Communications Secretary Martin Andanar shows a copy of the first issue of the bi-monthly “Mula sa Masa, Para sa Masa” publication of the Presidential Communications Office. He said the publication will be distributed for free to give updates on the programs of the Duterte administration. (Medel V. Hernani/davaotoday.com)
DAVAO CITY– The Presidential Communications Operations Office announced Thursday, August 18 that it will put up a P1.5 billion-worth “state of the art” Mindanao broadcast hub here.
In a press conference during the launching of the 50 First Days campaign of the Duterte administration at the Ateneo de Davao University, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said that they will put up a Mindanao broadcast hub here in Davao, mainly for “faster communication if there will be emergency protocol.”
Andanar said that among other places they chose Davao because the city is seldom hit by typhoons.
“So kahit binabagyo na ang Visayas o binabaha sa Maynila, ay maari pa rin tayong mag-broadcast o mag-communicate sa ating kababayan sa pamamagitan ng Mindanao Broadcast Hub (So even if there will be a typhoon in the Visayas or in Metro Manila we can still broadcast or communicate to the public using the the broadcast hub),” he said.
“Our land here in Mindanao has been long a little bit forgotten and now its time to glorify it by starting where the President came from,” he said.
He said that the broadcast hub will have four studios. One studio will be a Salaam television, which Andanar described as “the first Muslim channel in the Philippines.”
Andanar said the other studio will turn into a national television for the Lumad.
He said that there is a possibility that the budget for the project will be released this year.
“We should not wait until 2017 to start this project. Even if we cannot yet put up the television station, let us start with the programming before the second SONA of the President,” he said.
Andanar also presented and launched the first issue of the government’s publication called Mula sa Masa, Para sa Masa (From the people, To the people). The name was based on the weekly television program of Duterte when he was still the mayor of Davao City.
The bi-monthly publication is in tabloid format and will be distributed for free. The headline of the first issue highlighted the administration’s campaign against illegal drugs.
Andanar said that they only printed 5,000 copies for the first issue, but will print more copies for the next issues. (davaotoday.com)
