Mariano Marcos
State University

MMSU’s PTV broadcast window, industry-academe collab tackled in GM Lino Cayetano visit

By Ian Paul Villanueva

A dedicated 30-minute broadcast window on PTV Ilocos Norte and new industry-academe collaborations are moving closer to reality for Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) following People’s Television Network, Inc. (PTNI) General Manager Lino Cayetano’s visit to the campus on Friday, August 7.

The visit began with Cayetano’s inspection of PTNI’s relay station situated inside the MMSU Batac Campus. It was followed by a meeting with the university’s administrators and faculty members, led by MMSU President Virgilio Julius P. Manzano, Jr., and the vice presidents.

The meeting centered on the enforcement of the 2021 memorandum of agreement (MOA) between PTNI and MMSU, as well as future initiatives between the two institutions.

The agreement paved the way to the construction of PTNI’s relay station, “PTV Ilocos Norte,” inside MMSU, which was inaugurated in February 2025. It was then MMSU President and now CHED Chairperson Shirley C. Agrupis who represented the university in signing the memorandum.

Part of the memorandum is the allotment of a 30-minute weekly window for MMSU to air a program that features the university’s achievements, developed technologies, community extension programs, and other academic milestones. The memorandum also includes the conduct of on-the-job training of MMSU students either at PTNI’s main office or at the Ilocos Norte station.

Considering that it has been five years since the MOA was signed and over a year since the station's inauguration, General Manager Cayetano’s visit represents a significant step toward finally realizing the commitments of both parties.

Beyond the MOA, a slate of new initiatives were also tackled. These include specialized media training for MMSU's executives and administrators, and leveraging PTNI’s network to bridge the university with media industry partnerships. Furthermore, the discussions highlighted a proposed tripartite pact among MMSU, PTNI, and the Commission on Higher Education to offer microcredentials in mass media communication tailored for both students and current media professionals.

Speaking for the university, President Manzano vowed to be “a partner of PTNI in producing high-quality educational content and become its ally in the fight against disinformation.”

Mentioning PTV’s shift from focusing on traditional broadcasting to producing more development content, Cayetano said, “I think that is the opportunity with the university, not just with your communication students, but also with your students in other disciplines.” He also shared President Marcos Jr.’s directive for PTNI to be a “transparency and accountability portal.”

The MMSU-PTNI partnership, Cayetano said, would serve as its template in partnering with other educational institutions to pursue similar goals throughout the country.