PCO inks MOA with China Radio International

The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Tuesday signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with China Radio International (CRI) at the head office of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in Visayas Ave., Quezon City. (Photo: Philippine Information Agency NCR/ Facebook)

MANILA –The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Tuesday signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with China Radio International (CRI) at the head office of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in Visayas Ave., Quezon City.

Under the MOA, the PCO, together with the PIA, People’s Television (PTV4), Philippine Broadcasting Service (PBS-Radyo ng Bayan), and the Philippine News Agency (PNA), and CRI agreed to enhance friendship and understanding between the Philippines and China through a collaboration in news and information dissemination.

Present during the MOA signing were PCO Undersecretary for Administration and Finance Noel George Puyat, representing Secretary Martin Andanar; Atty. Maria Paz Banaag, Assistant Secretary for Operations; Virginia Agtay, Director of the News and Information Bureau (NIB); Angelo Villar, Deputy Director General of the PIA; Riza Baldoria, Regional Director of the PIA; Luis Morente, Executive Editor of PNA; Rizal Giovanni Aportadera, Director General of the PBS; and Dino Apolonio, General Manager of PTV4 on the Philippine side.

CRI was represented by its President, Weng Gengnian; Ms. Wang Lu, Director of CRI Worldwide English Broadcast Center; An Xiaoyu, Director of Southeast Asia Broadcast Center; Qian Hongjian, member of the CRI Editorial Board; and Xu Xiang, staff member of the CRI Executive Office.

Undersecretary Puyat commended CRI for its endeavor in this pioneering effort to bring two countries closer together through the sharing of content and exchange programs for Filipino and Chinese journalists.

“China and the Philippines have had a long-standing relationship dating back 600 years. We have the oldest ‘Chinatown’ in the world and a large part of our cultures and traditions have Chinese origins,” Puyat said.

CRI President Weng said, “Ties between the Philippines and China are growing stronger than ever. We are looking forward to future collaborative projects between our staff and journalists and we look forward to showing Filipino programs on Chinese television. Mabuhay ang pagkakaibigan ng mga Pilipino at mga Chinese.”

In the MOA are two main agreements. The first is a visiting mechanism and staff exchange where Filipino staff and journalists of the PCO and its partner agencies, and CRI will have visiting privileges and a chance to be employed in either of the host countries. Filipino staff may work in China and Chinese staff will have the chance to be employed at PCO agencies.

The second is a program cooperation between the two parties in the free use of copyrighted news, articles, radio and audiovisual products and materials in both Filipino and English languages. Parties have the editing rights over the materials, provided such editing will not entirely deviate from the actual meaning of the material or program.

Puyat indicated that at no other point in history has the government paid much attention to its communication arm and facilities.

“This MOA comes at an opportune time and with the guidance and support of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, plus the collaborative efforts between the PCO and CRI, our goal bringing quality programs and world-class news services to the people will definitely be an achievable goal for this administration,” he said.