More television stations should adopt the Japanese digital terrestrial television model so they can provide the public with information when there is a storm or calamity, said Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar.

In an interview on Saturday over dzBB, Andanar said this was the hope of Japan as expressed by Minister of Information and Communications Seiko Noda during her visit early this week.

"Japan wants the digital terrestrial television broadcast to continue because they introduced this a long time ago, if I recall during the time of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo," said Andanar.

Andanar said the government TV station PTV have digital antenna heads in Manila, Naga, Davao and Cebu. A digital antenna head will be set up in Guimaras, added Andanar.

"Government TV stations should set up this antenna because the public deserve the best, no less than the best digital broadcasting," said Andanar.

An emergency broadcast system and data casting were also launched at PTV with Noda, he added.

Andanar said data casting uses a "specific spectrum ng frequency where you do not receive TV broadcasts but data."

"This is important because if there is something urgent, like disasters, this can be transmitted through data casting on a specific frequency so everyone can get this information," said Andanar.

The same data casting technology will be used to provide information about Metro Manila traffic, added Andanar. DMS