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| TVUP and Cignal TV, Inc. partner to deliver quality educational TV programming through a UP digital channel. UP President Danilo Concepcion (2nd from left) and UP Vice President for Development Elvira Zamora (extreme left) sign on behalf of UP. Cignal TV, Inc., on the other hand, is represented by its President and CEO Robert Galang (middle), VP and Head of Industry Relations and Regulatory Affairs Erwin Galang (2nd from right), and Chief Finance Officer John Andal (extreme right). (Image Source: University of the Philippines/Misael Bacani of UP MPRO) |
The University of the Philippines (UP), the premier state university in the Philippines, will have its own dedicated channel on Cignal TV where it can air hundreds of its video productions daily, 24/7. UP President Danilo Concepcion, Cignal TV President and CEO Robert Galang, and Cignal TV Chief Finance Officer John Andal signed the memorandum of agreement (MOA) on June 23, 2022, at the new TVUP headquarters in the Student Union Building of UP Diliman.
Cignal TV will make the UP channel available to more than four million homes nationwide via its satellite direct-to-home service. The channel will include TVUP productions consisting thus far of 591 episodes of programs such as The Platform; Science Innovations; NOAH Updates; Maikling Pelikula; Kultura, Sining, Atbp.; DRRM; the Documentaries: The Filipino series; Kalusugan at Karapatan; Batas at Bayan; Gender Talks; Financial Sense; Health Issues; UP Talks; CHE FN1; and Gulayan sa Tahanan. According to TVUP, the offerings have been a resource for students and teachers for remote and blended learning. “Our friends from Cignal TV recognize the value of our work and our goal to extend our services to as many as possible, whether these are students looking to enrich their lessons or ordinary citizens who wish to gain more knowledge and develop skills,” Concepcion said after the signing. “What we have now is the perfect opportunity to nurture lifelong learning in our people, ” he added.
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| UP and Cignal TV officials celebrate the signing of the MOA. Standing, from left to right: UP Vice President for Administration Nestor Yunque, Media Quest Holdings President and CEO Jane Basas, Atty. Gaby Concepcion, TVUP Executive Director Grace Alfonso, UP Vice President for Academic Affairs Ma. Cynthia Rose Bautista, UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita Padilla, UP Los Baños Chancellor Jose Camacho, UP Diliman Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Louise Jashil Sonido, UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo, and UP-PGH Director Gerardo Legaspi. (Image Source: University of the Philippines/Misael Bacani of UP MPRO) |
“The launch of the digital TVUP channel presents an opportunity to give back not once but every day for the next 365 days and beyond to the entire Filipino community who happens to be carrying a Cignal service,” says Media Quest Holdings, Inc. President and CEO.Jane Basas. “We also have a responsibility to enable every single customer to become better informed and better educated so they can give back to the country as more discerning and responsible individuals,” she added. “If you want to be able to reach the most remote parts of the country, only a satellite TV provider can do that,” Galang pointed out. “This partnership allows us to expand our offerings to our more than 4.1 million subscribers and introduce distance learners to a new way of experiencing remote learning,” he added. On the other hand, TVUP Executive Director Grace Alfonso introduced the directors of new TVUP operations as it expands into digital TV. “Since its inception in 2016, we witnessed the exponential growth of TVUP in service of its mandate: to create and deliver open education resources that are freely shared for everyone; nationally, serving our students and teachers; and internationally, to reach our learners in other countries.” However, Alfonso adds that delivery had been limited to those with internet service.
Concepcion recalled the history of UP campuses in broadcasting, citing the establishment of DZUP and DZLB in the 1960s and DYUP in Iloilo in the 1980s. The first was a laboratory radio station for Mass Communication students, and the other two stations served farmers with educational programs. He said the UP Open University was the UP pioneer in television, producing a local television magazine program in Los Baños, Laguna, featuring research and science and technology issues. He said UP would have established a television station because of the need to disseminate UP expertise were it not for lack of available frequency. Concepcion said UP instead applied for digital TV channels. UP Vice President (VP) for Development Elvira Zamora and Cignal TV VP and Head of Industry Relations and Regulatory Affairs Erwin Galang witnessed the signing of the MOA between UP and Cignal. Also present at the signing ceremony were UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo, UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita Padilla, UP Los Baños Chancellor Jose Camacho, and Philippine General Hospital Director Gerardo Legaspi.
