The Bureau of Communications Services (BCS) is a government-owned information production agency responsible for creating and disseminating content about the government’s policies through a range of publications and news portals. The BCS produces a range of publications, including the Balita Central newspaper and Executive Action magazine, as well as digital portals for these publications.
Media assets
Publishing: Balita Central, Executive Action
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
BCS is a unit of the PCOO, the Presidential Administrative Office of the Philippines. Its management is appointed by the President’s office. It was established by Executive Order No. 297 of 1987.
Source of funding and budget
The BCS is a state-funded operation, overseen by the Presidential Administration. In 2022, the government allocated a budget of PHP 75.1m (US$ 1.3m) for BCS, according to data from the government.
A media report has revealed that the government has approved a budget of PHP 79.9m for BCS in 2025.
Editorial independence
BCS is a government-affiliated entity that was established with the specific objective of developing and disseminating information pertaining to the government’s policies, as reported by local journalists in March-April 2024.
To date, no domestic statute and no independent assessment mechanism to validate the BCS’s editorial performance has been identified.
September 2024