIOWEALTH developed the Professional modular super solid state component stereo, the Apollo 16 and the Apollo 17 TV.

1ST AC-BATTERY CONSOLE STEREO, 1969

The company also designed and invented an authentic voltage regulator which saves appliances from damage resulting from voltage irregularities. The inexpensive device is now on the market.

NOCTURNE LSD WITH PSYCHEDELIC LIGHTS, 1969

RADIOWEALTH subscribed to professional advertising and the brand was actively promoted tri-media and in-store. The brand continued to flourish through the  70s, but the influx of Japanese brands caused major shifts in brand preference. RADIOWEALTH,  thus, embarked on a “Buy Filipino” Campaign.

RADIOWEALTH XMAS AD, 1969

But by then, Guevara was secure in his RADIOWEALTH business and had branched out to other other lucrative pursuits.  He even forayed into politics –elected a delegate to the 1971 Constitutional Convention that he thought he could use  to advance his platform of industrializing the Philippines.

AFFORDABLE RADIOWEALTH COLOR TV, 1969

When Martial Law was declared, Guevara’s business plan was jeopardized, especially since he was one of 7 delegates who voted against martial law. Because of this, he was pressured by the Marcos government which wanted to take over his successful business. Knowing it was futile to fight Marcos, Guevara—whose health has been affected by the turn of events—together with his wife, fled to the United States.

RADIOWEALTH, YOURS FOR YEARS. 1971 PRINT AD.

RADIOWEALTH eventually closed, signaling an end of a shining era of industrial revolution. But Guevara’s legacy remains in Mandaluyong, where a busy, bustling street on where his manufacturing plants stood-Libertad St.--has been renamed after him—Domingo M. Guevara St. the self-made industrialist died in the 1990s.

THE GUEVARA ENTERPRISE MANDALUYONG PLANT in 1970 

SOURCES:

DOMINGO GUEVARA: Road to Industrialization, http://www.philstar.com/starweek-magazine/2013/01/27/901409/domingo-guevara-road-industrialization

Various issues of the Sunday Times Magazine, 1963-1972
Various issues of Philippine Free Press, 1955-1960