Isabela launches own broadcast center to promote public communication

Isabela province launched its first provincial broadcast center on May 5 to promote timely, in-depth, and accessible communication with the public. 

According to Governor Rodolfo ‘Rodito’ Albano III, the center will enhance governance through communicating with the public to keep them “informed, empowered, and engaged.”

He added that the newly-built broadcast center reflects the province’s commitment to transparency and the provincial government’s thrust of investing in people.

“From May to July, the center will focus on disaster preparedness, peace and order, environmental protection, and livelihood support,” the Isabela Provincial Information Office (PIO) said in a press release.

Provincial Information Officer Joshua Hapinat said in an interview that the broadcast center still has no frequency but will rely more on development communication.

A radio station must get a license from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) in order to acquire a certain frequency.

Hapinat mentioned that the center will cater students with communication programs in their on-the-job training.

He emphasized that the broadcast center’s main priority is to promote transparency and to deliver agricultural programs to the farmers.

“Matatalakay [r]aw diyan ‘yung premium price. Bumibili ang probinsiya ng mga bigas sa mataas na halaga para taasan ng traders din e ‘di hindi lugi [ang mga] farmers,” Hapinat said.

Isabela is the second-largest rice-producing province in the Philippines, producing 1.068 million metric tons of rice in 2021.

The province is also the top producer of corn in the country, producing approximately 21% of the annual national yellow corn production.

Despite being the first broadcast center to be established by the provincial government of Isabela, Hapinat clarified that the town of Cabagan, Isabela initiated the province’s first broadcast station with Teleradyo Cabagan.