Filipino Image Publisher

JOE CORTEZA REYES Hall of Famer in Broadcast Media One of the most popular television personalities in
the Filipino American community in Chicago is JOE REYES.

He pioneered the first Filipino television show called “The Philippine Revue,” a one hour variety show that
was telecast live in the 1970’s on Channel 26, WCIU-TV. Prior to this, he pioneered the first Tagalog
program called “Philippine Hour” on WOFA Oak Brook, playing strictly Pilipino songs and music and updated
news about the Philippines for the nostalgic Filipinos living miles away from the Motherland. The Philippine
Revue television format included: ESKWELAHANG MUNTI (where Fil-Am children were taught Pilipino
language live on TV so they won’t forget their Filipino heritage; INTERVIEW SEGMENT: interviews and
features of visiting Philippine politicians, movie stars and prominent celebrities in Chicago and other areas;
NATIVE/BALLROOM DANCING; a live telecast of Philippine folk dancers and ballroom dancers (shall we say
this was where the ballroom dancing craze originated?); PHILIPPINE NEWS: News direct and fresh from
the Philippines via air, and the latest news from the local Chicagoland events and feature stories.

Joe Reyes led and woke up the community for fundraising campaigns whenever and wherever natural
calamities struck the Philippines. Joe Reyes reigned supreme and was known and recognized to be the
Chicago’s foremost ethnic (not only Filipino) personality for more than a decade. The founder and executive
director of the “Philippine Bandstand,” a dance show featuring the local organizations and personalities that
entertained the Filipino community of Chicago for many years, it was a much-awaited favorite show of the
community and promoted camaraderie amongst Filipinos in Chicago.

Joe was nominated for “Outstanding Achievement for Documentary Programs of Cultural Significance” at the
23rd annual Chicago Emmy Awards in the 1970’s. He received commendation letters from Illinois Senator
James C. Taylor acknowledging the vital role he played to ensure the success of the 15-day state visit of the
senator and his party to the Philippines as ambassadors of goodwill.

After graduating from the University of Santo Tomas with a degree in Journalism, Joe started his Philippine
journalistic stints which included “The Dana Show” by the Dana Parfums International Program, a
dramatization of the first break in the movies of various Philippine movie personalities and also involved
search for movie stars and radio singers and personalities and was a radio host on Station DZFM in a
program entitled, “This is your Host, Joe Reyes”. It also included “Night Out at the Metro Garden and Grill”
with Carmen Perina and Iggy de Guzman and his orchestra. He served as the press relations officer of the
Pasay Restaurant and Night Club Association (PRANCA) consisting of top Manila night clubs like Riviera,
Nautilus, Bayside, Sportsman and Jimmy’s. He also served as a voting member during the 5th annual
awards presentation of the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts & Sciences (FAMAS).

Although the television industry has been dominated by technical changes, Joe Reyes’s television
broadcasting legacy must live on forever. He is the man who used his genius to overcome the limitations as
an ethnic programming in the Chicagoland who was never easy and he was able to overcome it with great
success Currently enjoying his retirement years traveling back and forth from Chicago to the Philippines, Joe
Reyes has never been forgotten by many people who remember his program well and alive in their minds.

He is a happily married living with his wife Josie in Carol Stream. The Reyes children include Maria Victoria
Nery, Maria Theresa Moylan, Willy Reyes, Malou Borja, Chat Reyes, Joe Reyes III and JR Reyes.