Antonio "Tony" Israel

Antonio “Tony” Israel worked as a broadcast media practitioner, writer and a social entrepreneur. He was initiated to his advocacy on September 3, 2000 with the use of an analog Sony Nightshot camcorder and videotape recordings of unidentified flying objects. Several folks might still recall him as that man who once made the headlines and could be seen in the photo wielding a camcorder pointed towards the sky.

In 2001, Israel joined Rajah Broadcasting Network as an AM radio talkshow host. Two years later, he became the network’s news director and top anchor on both radio and television. He introduced video-journalism and trained several reporters how to use their personal cameras for news gathering. He was a member of the prestigious Asian Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD). In 2008, he pursued a quieter life. Away from the airwaves, he continued with his advocacy and gathered support using social media. The effective use of broadcast and social media was a talent he was able to hone over the years.

Prior to becoming a public figure in the field of ufology, he was a business owner. A skillful manager and marketer, his company pioneered the introduction and distribution of close to eight different products/brands in the field of medical technology. Attending conventions and trade shows held abroad, Israel broadened his skills in trade negotiations and corporate image building. In late 2000, he sold his business to support and focus on his newfound advocacy.

In 2009, he founded the UFO Society of the Philippines (UFOSP.ORG). With the help of his friends in the broadcast, print and social media, Israel pulled (in 2011) the biggest UFO conference held thus far, in the Philippines. Attended by more than 350 participants, it was a success attributed much to Israel’s organizational leadership and campaign management.

Today, the nonprofit organization he is building remains identifiable with flying objects and the use of video cameras for gathering evidence. Although no longer about the “unidentified,” he is now advocating the use of “unmanned” aerial vehicles (or drones) for commercial/industrial/governmental applications in the Philippines. Still in the formative stages, Israel envisions the Philippine Center for Drone Research and Development (PCDRD) to carry out case studies and recommend a workable framework for a "rapid aerial deployment, assessment and response (RADAR)" model with the use of smart drones.