Government media as political propaganda tool?

DAVAO CITY – The government’s massive build-up of so-called media hub across the country ahead of next year’s local and national polls may give huge advantage to Filipino leader Rodrigo Duterte, who is running for vice president, and to his presidential and senatorial candidates through “unlimited” political propaganda.

Secretary Martin Andanar has boasted about the media hub, calling it as among the legacies of Duterte in government communications for the President Communications Operations Office (PCOO).

These include the successful construction of the Mindanao Media Hub, according to Andanar, who is reportedly gunning for a senate seat.

A PCOO photo shows the formal inauguration of the Mindanao Media Hub on March 18, 2021. Davao City Mayor and presidential daughter Sara Carpio cuts the ribbon and signals the official operation of the media hub.

Andanar said the Mindanao Media Hub is the first government media hub outside Metro Manila which now houses the PCOO’s satellite office in Duterte’s hometown Davao; the regional stations of the People’s Television Network, Inc., the Philippine News Agency, Philippine Information Agency, APO Production Unit, Inc., Radyo Pilipinas, and the Presidential Broadcast Staff – Radio Television Malacañang.

A similar facility is also being eyed in Mandaue City in Cebu province or the Visayas Media Hub with the inclusion of its initial P200 budget for construction in the PCOO’s proposed allocation for 2022. The Visayas Media Hub - which will be the biggest in the region – is expected to start its construction soon within the 3,000-square meter property of the Department of Information and Communications Technology in the village of Subangdaku.

The PCOO is set to begin the construction of the so-called Government Strategic Communications Academy this year in the town of Manolo Fortich in Bukidnon province with its groundbreaking ceremony taking place this month.

All those areas - Davao in eastern Mindanao, Bukidnon in northern Mindanao and Cebu in central Philippines – are all strategically located to promote government propaganda through digital platforms. (Mindanao Examiner)