(Photo courtesy of PNA)
The Philippine Senate officially launched Senate TV on Tuesday, October 27, providing Filipinos with direct access to legislative hearings, plenary debates, and other proceedings through a dedicated television channel.
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian led the launch of the high-definition channel, which airs on IBC Digital TV Channel 13.3 through a partnership with the state-owned Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC-13).
Gatchalian said the initiative aims to promote transparency by allowing the public to watch Senate proceedings in full rather than relying solely on edited video clips and news summaries.
“Itong Senate TV ay napakagandang hakbang ito para magdala ng full information sa ating mga kababayan,” Gatchalian said.
He emphasized that the channel would help Filipinos better understand the legislative process, including the research, consultations, and technical work involved in drafting laws.
During its initial phase, Senate TV will broadcast committee hearings, plenary sessions, and other Senate activities without commentary intended to influence viewers’ interpretations.
The second phase will introduce a dedicated newscast covering Senate developments and specialized programs highlighting lawmakers’ activities, including their engagements with communities.
IBC-13 said the project is modeled after the United States’ C-SPAN, which provides extensive coverage of government proceedings with minimal editorial intervention.
Senate President Pro Tempore Vicente Sotto III welcomed the initiative, saying it strengthens the public’s constitutional right to information and promotes accountability among elected officials.
“You do not have to take our word for it or what happens here. You can watch it, you judge it, and you hold us accountable,” Sotto said.
He added that Senate TV would help viewers follow proposed legislation from filing and committee deliberations to plenary debates, amendments, voting, and eventual presidential action.
The channel will also provide coverage of budget deliberations, allowing taxpayers to monitor discussions on government spending and the allocation of public funds.
During the launching ceremony, Gatchalian and IBC-13 President and Chief Executive Officer Jose Policarpio Jr. signed a memorandum of agreement formalizing the broadcasting partnership.
Under the agreement, the Senate will lease the television channel from IBC-13, which owns and operates the broadcasting frequency.
Policarpio reaffirmed the network’s commitment to delivering accurate, timely, and nonpartisan information.
IBC-13 also cited Republic Act No. 12311, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on October 3, 2025, which renewed the network’s legislative franchise for another 25 years.
Meanwhile, Gatchalian announced plans to reorganize the Senate’s Public Relations and Information Bureau into a modern communications office to strengthen public information services through digital technologies.
Senate TV currently broadcasts from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on IBC Digital Channel 13.3 in areas covered by the network’s digital signal.
Viewers with digital televisions or set-top boxes may need to rescan their channels to access the new service.
The Senate also plans to expand Senate TV’s availability through cable television and online platforms.
The new channel joins Congress TV, which began broadcasting on IBC Digital Channel 13.2 in October 2024, providing both chambers of Congress with dedicated television platforms.
IBC-13 said it currently operates nine digital transmission sites from Laoag to Cagayan de Oro, with 13 additional sites planned by 2027 to expand coverage across Luzon and Mindanao.
The expansion is expected to make legislative proceedings accessible to more Filipinos through free digital television.
