MEDIA HUB. PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar (center) leads the ground-filling of the time capsule during the groundbreaking ceremony of the Visayas Media Hub at the DICT lot in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City on Thursday (Feb. 24, 2022). Andanar said the facility marks the beginning of the envisioned digital last mile platform and underscores the need of government media to invest in artificial intelligence and algorithm to cope with the fast-changing technology in the delivery of news and information. (PNA photo by John Rey Saavedra)
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar on Thursday cited the need to invest in artificial intelligence and algorithm that will enable government media to strengthen the last mile information platform where news and information could reach the intended readers, viewers, or listeners.
Andanar led the time capsule laying and groundbreaking ceremony for the Visayas Media Hub (VMH) in this industrial city, which is envisioned to become the digital last mile platform for government news and information delivery.
Like the Mindanao Media Hub (MMH) in Davao City, the VMH will be home to the PCOO and its line agencies in the Visayas and will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities.
In his speech, Andanar said: “I advocate sustainable communication. With this infrastructure that we have (which is part of the) Duterte legacy, we have a chance to advocate sustainable communication. We have a chance to create a very robust last mile information platform for the government and I say it, it is very timely that (here in) Mandaue (we build this) media hub. This will not only be a Visayas Media Hub (that is only an) infrastructure (that we can go) broadcast, (this is) a Visayas Media Hub that will champion the digital last mile information platform of the entire government of the Republic of the Philippines.”
He cited PCOO’s attached agencies including the Philippine News Agency (PNA) and the broadcast arms – Radio Television-Malacañang (RTVM) and People’s Television Network (PTV) – that previously could hardly compete in terms of viewership in the digital and social media platform but are now being viewed by millions of visitors.
People’s welfare
The PCOO chief thanked President Rodrigo Duterte for ensuring the VMH will materialize and, like the MMH, become part of his legacy projects, as well as Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go for pushing for its budget in Congress.
In his video message, Duterte welcomed the creation of the VMH which he said will boost the government communication services across the country.
“I am certain that this hub will be a beacon of excellence as we modernize our government media for the improved welfare of our people in the Visayas and the rest of the nation,” the President said.
Go, also in a video message, said the VMH is vital for promoting increased civic awareness and public participation among the Filipinos, especially in the Visayas region.
He said among the objectives of the Duterte administration is to provide reliable and credible news and information to the public.
“As public servants and media practitioners, may we continue to empower our kababayan (countrymen) in keeping them well informed of the social, political, and economic development of our country,” Go said.
Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) Undersecretary Jonji Gonzales said the VMH is a useful tool of the government in combatting fake news and misinformation.
Also attending the groundbreaking ceremony were Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes who thanked the government for deciding to build the VMH at their place, and other PCOO and Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) officials.
Facilities and offices
For his part, Department of Public Works and Highways-Central Visayas (DPWH-7) assistant regional director Mario Montejo said the VMH will be constructed on a 5,000-square meter lot in Barangay Subangdaku here which is under usufruct agreement with the DICT.
Montejo said the building that will have a total floor area of 5,318.34 square meters will be the home of the PCOO and its attached agencies -- PNA, PTV, RTVM, Philippine Information Agency, and Philippine Broadcast Service -- after its completion within 320 calendar days.
The building will have facilities such as a news and multi-purpose studio, radio booths, production and master control room, central equipment room, technical operations room, network center, radio and television newsroom, Press Secretary’s briefing room, and news and information room, apart from the offices for the attached agencies, he added.
PCOO Undersecretary Kristian Ablan said the procurement process will start soon but the construction of the PHP300-million VMH building will begin after the May 9 elections. (PNA)
