December 4, 2020 – The Department of Education (DepEd) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on Friday with the GMA Network for the free use of the latter’s digital channel to strengthen television-based instruction (TVBI) as an aid to distance learning.

“We are very grateful to GMA for offering their assistance and services, and their advice as we move onto much more effective ways of delivering blended learning, as well as the other modalities,” said Secretary Leonor Magtolis-Briones.

“This partnership is important to us as we are moving to the use of digital space, and I can see that this is the way forward in the light of all the natural disasters, in the light of all the expenses involved,” Secretary Briones added.

Through this partnership, more than 900 DepEd TV episodes that were aired since the school opening can now be re-watched and downloaded 24/7 online through GMA’s digital platforms. The television network also vowed to promote DepEd TV and blended learning to their viewers, especially learners.

For the leading television network, GMA Network Chairman and CEO Atty. Felipe Gozon shared that the education of the Filipino students is valuable to their company, which prompted them to join forces with DepEd in providing quality education for the learners.

“I understand that the internet in our country is not that good, so we had to step in and provide televised teaching by DepEd teachers through their modules. And as I said, we understand the importance of basic education to young people,” said Atty. Gozon.

The formal signing of the MOA was attended virtually by the network’s executives headed by Atty. Gozon and President and COO Gilberto Duavit, Jr. while the DepEd Management Committee joined Secretary Briones during the historic event.

Currently, DepEd TV can be watched Mondays to Saturdays from 07:00 am up to 07:00 pm via antenna or free TV, cable and digital black boxes, and satellite dishes from different channels through the assistance of the IBC Channel 13.

More than 350,000 people are currently subscribed to DepEd TV’s Facebook page while the YouTube channel continues to grow with 860,000 views and 62,000 subscribers.

DepEd Commons, a digital platform created by the Department, can also be accessed with no data charges where they can get digitized self-learning modules for the learners who have no internet connection.

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