ANGARA CALLS FOR MORE EDUCATIONAL, CULTURAL
PROGRAMS ON RP TV

As the Senate hears the 2010 national budget for various government agencies this week, Sen. Edgardo Angara calls for more educational and cultural programs on Philippine television, especially on government-subsidized networks.

"Because of the limited allocation for less advertising-intensive educational programs in private and profit-oriented networks, there is a need for our government channels to increase airtime devoted to children's educational shows," stressed Angara, former president of the University of the Philippines, in an interview with local media.

Speaking to TV networks NBN4 and RPN9, along with other networks' reporters, Angara lamented that the economics of TV advertising has overshadowed the noble intention of creating a more stimulating medium for children to learn from. "Instead of simply showing cartoon characters and animation as entertainment to our children, we must keep in mind that their values are honed from what they see onscreen. Hence, the need to provide materials with more educational value on air," he added.

Angara was among the pioneer creators of educational TV shows in the 1990s, and has always been an advocate of improving the country's education system. Aside from his legislative work that gives emphasis, among others, to education and research and development, Angara is a renowned patron of the arts and culture.

Currently children are exposed to programs like Knowledge Channel but network operators are not able to maximize the programs due to limited advertising revenues. Angara then turned to the government-operated or government-subsidized channels, "Let us maximize our capability to reach our children both in the urban and rural areas and provide high-quality educational and cultural programs. They need to learn early and with the modern challenges and trends in multi-media, we must develop more creative and intellectually-stimulating materials."