The government is set to place thousands of satellite receivers all over the country which aims to provide the public, especially in rural areas to have direct access to the national government.

Presidential Communications Operations Secretary Martin Andanar said these satellite receivers which include television, government bulletin board and internet will be place in barangays.

“The government will be ready to roll out 42,000 satellite receivers for the barangays, it has internet, TV, government bulletin board. So this will be for all barangays without direct access to the President,” he said in an interview over Radyo Pilipinas Saturday.

“We have government bulletin board channel and we channel about weather under the PTV, channel of DILG, channel of AFP and Department of Health... Aside from receiving signal television through satellite, they will also receive free internet with the government satellite network receiver,” he added.

Andanar emphasized that with the satellite receiver people in far-flung areas will be able to have a chance to talk with the president.

“Meaning if you are in the mountains… and you want to call the president, you can talk with the president from Malaca?ang…” he said.

“This will signal really the possibility of e-governance already. Not only in Metro Manila but in the whole country,” he added.

Andanar also mentioned that the satellite receiver will also help the government fight the “disinformation or fake news”.

“So this is the first time that… you will see that is can be used to fight disinformation, fake news,” he said.

Andanar did not say when will the government start to install the satellite receivers but he said the satellite business and receivers are being built.

“As a matter of fact up to this week the company who gave (the) unsolicited proposal has started to manufacture the satellite business at receivers,” he said.

“So it’s just a matter of time when it is already done, we will roll out for the 2,000 receivers. We have already talked with the DILG. This is a project that was just approved by the president in last cabinet meeting on 2017,” he added. Robina Asido/DMS