MANILA – The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) is planning to establish regional media hubs to help journalists, particularly those based outside major cities, access facilities and resources needed to report on developments in their respective communities.
Speaking to reporters, PCO Secretary Lino Cayetano said the proposed hubs would support provincial correspondents and media affiliates by providing workspaces, reliable Internet connectivity, printers, and other basic facilities.
Cayetano said the initiative aims to decentralize information dissemination and ensure that news and developments from different parts of the country reach a wider audience.
“As you know, hindi lahat ng impormasyon, hindi ho lahat ng importanteng balita nangyayari sa Metro Manila or sa Metro Cebu or sa Metro Davao (not all information and important news happen in Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, or Metro Davao),” he said.
Cayetano noted that media organizations often rely on stringers and provincial correspondents to cover developments outside major urban centers.
He, however, acknowledged that these journalists may lack access to adequate facilities and resources.
“With these media hubs, PCO will be able to host and to support yung mga affiliates niyo sa probinsya (your affiliates in the provinces),” Cayetano said.
He said the hubs could provide spaces where journalists can work, access fast Internet, use printers, and set up their laptops or computers.
Cayetano added that PCO would seek to support both government-run media and their private-sector counterparts through the initiative.
“Across the entire country, there’s that our citizens want to hear and we want to also empower not just state media, but we want to empower our partners in the private sector para mapakinabangan niyo ho ‘yung mga media hubs ‘yun (so you can benefit from those media hubs),” he said.
Cayetano said the proposal reflects the administration’s recognition of the media’s role in nation-building and its contribution to keeping the public informed about developments affecting their communities.
Cayetano said the PCO is exploring the establishment of regional offices in Ilocos, Panay, and the Bicol region, while identifying other strategic locations in Mindanao where media hubs could be set up.
Cayetano said the PCO already has a regional presence in the Visayas and in the Cordillera region. (Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos/PNA)
