16.5 million households to access broadcast education

MANILA, Philippines — Information and Communications Technology Undersecretary Ramon “RJ” Jacinto has announced the enlistment of 315 radio stations, with an 80 percent population penetration, and television platforms that can reach at least 16.5 million households or subscribers.

Jacinto presented an exhaustive analysis of the radio and television platforms that can be used for education to the departments tasked by President Duterte to look into the sector during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July.

He also recommended the immediate, medium and long-term solutions for complete nationwide broadcast education penetration.

For the immediate term solution, Jacinto sought the help of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) in securing hours from 211 radio stations which, together with 104 PBS government radio stations, will provide an 80 percent penetration among learners.

For television, the undersecretary said analog TV was the best immediate solution which, when paired with channels available for digital terrestrial television (DTT) received by TV plus and GMA boxes, direct to home (DTH) like Cignal and GSAT and existing cable companies under PCTA and FICTAP, can reach 16.5 million households.

For the medium term, Jacinto recommended that the Department of Education or the local government units can subsidize additional TV plus and GMA boxes in areas, schools, barangays or homes that would need it. The same can be done with satellite DTH so the remotest areas can receive broadcast.

For the long term, Jacinto recommended the complete migration of PTV 4 to DTT that uses free to air broadcast and will not require a monthly fee unlike cable or DTH TV which have an installation charge and a monthly fee.

“The nationwide migration of PTV 4 using frequencies available to government will provide as many as eight clear channels, two or three of which can be devoted to education. For the most remote places, satellite to home or DTH is still the best,” he emphasized.

The estimated cost of the PTV-4 expansion is P3 billion to P4 billion.