MANILA-- Amid a looming Senate inquiry into state-run PTV-4’s airing of Chinese shows, Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar on Wednesday defended the government media’s move, saying there is nothing wrong with broadcasting Chinese contents on the premiere state-run television network.
"We can air anything as long as there are bilateral exchanges, (as long as) there is a memorandum of understanding (MOU)," Andanar told reporters in Valenzuela City.
Andanar said similar contents from South Korea and Japan were also played on the government TV network.
"Ang PTV po ay nagi-ere rin ng programa, for example last year we aired the programs of South Korea, mayroon silang mga ipinadala sa ating Koreanovela, ngayong taon na ito, mayroon tayong more than 50 titles of Japanese contents (PTV is also airing other programs. For example, last year we aired the programs of South Korea, they sent us Koreanovelas. This year, we have more than 50 titles of Japanese content), he said.
“So we don't see anything wrong about this as long as iyong ipinapadala sa ating content ay entertainment, may entertainment value at mayroon din siyang information value (So we don't see anything wrong about this as long the contents they send have entertainment and information values), he added.
The communications official said once the Senate invites PTV officials for the probe, the “network will be able to discuss this more in detail.”
PTV-4 is set to air free Chinese shows starting August 2018, following the formal launch of the "China TV Theatre" in Makati last month.
Li Lingxiao, Press Attache of the embassy, earlier told the Philippine News Agency that specific dates are still under negotiation but the trial run is expected this August.
The China TV Theatre segment in PTV-4 will feature one TV drama titled "Feather Flies to the Sky," a 2014 Chinese film titled "Beijing Love Story," a cartoon show and a documentary.
The Senate minority has filed Senate Resolution 780, which directs the appropriate Senate committees to look into the government's plan of airing Chinese shows which they believe may be "an insidious agenda" to advance the propaganda of the Chinese Communist Party.
Vital agreements
Andanar, meanwhile, pointed out that agreements with PCOO counterparts in foreign governments are vital to the country's developing government communications office.
"Alam po nating lahat na tayo ay humahabol palang sa teknolohiya at contents ng ibang bansa (We all know that we are still trying to keep up with the technology and contents of other countries). We have so much to learn from them as much as they also have so much to learn from us. Iyong mga bansa na mas ahead sa atin in terms of technology, may matututunan tayo sa kanila (Those countries that are ahead of us in terms of technology, we can learn from them)," he pointed out.
Aside from China, the PCOO has existing MOU with South Korea, Japan, Russia, and Cambodia.
The communications chief also revealed that PCOO will ink a similar deal with Thailand and Myanmar. (PNA)
