RTVM coverage of Velasco election does not reflect PCOO’s stand

Ablan said the request for live coverage came from Deputy Majority Leader Bernadette Herrera-Dy. (File Photo: Kristian Ablan/Facebook)

MANILA – The Radio-Television Malacañang’s (RTVM) coverage of the election of Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco as Speaker does not reflect the Presidential Communications Operations Office’s (PCOO) stand on the speakership row, a Palace official said Monday.

In a statement, PCOO Assistant Secretary Kris Ablan said the RTVM, an attached agency of the PCOO, merely “complied” with the request of a lawmaker for live coverage of deliberations on the 2021 General Appropriations Act, which contains the PHP4.5-trillion national budget for 2021.

The budget deliberations later resulted in a total of 186 congressmen electing Velasco as next Speaker in a remote plenary session at the Celebrity Sports Plaza in Quezon City.

“The RTVM coverage posted this morning on our social media accounts does not reflect the PCOO’s position on the present political situation in the HOR or any partisanship on the matter,” Ablan said.

Ablan said the request for live coverage came from Deputy Majority Leader Bernadette Herrera-Dy.

“The PCOO and RTVM simply complied to the request for the coverage, with the promotion of factual information and transparency, especially on tax expenditures that concern all the Filipino taxpayers, in mind,” he added.

According to Ablan, the RTVM had a team at Batasan to prepare for the resumption of session.

However, he said the assigned crew was informed to transfer to the Celebrity Sports Plaza instead and upon getting to the venue, RTVM covered the activity.

Ablan emphasized that the RTVM has committed to help promote transparency amid ongoing budget deliberations.

“The RTVM has committed itself in this endeavor to help promote transparency amongst the different executive departments and agencies, the HOR, and the Filipino people on the government’s planned tax expenditures for the upcoming fiscal year,” he said.

He said the RTVM decided to transfer to the Celebrity Sports Complex with the intention to cover budget deliberations.

“Regardless of the present political climate within the HOR, the RTVM has heeded to the request for such needed coverage,” he added.