IBC-13 to be privatized before Aquino steps down – Coloma

MANILA, Philippines – The privatization of government television network IBC-13 will be completed before President Benigno Aquino III steps down from Malacañang, according to Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr.

“We’ve already started the process of privatizatian of IBC-13. It has already engaged the services of privatization process manager, which is the Development Bank of the Philippines,” Coloma said during the Senate hearing on the proposed 2015 budget of his Presidential Communication Operations Office (PCOO) on Wednesday, September 3. 

“Ang patakaran ng Pangulo ay isa lang ang mananatiling TV network ng gobyerno. Ang ating time frime ay within the term of the President,” Coloma added. (The policy of the President is only one TV network should remain with the government. Our time frame is withint the term of the President)

PCOO supervises the governmen’ts public communiction and mass media organizations, including government TV networks like IBC-13, the Philippine Information Agency, Philippine Broadcast Service, and the National Printing Office.

Coloma’s office has a total proposed budget of P1.022 billion for 2015. Coloma noted it is lower by P159 million or 13.47% than its 2014 budget. 

IBC-13 was sequestered by government during the the administration of the late Corazon Aquino. It is under the Coloma’s office, along with RPN-9 and PTV-4 television networks.

Coloma said PTV-4 will become the sole government TV network, which is undergoing changes in its programming to be able to earn revenues. 

PTV-4 General Manager Cleo Dongga-as said the network earned P59 million in the first 6 months of the year. – Carmela Fonbuena/Rappler.com