House, PTV launch CongressTV
THE House of Representatives, in cooperation with state television station PTV-4, yesterday launched CongressTV, a free digital channel broadcasting the daily sessions and other legislative works of the House of Representatives.
Speaker Martin Romualdez said the House’s collaboration with PTV-4 is meant to be an interactive platform by giving the public a “front-row seat to the legislative process.”
The initiative aims to provide Filipinos direct access to the legislative process by encouraging their active participation through feedback via CongressTV’s online platforms and social media pages.
“Through this platform, we are tearing down the walls that have long kept the inner workings of the legislature away from public scrutiny,” said the House leader. “It’s not just about broadcasting what happens within the House. It’s about sparking conversations, about fostering a more interactive and participatory form of governance. It’s about you, the people, having direct access to your representatives and the legislative process.
“In an age where information is both a tool and a weapon, the onus is on us, the elected representatives of the people, to ensure that the power of information is harnessed to empower, educate, and engage,” the Speaker said.
CongressTV is the brainchild of PTV General Manager Ana Puod, who said PTV’s digital channel 14 Manila will serve as the free-to-air broadcast platform for Congress TV. It will also be available via Ch 46 on GMA Affordabox and Ch 2 on ABS-CBN TVPlus.
Puod said that in proposing the project to the House, PTV aims to forge a stronger connection between the government and the public as the country’s primary state broadcaster “and engender a deeper understanding of the work of legislation and how Congress actively serves the needs of its constituency.”
Secretary General Reginald Velasco said he immediately supported PTV’s proposal in 2023 because it will allow the people “to know more about how laws are created, how the national budget is examined and passed.”
