Legarda pushes PTV-4 rehabilitation, fights disinformation

MANILA — Sen. Loren Legarda is calling for urgent reforms in government communications, including the revitalization of state-run People’s Television Network (PTV-4), to strengthen the country’s defense against misinformation and disinformation.

Speaking during the Senate plenary on Nov. 25 as the sponsor of the Presidential Communications Office’s (PCO) proposed 2026 budget, Legarda stressed the importance of clear, accurate, and centralized messaging in maintaining public trust and informed discourse.

“Messaging is so important. Disinformation, misinformation, inaccuracy, and messages lost in translation confuse the people,” Legarda said. “Even with good intentions, if you say it incorrectly or deliberately try to confuse, then that is wrong.”

She emphasized that communication efforts must be streamlined through a single, verified source to prevent the spread of conflicting or false narratives.

“There must be a clear source of messaging. Isa lang ang gagawa ng mensahe; hindi pwedeng iba, hindi pwedeng nagsasalita nang walang vetting, na hindi na verify. Hindi pwede yung hindi alam. Hindi pwede yung hindi nag uusap,” she said.

With coordinated disinformation campaigns posing a growing threat to public dialogue, Legarda expressed support for institutional solutions, including the proposed Anti-Troll Farm Act and the long-pending Freedom of Information bill.

She said these measures would promote accountability, transparency, and public access to reliable information.

Legarda also addressed the deteriorating condition of PTV-4’s facilities and the welfare of its employees, criticizing the lack of capital investments in the network over recent years.

“It’s clearly mismanaged. And for the past years, no capital outlay was given by the government,” she said, vowing to explore funding options for rehabilitating the network’s studios and infrastructure.

She even proposed that lawmakers personally help finance studio upgrades as private citizens, pending clearance from the Commission on Audit (COA).

“If there are three studios, if it’s affordable, we can sponsor it, but we pay as a personal gift or donation if COA would allow,” she added.

Legarda’s advocacy for government media reforms is rooted in her background as a former broadcast journalist with Maharlika Broadcasting Company (MBC) in the 1980s — the predecessor of PTV-4.

She also played a key role in crafting Republic Act 10390 in 2013, a law that revitalized PTV by authorizing it to raise funds through advertising and airtime sales. Under the act, all revenue is earmarked solely for operations and capital outlay to ensure the network’s long-term sustainability.

The senator committed to working with PTV-4’s new leadership to improve the network’s physical facilities and enhance employee welfare, recognizing its vital role in delivering public service announcements and government updates.