Photo: Screengrab via Radyo Pilipinas / FB" width="100%" />
State-owned Radyo Pilipinas (“Philippine Radio”) has become the object of public scorn on social media after a video of its program Wow China went viral over the weekend on Facebook.
It appears the “cultural program” has been airing on the government-owned radio since September last year. Its most recent broadcast aired live on Facebook yesterday, which kicked off with its usual opening spiel.
“Other practices, to be studied and discussed in interesting ways. Wow China!” a booming voice announced in English and Filipino, while the program’s title, which makes use of China’s flag (pretty crafty), is imposed onscreen.
“Light conversations, and information-packed knowledge! We’ll get to know our Chinese siblings for better communication and cooperation!” the announcement said.
Broadcast on Fridays on Radyo Pilipinas and on Mondays on China Radio International, the show is hosted by Nimfa Asuncion and Ernest Wang, who have both served as anchors on the show since inception.
In yesterday’s episode, Wang and Asuncion chatted about quarantine living in Metro Manila then talked about a mishmash of light to pressing current events including the recent Mother’s Day celebrations. The two then jumped into a guided Mandarin lesson led by a teacher from the Confucius Institute of the University of the Philippines who was simply identified as Teacher Serenity. The recurring guest teacher in yesterday’s segment, taught listeners how to tell the date, week, and time in Mandarin (pretty revolutionary stuff, guys).
Over at the comments section however, Wow China’s seeming unfocused content took the back seat, to…well, politics.
“We’re being invaded by China with the blessing[s] of the Duterte Government,” wrote Facebook user Cynthia Arban Lucasan.
Another netizen named Chris Linag said, “Madam Host, can you ask your colleague what his reaction is about China stealing our islands in the West Philippine Sea. Thank you.”
Over on Twitter, netizens like @hensetsuriii ranted, “[T]he administration shut down ABS-CBN but is promoting the Wow China segment on its government-ran network? What a big f*ck you.”
https://twitter.com/hensetsuriii/status/1259771852840292352
Users like @gabrant001 wrote, “Head over to Radyo Pilipinas’ FB page and storm it with bad reviews, because we don’t need a state-owned radio station spreading Chinese propaganda.”
“Wow China my ass,” he fumed.
https://twitter.com/gabrant001/status/1259775573125033984
Read: Outraged Pinoys petition against airing of Chinese Embassy ‘propaganda video’
Just a few weeks ago, Pinoys also took to social media to protest against the music video One Sea, which has been accused of being a propaganda video that aimed to portray China as the Philippines’ savior in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Never mind that China has built military structures on the West Philippine Sea over the years, and has long been intimidating Pinoy fishermen on the disputed territory, despite a 2016 decision by a Netherlands court that invalidated Beijing’s claims over the area.
