People’s Television Network (PTV)
People’s Television Network (PTV) is the flagship state-owned television broadcaster of the Philippines, operating under the direct supervision of the national government. Founded in 1974, PTV manages a network of 16 regional and metropolitan television stations, serving as a primary platform for disseminating state messaging across the archipelago.
Media assets
Television: PTV 4 Manila, PTV 8 Cordillera, PTV 4 Ylocos, PTV 4 Palawan, PTV 4 Naga, PTV 2 Guimaras, PTV 10 Dumaguete, PTV 11 Cebu, PTV 8 Tacloban, PTV 12 Calbayog, PTV 7 Zamboanga, PTV 11 Sibugay, PTV 11 Davao, PTV 8 Agusan Del Sur, PTV 8 Cotabato, PTV 8 Kidapawan
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
PTV is operated by People’s Television Network, Inc. (PTNI), a government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC) established through Republic Act No. 7306 and later amended to reflect structural changes. PTNI operates under the oversight of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), formerly known as the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO). The President of the Republic appoints five members to PTNI’s Board of Directors, granting the executive branch significant influence over both the governance and editorial direction of the network.
In June 2024, the PCO appointed Toby Nebrida as General Manager of PTV. His appointment was met with internal dissent, as some employees expressed concerns about a perceived lack of consultation and transparency in the selection process. Nebrida, a media executive with prior ties to the Malacañang communications team, succeeded acting general manager Rachel Madarang.
In March 2025, President Marcos Jr. and the PCO accepted Nebrida’s courtesy resignation. Oscar Orbos, a veteran television host and former Cabinet secretary, was designated Officer‑in‑Charge (OIC) General Manager, marking his brief tenure in an interim capacity.
Source of funding and budget
PTV has long relied on public subsidies allocated through the General Appropriations Act (GAA), which determines the annual national budget. While the network also generates supplementary income from advertising sales and the leasing of airtime to third-party producers, state funding has historically constituted the lion’s share of its operating budget.
According to the broadcaster’s annual reports, in 2020, PTNI received a total budget of PHP 785 million (approx. US$15.7 million), with over 78% sourced from government subsidies. In 2021, the total budget decreased slightly to PHP 780 million (US$15.5 million), with government funding accounting for nearly 72%. In 2022, state contributions were slashed to PHP 181 million, a drastic reduction that compelled the network to lean more heavily on commercial revenue.
Despite this temporary shift toward market-based income, government funding remains essential, particularly for capital expenditures and staffing. The GAA for fiscal years 2024 and 2025 continued to allocate funds to PTV, but with increased scrutiny amid broader calls for austerity and media sector reform.
PTV received a subsidy of approximately PHP 215.3 million in the 2025 General Appropriations Act, placing it second among PCO‑governed broadcasters (behind IBC‑13).
Editorial independence
Multiple interviews conducted with media professionals and civil society stakeholders in March–April 2024 and in February 2025 point to a sustained pattern of editorial interference from the executive branch. Journalists working within the network have described a work environment in which stories are routinely vetted—or outright dictated—by officials in the presidential communications office.
There are no legal guarantees enshrining editorial autonomy for PTV. On the contrary, the broadcaster self-identifies as “the country’s premier source of government news and information,” underscoring its institutional role as a mouthpiece for the administration rather than an independent public service broadcaster.
August 2025