GOVERNMENT PROPAGANDISTS have launched a caravan aimed at trumpeting the accomplishments of President Rodrigo Duterte, who is running for the vice presidency in next year’s polls with his former aide and now senator, Bong Go.
Dubbed as the “Duterte Legacy: Barangayanihan Caravan Towards National Recovery,” the Philippine Information Agency said the nationwide campaign began on September 30.
“Among its objectives is to
let beneficiaries share their stories from the government programs they have
availed, making an impact in their lives. It is also an initiative of the
government to counter misinformation by letting ordinary people speak of the
milestones of the government,” PIA said.
The PIA is under the Presidential
Communications Operations Office (PCOO) headed by Secretary Martin Andanar, who
attributed Duterte’s high satisfaction ratings to the president’s policies
grounded on ensuring the welfare of the poor.
Andanar referred
to landmark policies that have contributed to the vision of the administration
in providing a comfortable life for every Filipino. But recent surveys showed the
majority of Filipinos said they remain poor.
However, Andanar cited the passage of the Universal Healthcare Law,
the provision of free tertiary education in public universities and colleges,
assistance to former rebels, and the massive infrastructure projects, among
others as Duterte’s landmark policies.
He stressed the need to report the accomplishments of the Duterte
Administration in order for more Filipinos to be informed of the programs and
services that they can avail of from government offices.
Andanar shrugs off criticisms and said he respects the opinion of
the critics who are tagging the PCOO’s Duterte Legacy campaign as a purveyor of
fake news. With that said, he encouraged them to do their own research on those
Filipino families who are benefitting from the programs of the government
instead.
“Present na present po yang mga programang ginagawa ng pamahalaan.
Magtanong kayo sa mga nakinabang kagaya dun sa mga estudyanteng nakinabang sa
libreng edukasyon sa kolehiyo,” he said.
“Makakatanggap ka talaga ng
mga kritisismo dahil yan naman ay parte ng ating demokrasya at nirerespeto po
natin ang kanilang mga pananaw sa buhay, the same way, they should respect
beliefs, values, and our political,” he added.
Critics also said the government’s massive build-up of
so-called media hubs across the country ahead of the polls may give a huge political
advantage to Duterte and to his presidential and senatorial candidates.
Andanar has
boasted about the media hub, calling it as among the legacies of Duterte in
government communications for PCOO. These include the successful construction
of the Mindanao Media Hub, according to Andanar, who is reportedly gunning for
a senate seat.
He 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 has
already broken ground for the so-called Government Strategic Communications
Academy in the town of Manolo Fortich in Bukidnon province.
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)
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