Visayas Media Hub breaks ground in Mandaue

CEBU, Philippines —  Mandaue City will soon house the first-ever media hub facility in the Visayas.

Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar led the groundbreaking for the P300-million Visayas Media Hub (VMH) on Feb. 24 in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue.

The hub, which was initiated by the PCOO and People’s Television Network Inc. (PTV), will serve as the main broadcast center for Regions 6, 7, and 8.

It is seen to boost the capacity of government media in the Visayas.

Andanar said Senator Christopher “Bong” Go was instrumental in pushing for the allocation of P300 million in the 2022 national budget for the construction of the state-of-the-art media facility.

Go hailed the government’s efforts to "increase public access to high quality news and information" during VMH's ceremonial groundbreaking.

In his video message as a guest speaker, Go recognized the importance of information in a functioning democracy.

He called on the PCOO and other sate-affiliated media outlets to continue espousing high ethical standards in their work.

“Congratulations to the PCOO and all its attached agencies for your deep investment in the planning and establishment of the triumvirate media hubs across our country,” said Go.

“Today marks another historic milestone in strengthening the fulfillment of our government’s communication operations and services nationwide… This is a vital step to promote increased civic awareness and public participation among Filipinos, especially in the Visayas region,” he added.

The construction of VMH is set to be finished before the year ends.

The 300 million budget was sourced from the General Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2022. Another P300 million was also included in the PCOO’s 2022 budget for the various equipment needed for the operations of the VMH.

The hub will include a four-story building with a broadcast complex, television studios, radio booths, an automated master control system, a transmitter and satellite uplink system, TV broadcast information technology system, news graphics system, and digital transmitters.

Similar to the Mindanao Media Hub (MMH) in Davao City, VMH will provide news and information tailored to Western Visayas, Central Visayas and Eastern Visayas. The MMH is the first media hub of the PCOO outside Metro Manila, delivering news and programs of interest to Regions 10 to 13 and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The VMH will house the PCOO and its attached agencies, such as state flagship broadcaster People’s Television Network (PTV), the Philippine Broadcasting Service, Philippine Information Agency, Philippine News Agency, and Radio Television Malacan~ang.

“Ang mga media hubs na ito ay maipapamana natin sa susunod na henerasyon na magpapatuloy sa paghatid ng serbisyong publiko sa pamamamagitan ng tapat at malayang pamamahayag. Isa itong patunay sa hangarin ng administrasyong Duterte na makapagbigay ng maaasahan at mapagkakatiwalaang balita at impormasyon sa publiko,” said Go.

The senator reaffirmed his commitment to continue supporting the work of the PCOO.

He also reminded all state and commercial media institutions to "help people navigate the news amid the global spread of misinformation by striving to serve as a model of public service broadcasting".

“Matagal natin itong pinag-usapan at ipinaglaban sa Senado kaya masaya ako na matutuloy na itong Visayas Media Hub. Makakaasa kayo na palagi akong handang sumuporta at tumulong (sa inyo) sa abot ng aking makakaya,” he said.

“Let us also include well wishes and prayers that this Visayas Media hub, and all other state-sponsored broadcast facilities and private media outlets, will meet the evolving needs and expectations of our kababayans, which are anchored in our collective mandate to provide public service,” he added. — PR/KQD (FREEMAN)