Manila: Radyo Pilipinas World Service (RPWS), the Philippine government's international radio platform, is relaunching its shortwave broadcasts, marking a major step in reconnecting with Filipinos across the globe.
According to Philippines News Agency, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), in a memorandum dated Nov. 20, formally approved the reinstatement of RPWS's shortwave operations. 'The United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) Headquarters in Washington, D.C. has confirmed its approval to resume broadcast operations of the PBS-BBS (Presidential Broadcast Service-Bureau of Broadcast Services) Radyo Pilipinas World Service shortwave broadcast using the facilities of the Philippines Transmitting Station in Tinang, Tarlac,' the memorandum read. 'The authorized start date for resumption is December 1, 2025,' it added.
The RPWS, in partnership with the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), is establishing a global network of volunteer correspondents that will be trained in news gathering, verification, audio production, and storytelling, producing reports that highlight achievements, resilience, cultural preservation, and community initiatives abroad. 'This media collaboration is poised to transform the way the Philippines connects with its global citizens, making every Filipino's voice part of the national broadcast,' PBS BBS Director General Fernando Amparo Sanga said.
The stories will be aired on RPWS's program 'Serbisyong CFO sa Bagong Pilipinas.' The mandate would be to link the Filipino diaspora, and 'serve as a credible channel of information, a public forum, and a persuasive agent of social change for Filipinos worldwide.' The program would broadcast information on government policies and activities to keep overseas Filipinos (OFs) abreast of national developments, while serving as a vital platform for cultural preservation and heritage promotion among the Filipino diaspora.
Sanga underscored the importance of the resumption, which he said would ensure that the Philippine government reaches the vast global Filipino audience, including overseas workers and communities in remote areas, through the dependable shortwave radio band. The return also signals a positive turnaround in international partnerships, particularly after a period early this year when several agreements, including those involving Voice of America, were terminated.
With shortwave and online streaming, Sanga said the RPWS will reach audiences across Southeast Asia, the Middle East, the United States, Europe, and Northern Africa, ensuring even the most remote communities are included.
