THE government’s use of a radio program to promote Chinese culture and history drew condemnation and negative reactions from netizens because it is borderline “treasonous,” a militant lawmaker said on Tuesday.
“Netizens have all the right to call out this radio program especially that they don’t see the same enthusiasm from the government in terms of protecting our interests in the same level as they have in promoting China. It’s almost treasonous if it isn’t yet,” said Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Ferdinand Gaite.
Gaite was referring to the “Wow China” radio program of the Philippines Broadcasting Service (PBS) and China Radio International which trended online last Monday after it drew the ire of netizens.
“Wow mali! This is yet another blunder courtesy of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO),” he said.
The left-leaning lawmaker said that while there is nothing wrong about appreciating the rich cultures of Asian neighbors, “this show is really unpleasant to the ears as it comes at the heels of China’s repeated disrespect of our territorial integrity and sovereignty.”
Gaite said that while the Duterte administration is busy promoting better relations and friendship with China, the Chinese government “is busy establishing its foothold on our islands in the West Philippine Sea.”
“We’re blasting Chinese propaganda on our radio, and they’re blasting Filipino fishermen off our waters and pointing guns at our navy,” he said.
The radio show is a project included in the Memorandum of Agreement on News, Information Exchange, Training and for other Purposes between the State Council Information Office of the People’s Republic of China and the Presidential Communications Operations Office of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines.
“It would be good to know what other projects are in this contract between (the) Philippines and China, and also know to what extent would the PCOO act as a PR machinery of the Chinese government,” Gaite said.
