285. Brand Stories: AVEGON RADIOS, 1953

AVEGON CORPORATE AD, 1953

One of the more popular brands of transistor radios that promoted the golden age of the Philippine radio industry was AVEGON, produced by Avegon Inc.,with offices at Sta. Ana, Manila. At its peak, AVEGON RADIOS rivaled the country’s leading radio and TV maker—Radiowealth—which was founded almost 20 years ahead of the company.

AVEGON TRANSISTOR RADIOS/WIRELESS RECORD PLAYER, 1957

The story began with Engr. Antonio Avecilla y Nepomuceno, a Kapampangan born in San Fernando (b. 10 Sep. 1901) who was one of the leading lights of Philippine infrastructure reconstruction after the War. A 1923  Civil Engineering graduate of the University of Santo Tomas, Avecilla ‘s post-war works included the La Mesa Dam and Swimming Pool, Bel-Air Building, Syquia Apartments, Mote de Piedad, Galaxy Theater,  the San Sebastian Convent and Colleges, the Philippine Wallboard Corp. Bldg., the Rizal Motor Sales Bldg., and the rehabilitation of many war-damaged homes and factories.

FOUNDERS OF AVEGON

In 1953, noting the burgeoning radio industry thanks to its rising use as an entertainment and marketing medium, Avecilla teamed up with a friend, Joaquin l. Gonzalez of Baliwag, and pooled their money together to form a fledgling manufacturer and importer of electrical appliances called AVEGON INC., coined from their 2 surnames, AVEcilla and GONzalez.

SPECIFY AVEGON, PRINT D 1960

AVEGON'S NEW YEAR'S NEW PRODUCTS, PRINT AD 1961

Despite a bumpy start, AVEGON’s transistorized radios began gaining a large following, favored for their hi-fi  performance and economical price. They were also prized for their handsome construction, as the cases were made from durable Philippine hardwood.

The company expanded by leaps and bounds, necessitating the construction of its own AVEGON office and factory buildings located at Invernes St., Sta. Ana, Manila. Avecilla served as the company president and general manager.

Later, AVEGON  forayed into the production of fluorescent lamp ballasts that could withstand high humidity and temperature—the first of its kind in the country. AVEGON Radios however, were the company’s flagship brands, with many models to choose from.

THE NOVELTY HOUSE RADIO OF AVEGON, 1962

One of the most unusual were the AVEGON Dreamhouse radios—made in the shape of little roofed houses with TV antennas. It sold wireless record players, radios with legs—all sold at affordable prices.  AVEGON radios were regularly advertised on print and radio and had its own loyal market from the lower-midle class bracket.

AVEGON TV SET ADS, 1964

Radiowealth upped the tempo of the competition by leading the local production of the so-called “TV and Radio/ Music Player Furniture Sets”, an innovation that sought to rethink our idea of what an appliance is, which, to the company can be a home furniture too. It is in this arena of product innovation that AVEGON faltered. It belatedly introduced its first TV set in early 1960s, and continued to produce traditional small and portable transistor radios, which, nevertheless had their own market niche. With more and more Filipinos finding new prosperity, large and modern appliance furniture became the vogue in the 60s right through the 70s—with the advent of the age of stereophonic, quadraphonic and surround sound technology.  

AVEGON TRANSISTOR RADIOS, PRINT AD 1966

AVEGON continued making radios, and the hardwood cases gave way to modern colorful plastic in the 70s. The compToday, AVEGON Radios are prized by radio and music collectors as fine examples of local radio craftsmanship that is distinctively Filipino

SOURCES:

TABLEAU: Encyclopedia of Distinguished Personalities in the Philippines, p. 73.

BALIWAG, Then & Now. Vilacorte, 1985