China gives 400 radio sets to communications secretary office

February 27, 2017

Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua on Monday turned over 400 transistor radios to Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar in a ceremony held in the New Executive Building in Malacanang.

"This is symbolic of the different projects that is a result of the bilateral communications, MOU (memoranda of understanding), that the Chinese government and the Republic of the Philippines, through the PCOO (Presidential Communications Operations Office), had signed last year," Andanar said.

Zhao said the turnover is part of efforts to enhance exchanges and cooperation between the PCOO and its Chinese counterparts.

During President Rodrigo Duterte's state visit to China, the PCOO signed MOUs with the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and the Ministry of Information.

Part of the SCIO agreement, PCOO will send a delegation to China for official exchanges and media training. The Chinese government is planning on providing a radio transmitter to the People's Channel  to enlarge its coverage.

China's Ministry of Information will help rebuild PTV-4, Radyo ng Bayan, and the Philippines News Agency, aside from annual scholarships for PCOO executives and employees.

"These activities are simply the first steps to be followed by a variety form of exchanges and cooperation," the Chinese ambassador said.

Andanar thanked the Chinese ambassador for his government's persistency to see the bilateral MOU to go forward. DMS