A Capitol consultant on media affairs yesterday confirmed that the provincial governmnet buys airtime from three radio stations.
Sam Costanilla told Cebu Daily News that the radio program “Hiniusang Sugbo” is broadcast over stations dyRF, dyAR and dyLA and is anchored by Efren Lunson, Bert Emphasis, Romy Limpanog and Ondo Mantiall.
The program format includes a 20-minute newscast with the rest of the time devoted to commentaries. It airs Monday to Friday on different time slots.
“It is more on information dissemination,” said Costanilla, who explained that he is the one providing material for the show’s anchors.
The issue surrounding the Capitol’s funding of blocktimers and the propriety of having Capitol-funded media ventures “attacking the opposition” was raised during Monday’s budget hearing of the Provincial Board.
Costanilla said he doesn’t host any radio program for the Capitol and that he only handles “Balita sa Sugbo” which airs over Sugbo TV.
Sugbo TV is staffed by 35 casual employees while Sugbo News newsletter has eight with each employee earning a minimum salary of P10,000 a month, he said.
“Balita sa Sugbo” uses the old Capitol conference room as its studio./Carmel Loise Matus Correspondent