17 November 2022, CANBERRA – Philippine Ambassador to Australia Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega met with officials from Philippine government media agencies visiting Australia as part of their study tour under the Emergency Broadcasting Development Project administered by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

The Philippine delegation, led by Philippine Information Agency Director-General Undersecretary Ramon L. Cualoping III, briefed the Ambassador on the instrumental role that media and communications play in disaster preparedness, risk reduction and response.

The Ambassador highlighted that the Project implements the Philippines-Australia Plan of Action 2021-2022, particularly on enhancing cooperation and support exchange of best practices on disaster risk reduction and management, and emergency communications.

The Project was funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was delivered by the International Development Unit within the ABC (ABCID). It aims to assist Philippine government media agencies to enhance their delivery of information about disasters and to support information providers to develop an emergency broadcasting plan.

The project involved a short study tour to Australia wherein the Philippine delegation, composed of representatives from the Philippine Information Agency, People’s Television Network Inc., Presidential Broadcast Staff - Radio Television Malacañang, Philippine News Agency and the Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation, visited the ABC, meteorology, emergency management and fire service agencies to have an increased understanding on processes and protocols for effective emergency broadcasting and communications. -END-