QUEZON CITY, Philippines — The House Budget Amendments Review Subcommittee (BARSc) on Thursday approved the realignment of an additional ₱673 million to the proposed 2027 budget for the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) and its affiliated agencies.
The motion was introduced by Parañaque City 2nd District Representative Brian Raymund Yamsuan during a marathon meeting led by House Committee on Appropriations Chairperson and Nueva Ecija 1st District Representative Mika Suansing.
Yamsuan noted that the adjustment to the proposed ₱7.2-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) aims to strengthen government media as an effective information channel and a mechanism for transparency.
“Information is not just knowledge, it is a foundation of accountability, and an informed public is better equipped to ask questions, challenge and consistently demand responsible action if it is well informed,” Yamsuan stated.
The approved realignment distributes additional funding across several state media entities and initiatives, including ₱600 million for the People’s Television Network Inc. (PTV-4), ₱35.985 million for the Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC-13), ₱25 million for Bangon Pilipinas studios, and ₱12 million for the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).
The ₱600 million allocation for PTV-4 is intended to boost its operational capacity across multiple broadcasting platforms, supplementing its initial ₱138.38 million allocation under the 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP).
Meanwhile, the ₱35.985 million earmarked for IBC-13 aims to keep the network operational and protect staff positions, following a zero-subsidy line item in the initial NEP due to its status as a state-owned corporation designated for privatization.
For the PIA, the ₱12-million increase will cover temporary office rentals while its main office in Quezon City undergoes retrofitting to resolve structural and infestation issues. The ₱25-million boost for the PCO Proper will fund the expansion of Bangon Pilipinas studios nationwide, offering free access to production facilities for local content creators, podcasters, and media practitioners.
Bataan 2nd District Representative Albert Garcia, senior vice chairperson of the Committee on Appropriations, expressed support for the measure during the panel review.
“It’s about time our government stations are upgraded,” Garcia said.
The total allocation for the PCO and its attached units stands at ₱2.62 billion, which accounts for roughly 0.03% of the proposed national budget for 2027.