Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday expressed dismay at the airing of a radio program promoting China.
"I am very disturbed that there is a radio program called "Wow China" that airs on Radyo Pilipinas 738, a state-owned AM radio station of the Philippine Broadcasting Service under the Presidential Communications Operations Office," said Hontiveros, adding that the government must cancel the program immediately.
She said the PCOO should fulfill its mandate of helping the Filipino people with relevant and timely information especially during this COVID-19 pandemic.
"But instead, it is allowing a program that promotes China and its state ideology. Filipino taxpayers should be indignant that we are essentially paying for a radio show that promotes China's policies," the senator said.
"We have let Chinese propaganda reach our shores. Inaangkin na nga nila ang West Philippine Sea, pati ba naman ang radyo natin sa kanila na rin?"
Hontiveros said it is also very hypocritical how the Philippine government is critical of alleged foreign ownership of other Filipino-owned media entities, but is aiding and abetting this clear foreign encroachment in our own.
"Wow China' should be cancelled immediately. PCOO and PBS should likewise be made to explain to Filipino taxpayers why it allowed the airing of Chinese state propaganda in a government-owned radio station."
"For me, this is a betrayal of the Filipino people. Our state media should always place Filipinos' interests and welfare first."
“Wow China,” according to its Facebook page, is a “cultural-feature program that mainly focuses on China’s and Philippines’ tradition, culture and history and its differences and similarities.”
The segment is a collaboration between PBS and China Radio International, China’s state-owned international radio broadcaster.
Wow China is introduced as an interesting discussion Chinese culture, traditions and practices.
Episodes of the show have been posted on Wow China’s Facebook page as early as December 14, 2019, but it was the May 10 episode that caught the netizens’ attention.
In the latest episode, the hosts talked a little about how to celebrate Mother’s Day during the lockdown in Metro Manila and nearby provinces and cities.
There was also a Chinese language lesson on numbers.