Infoasaid Media & Telecoms Landscape Guide Summary:
Areas affected by Typhoon Haitan/Yolanda, Philippines
ALL INFORMATION IS TAKEN FROM THE INFOASAID MEDIA LANDSCAPE GUIDE, ATTACHED IN PDF
FORM AND AVAILABLE ON THE INFOASAID WEBSITE.
Affected Areas
9.8 million people have been affected over 9 regions:
 Calabarzon
 Caraga
 Mimaropa V, VI, VII, VIII, X, XI
The worst affected provinces are Eastern Samar, Leyte, Oriental Mindoro, Masbate, Sorsogon,
Negros, Capiz, Romblon and Busuanga Island in Palawan.
UNOCHA coordination hubs have been set up in Tacloban City in Leyte and Roxas City in Northern
Panay, with a logistics hub in Cebu City.
[This information is correct as of 11th November 2013].
Language and literacy
 Nearly all Filipinos can read and write (95% adult literacy rate in 2009)
 Language:
o Tagalog is the national language
o Most people speak at least some English and English is used widely by the media
o Languages spoken in the affected areas:
 Capiz: Capiznon, Hiligaynon, Tagalog, English
 Eastern Samar: Waray-Waray, Cebuano, Tagalog, English
 Leyte: Waray-Waray, Cebuano, Filipino, English
 Masbate: Bikol, Masbateño, Tagalog, English, Cebuano
 Mindoro Oriental: Tagalog, Mangyan, English
 Negros Occidental: Hiligaynon, Cebuano, Tagalog, English
 Negros Oriental: Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Tagalog, English
 Palawan: Tagalog, Cuyonon, Hiligaynon, Tausug, Batak, Tagbanwa (Aborlan,
Calamian,Central), Palawano,Kagayen, Bikol, English
 Romblon: Romblomanon, Onhan,Asi, Tagalog, English
 Sorsogon: Bikol, Sorsoganon, Tagalog, English
Free Press
 Although the Philippines has a vibrant media, beneath the veneer of free press and democracy,
extrajudicial killings of people who question or criticize the prevailing political order are
common.
 Ranking in Reporters Sans Frontieres World Press Freedom Index 2011-12: 140 out of 179
 State media is weak; broadcasting is dominated by 6 powerful radio & tv networks
Radio Overview
 Radio is still the most popular source of news & entertainment, and the most reliable channel of
communication in the rural interior

The Philippines has nearly 1,000 radio stations broadcasting on FM and Medium Wave. Nearly all
are linked by ownership or affiliation to one of the country’s national broadcasting networks.
This means that even small radio stations in even the most remote locations can relay
national news bulletins and other networked programming live alongside their own
locally produced programmes.

85% of households have a radio set

All radio stations are periodically asked to broadcast public service announcements
approved by Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) – the Association of
Broadcasters’ of the Philippines (http://www.kbp.org.ph/)

Filipinos aged under 35 prefer listening to FM music stations; older listeners tune in more to talk
and news radio stations on Medium Wave (AGB Nielsen Media Research Philippines)

Community radio has failed to flourish in the Philippines due to fierce competition from the
country’s big commercial media groups.
Radio Networks
 Manila Broadcasting Company (www.manilabroadcasting.com)
o Largest radio broadcasting organisation, over 200 radio stations
o DZRH is most popular talk show station, covers 97% of Philippines
 ABS-CBN Corporation (www.ABS-CBN.com) – subsidiary station in Cebu
 Radio Mindanao Network (http://rmn.ph). Interactive map available here:
http://www.rmn.ph/index.php?nav=stations
o Has stations in Tacloban, Cebu, Roxas City, Masbate and Sorsogon.
Radio Stations by Province
(Interactive AM and FM radio maps available on infoasaid website)
This table summarises the number of AM and FM stations operating in each of the most affected
provinces (known to infoasaid in Aug 2012), and where they are predominantly located.
Please see the attached full Media & Telecoms Landscape Guide for lists of radio stations normally
operating in each province, including frequency, name/owner, call sign and address. [Use the FIND
function to search for the province]. Most of the stations are owned by the companies listed above.
Province
Capiz
Eastern Samar
Leyte
Number AM
Stations
5
2
12
Number FM
Stations
5
3
18
Masbate
Mindoro Oriental
1
4
4
8
Negros Occidental
13
25
Negros Oriental
5
9
Palawan
10
23
Main locations
All in Roxas City
Borogan, Guian, Oras, Salcedo
Tacloban City, Ormoc City, Baybay,
Maasin, Palo
Masbate City
Calapan City, Pinamalayan, Roxas,
Naujan, Bongabong,
Cadiz City, Bacolod City, Binalbagan,
San Carlos City, Hinoba-an,
Victorias, Sipalay City, Calatrava,
Hinigaran, Kabangkalan
Dumaguete City, Guihulngan, Bais
City, Bayawan,
Puerto Princesa City, Narra, Roxas,
Aboan, Coron, Taytay, Cabayugan,
Romblon
Sorsogon
0
4
3
13
Espanola, Bataraza, Brookes Point
Odiongan, Romblon
Sorsogon City, Bulan, Gubat, Pilar,
Irosin
TV Overview (interactive TV Maps available here)
 Over 200 TV stations, most owned by 3 main TV Stations:
o ABS-CBN
o GMA network (www.gmanetwork.com)
o TV5 (www.tv5.com.ph)
 Also state owned People’s Television Network Incorporated (PTNI) (www.ptni.gov)
TV Stations by region
Information about TV stations by region is available in the full Media & Telecom Landscape Guide, as
well as an interactive map which is available here.
TV stations exist in most of the affected areas (see guide for full details):
 Puerto Princesa City, Palawan
 Coron, Palawan
 Romblon
 Sorsogon
 Masbate
 Roxas City, Capiz
 Bacolod City, Negros Occidental
 Mt. Palimpinon, Negros Oriental
 Cebu City, Cebu
 Mandaue City, Cebu
 Tacloban City, Leyte
 Calbayog City, Western Samar
Print Overview
 Most influential paper is Philippine Daily Inquirer, which owns Cebu Daily News
 Cebu also has the Sun Star (English language), and the Freeman (oldest most prestigious daily)
 For more information about newspapers, see the full guide
Philippine News Agency (PNA)
Web-based news wire service of Philippine Government.
Has regional reporting bureaus in:
 Bacalod, Negros Occidental
 Cebu, Cebu Province
 Dumaguete, Negros Oriental
 Iloili provibce, Panay Island
 Puerto Princesa, Palawan
 Tacloban, Leyte
Philippine Information Agency (PIA)
 Government information agency, run under Presidency
 Role in coordinating government information during emergencies
 Large network of information centres around the country
 www.pia.gov.ph
Online media overview
 Twitter hashtags Typhoon Yolanda response:
o #YolandaPH
o #Haiyan
o #ReliefPH
 Increase in use of mobile internet over SMS – over 4 million phone subscribers had access to
mobile internet by end of 2011
 Most popular website in early 2012 was Facebook (www.alexa.com)
 Most popular news website was Philippine Daily Enquirer, followed by ABS-CBN.
Telecommunications overview
 Mobile phone penetration: 92% (ITU 2011)
 Mobile network coverage of population: 99% (GSMA 2010)
 One of the highest SMS usage rates in the world
o Over half of government agencies offer SMS based services
 Three biggest telecommunications companies:
o Smart Communications (owned by PLDT)
o Globe Telecoms (controlled by Singtel and the Ayala Group)
o Sun Cellular (owned by PLDT)
 Average cost of sending a text is 1 peso (affordable for all)
 Voice calls are relatively expensive (7 pesos per minute)
 Smart and Globe offer money transfer services
Media Development Organisations
 Centre for Media Freedom and Democracy
o www.cmfr-phil.org
o Based in Makati, Manila
 Isis International
o www.isiswomen.org
o Organises radio training for women
o Quezon City, Manila
 Kodao Productions
o www.kodao.org
o Media training
o Quezon City, Manila
 EngageMedia
o www.engagemedia.org
o Australian NGO
o Office in Manila
 International Association of Women in Radio & Journalism
o www.iawrt.org
o Based in Manila