NEED FOR PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCAST SYSTEM CITED

The Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC) and the NOW Group are pushing for the immediate passage of the proposed Philippine Public Service Broadcasting Act.

In separate letters addressed to Senate President Vicente Sotto III and House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, AIJC president emeritus and trustee Florangel Rosario-braid said the proposed bill would enhance the public’s claim to its constitutional right to information on matters of public concern as well as the Charter’s recognition of the vital role of communication and information in nation-building.

AIJC is a nonstock nonprofit institution engaged in continuing education and media development established in 1980 by icons in Philippine journalism, communication and education, such as former Philippine vice president Salvador P. Lopez, Jose Luna Castro, and Bro. Andrew Gonzales.

The NOW Group, chaired Mel Velarde who is also the CEO, is composed of listed telecommunication, media and technology firm NOW Corp.,

NOW Telecom and NOW Cable.

According to Velarde, NOW is supporting the proposed PPSB and is willing to provide the broadcasting and technology expertise while AIJC would handle content and courseware creation.

NOW’S broadcasting affiliates have applied for radio frequencies and have ongoing applications for direct terrestrial television broadcast (DTTB). It said it was interested in TV and radio broadcasting due to its wide-spread coverage for news delivery, public information and distance learning but contrary to some reports, it has not applied at the National Telecommunications Commission to secure ABS-CBN Channel 2 and Amcara Broadcasting Network’s Channel 23.

Velarde said that applying for TV and radio licenses was an obligation mandated in broadcasting franchises to operate granted by Congress and that there must be as many applications to fill the void created by the demise of ABSCBN TV and radio signals in the air. “The sooner this is done, and the most qualified applicants with verifiable and excellent track record can operate the said franchises, the better for the country since if these frequencies fall into the wrong hands, then the intent of Congress which represents the people shall be compromised,” he said.

In the meantime, Braid said in her letter that the current Philippine media environment highlighted the important role the PPSB could play in addressing development issues like the COVID-19 pandemic and the emerging new normal, disinformation and misinformation, the need for risk and crisis communication, and educational broadcasting as a more viable distance learning mode due to poor internet connectivity.

She noted that since the 8th Congress in 1987, bills proposing the setting up of a public service broadcasting had been regularly introduced but have not been enacted into law due to various reasons, making the Philippines one of the few countries in the world without a PBS.