RTVM coverage of Velasco’s election doesn’t reflect stand on speakership row — PCOO

RTVM’s coverage of Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco’s election as speaker of the House of Representatives. Screengrab from RTVM’s Facebook Live

MANILA, Philippines — The Radio-Television Malacañang’s (RTVM) coverage of the activity of the House of Representatives at the Celebrity Sports Plaza in Quezon City, which ultimately resulted in the election of Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco as Speaker, does not reflect the Presidential Communications Operations Office’s (PCOO) position on the current political situation in the House of Representatives, a Malacañang official said Monday.

In a statement, PCOO Assistant Secretary Kris Ablan explained that RTVM, an attached agency under the PCOO, merely “complied” with the request of Congress for live coverage of the deliberations for the 2021 General Appropriations Act.

“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.

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

RTVM is the official broadcast agency of Malacañang and is responsible for television coverage and documentation, and news and public affairs syndication of all the activities of the President, either live or delayed telecast, by national or local, government or private collaborating networks.

Earlier, a total of 186 congressmen, or a majority of 299 members of the lower chamber, elected Velasco as the new Speaker in a session described by allies of Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano “illegal.”

In his speech following his election, Velasco said that under his leadership, the House will pass laws that are responsive to the needs of Filipinos here and abroad as well as legislation focused jobs, the economy, healthcare, food on the table, peace and order, and clean sustainable energy.

“And most of all, today’s events would ensure that the President’s call for a timely, legal and constitutional approval of the 2021 budget will be complied with,” Velasco said.

EDV