MANILA, Philippines – Magdalo Representative Gary Alejano condemned on Thursday, June 14, the planned airing of Chinese shows in state-run People’s Television Network (PTV). 

“PTV airing of Chinese shows is a clear display of the Duterte administration’s surrender to China’s power,” said the opposition lawmaker in a statement. 

A day before, Chinese ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua said Chinese TV series, documentaries, cartoons, and movies dubbed in Tagalog will soon be seen in PTV. 

He said this provides a “new window” for Filipinos to “better understand China, its people, their long history, their rich culture, their daily lives, their endeavor, and their dreams.”

But Alejano said airing the foreign country’s shows in the Philippines is a “matter of making us understand the oppressors and grabbers of our islands in a subtle and subliminal way.”

“This is part of the soft power strategy of China which seeks to influence and infiltrate Filipinos through economic, political, and now cultural tools… Ang pinakamasaklap ay ito ay ginagawa ng isang institusyon ng gobyerno at ginagastusan gamit ang kaban ng bayan (What’s worse is that this is being done by a government institution using the people’s money),” said Alejano. 

He added PTV is supposed to promote national pride, identity, and culture of the Philippines, not any other country. 

“Dapat ang mas pinagtutuunan ng pansin ng PTV ay ang pagpapasidhi ng nasyonalismo sa pamamagitan ng mga programang nagpapahalaga sa ating kasaysayan at kaugalian. Ito dapat ang ipinapalaganap at hindi ang pagtatraydor sa bayan,” said Alejano.

(PTV should focus its efforts in promoting nationalism through programs giving importance to our history and traditions. This is what they should do and not betraying our country.)

The lawmaker has repeatedly criticized the government under President Rodrigo Duterte for choosing to silently deal with China despite the latter’s militarization of the West Philippine Sea, a part of the South China Sea that belongs to the Philippines. (READ: Roque on China ‘goodwill’ in Panatag: What matters is PH can fish there)

He recently denounced China’s harassment of a Philippine Navy rubber boat in Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

A landmark ruling of a Hague tribunal in 2016 affirmed the Philippines’ ownership of the West Philippine Sea. But the Duterte administration has so far refused to assert the ruling to strengthen ties with China. – Rappler.com