ABS-CBN TVplus is pro- Filipino Kapamilya

It is unfortunate that a few groups have been demonizing ABS-CBN’s TVplus lately, riding on the network’s franchise renewal woes. They have thrown all sorts of baseless accusations and twisted information about a meaningful service enjoyed already by millions of Filipinos as a result of ABS-CBN’s immediate response to the government’s call to shift to digital terrestrial television (DTT).

Even before the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) declared at the Digital TV Summit 2017 that it plans to implement fully digital television broadcasting nationwide by 2023, the Philippine government has been preparing for DTT migration for years.

It was in 2015 when ABS-CBN launched ABS-CBN TVplus or popularly known as the “mahiwagang black box” after DICT began to allow media networks to test broadcast on DTT. Since then, it has sold nine million TVplus boxes that have transformed the viewing experience of Filipinos by providing them clear video, crisp sound and more entertainment channels for the families without any monthly fees. All of these were done under the supervision of both DICT and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

In fact, in the Framework of the Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting Migration Plan, the DICT even lauded ABS-CBN for remaining steadfast in its commitment to serve the Filipino in the face of changing governments, natural disasters, and evolving technologies.

“The organization is continuously evolving to provide better service through radio, free TV, digital terrestrial TV, cable TV, film, movie, and various advocacies,” it said.

TVplus has served as a partner to several government agencies in disseminating relevant information to the public. Via INFOplus, users need only to press the red button on the TVplus remote to get real-time updates without the need for an internet connection.

TVplus has a built-in emergency warning broadcast system (EWBS) that shoots safety alerts when disasters like earthquake strike. The EWBS service was used during the MMDA earthquake drill spearheaded by then chairman and now Sen. Francis Tolentino last July 30, 2015.

TVplus has shown that it has been an able partner of government agencies in disseminating public information, and it can do more especially at this time when the nation is facing the impact of a global pandemic.

Thankfully, various fact-checks done by groups have already disputed the false accusations hurled against TVplus.