Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Jose Ruperto Martin Andanar said in the 2nd Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN)-Japan Television Festival’s opening ceremony in Seda Hotel in Quezon City that he is currently transforming the government’s television network, People’s Television Network Incorporated (PTV), to attain the highest degree of responsive requirement in providing news and information.
“Our people’s television network is presently reengineering its programs and facilities to attain the highest degree of responsive requirement in providing news and information to our people as envisioned by president Rodrigo Roa Duterte. There can only be the people and their welfare as the ultimate level of public service for our government’s nationwide television coverage.” Andanar said.
“Earlier this year, the PCOO which I manage has undertaking the transformation of the government television station now called People’s Television Network to approximate the professionalism, integrity and honor of the NHK, the Nippon Hoso Kyokai of Japan. With the intent, we signed an agreement with the Japanese ministry of internal affairs and communications focused on enhancing the capability, capacity, and the reciprocity of both our government and media services,” Andanar said in his opening statement.
PTV Network General Manager Dino Apolonio also attended the opening ceremony, disclosing the overview and the goal of the television festival.
“In the 2nd ASEAN- Japan Television Festival or AJTF2, we aim to strengthen cooperation between us and finding effective strategies and furthermore in developing and enhancing this for staying relevant in this age of multiplatform and for coping with the dynamic landscape of the broadcast industry,” Apolonio stated.
“The festival has 3 tracks: the workshop event consist of plenary and parallel workshop sessions that will focus on showcasing and introducing new technology and consider ideas furthering professional development, also in this track we aim to expand the cooperation between all of us; the screening and exhibition event is where we will promote program exchange, coproduction, concept development, and content distribution which as we all know is a key component to the success of every broadcast network; lastly the public event which is a performance that will feature celebrities and artists from ASEAN member nations and Japan to promote cultural exchange and raise awareness on ASEAN as part of the 50th founding anniversary,” he explained.
Meanwhile, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of the Philippines Kazuhide Ishikawa also expressed support on the event, associating the television industry with Fukuda Doctrine that emphasized heart to heart relations.
“Incidentally, this year is 40th anniversary of the Fukuda Doctrine which was first announced in Manila in 1977 by then Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda of Japan. One of the most important message in his doctrine was its emphasis on heart to heart relations between ASEAN and Japan.” Ishikawa said.
“Heart to heart relation is also one of the underlined concepts in this festival. This event brings together broadcasting professionals and enthusiasts in the region. Again, people to people, heart to heart. And in this case, what binding us is our common interest in TV.”
Ishikawa also compared television to a mirror reflecting each diverse society even in the internet era.
“As we all recall the first electronic television was actually invented and first presented to the public today of 1927. Since then, this device has made remarkable progress to become a mirror reflecting each diverse society even in the internet era. Because they mirror the society, TV program could help us better understand each other, and this is why Japan promotes proactive regional exchanges and partnership in TV content and technologies,” he added.
PCOO Undersecretary Noel George Puyat was also present in the event, promoting television as a preferred media platform in the social media era.
“Even with the increasing penetration of internet and the prominence of online or social media as an alternative source of information and medium of entertainment, television remains to be a preferred media platform. A study by TV audience measurement provider, Kantar Media in 2016, showed that 96.6% of Filipinos tune in to their televisions daily watching their favorite TV programs.” He stated on his speech.
Puyat also added that aside from being informative and entertaining, television watching can also serve as a bonding moment as it’s being enjoyed with family and friends.
Another thing that is good with television industry is that it embraced and is continuing to adopt to the digital age, according to him.
The first television festival was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2015, aiming to further strengthen the cooperation between the member states and Japan in developing and promoting the television industry in terms of technology sharing, content exchanges, and co-productions.
The 3-day festival will consist of different activities that will happen from September 7 to 9, aiming to explore TV industry, share ideas on how to deliver richer and more entertaining viewing experience for TV audience, learn the latest TV technologies, connect broadcasters, and generate ideas for future cooperation between ASEAN and Japan. | Angelica Bobiles – PTV