PB still wants Cebu Province PIO

CEBU, Philippines - Despite having called to a stop the operations of province-run TV and radio stations, the provincial government of Cebu still sees the importance of having an avenue to showcase the municipalities and cities in the province.

Provincial Board member Arleigh Sitoy said that this is why they are pushing for the enhancement of the Provincial Information Office as they “recognize the vital role of communication management and pertinent research in the development of the countrysides.”

Yesterday, a public hearing was held for the Provincial Information Office Ordinance that was authored by Sitoy where provisions of the said proposal were discussed among attendees from different towns in the province, the academe, media and other sectors.

The proposed ordinance also stressed on the role of the PIO in taking into effect the responsibility of the government to keep the people updated with relevant information, especially the projects and programs implemented for them.

“It also recognized as an important policy to promote Cebu in order to entice investments and tourism development in the countrysides. The policy of enabling media to have easy access to information and news through the PIO is recognized as a policy for sustainable development,” the proposal read.

Sitoy pointed out that this is one way of informing the people and promote the province at a ‘less expensive but more effective’ manner.

Information officers would also be “in the front line in providing information during and in the aftermath of manmade and natural disasters and calamities.”

Last December, acting Governor Agnes Magpale ordered to stop the operations of Sugbo TV and province-paid radio programs upon the review of the provincial budget. The programs were under the office of suspended Governor Gwen Garcia.

Sugbo News, the official publication of the governor’s office was also halted. Magpale have later revealed that there were insufficient funds in the province’s coffers with close to P300M in payables and only P90M in account.

For Sugbo TV, the province reportedly pays US$14,000 a month for the satellite connection and P100,000 a month for Skycable.

Sitoy said that for the defunct Sugbo News, there is still a huge amount to be settled on previous printing operations.

“We have been finding a way to lower the costs,” said Sitoy adding that with the new plans in hand, they can achieve publication and pay lesser than the previous publications.

The PB member also said that they will be printing lesser copies since 60,000 copies, which reportedly was the number of copies printed for Sugbo News, is too much.

Sitoy also assured that they will be putting in more substance to articles and will no longer include pictures of politicians and officials, but only of places and events.

Upon reviewing the finances of the provincial funds as she took office last December following the suspension of Garcia, Magpale questioned the purpose of the media outlets paid by the province since it was allegedly used to promote One Cebu, the political party of Garcia. The acting governor cited that block timers paid by the government are attacking the opposition on air.

The province reportedly had a PIO office and staff years back but it was under the office of the Governor, which according to the local government code should be a separate department.

While the proposed ordinance states that the governor would sit as the chairman of the Board of Advisers (BOA), representatives from other sectors would also be included including the ABC president or a duly authorized representative of the Province, the president or a representative of the Mayor’s League of the Philippines, the president of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters ng Pilipinas, representative from the print media specifically the beat reporters assigned in the Capitol and a representative from the academe.

The BOA would be responsible to recommend the policies of the PIO, the budget and other financial matters and would be the one to approve programs and projects of the said office.

If approved, the province will be hiring additional personnel for the office.  Three to four members of the PIO office that was established years back are said to be still functioning for the province.

Sitoy said that they will be welcoming more suggestions from the public in the next public hearings for the proposed ordinance.   (FREEMAN)