State-owned People's Television Network (PTV) is scheduled to temporarily go off the air on Wednesday, March 17, to disinfect its facilities as a precaution against the coronavirus outbreak in the country.
In a statement released on its Facebook page, the network announced that the coronavirus disinfection of its premises seeks to ensure the protection of the health and safety of its workers. The government tv station, located in Quezon City, is expected to resume broadcast operations on Thursday, March 18.
"People’s Television Network (PTV) has decided to undertake an extensive and thorough disinfection of its entire head office facilities in an effort to ensure the safety and well-being of its employees and staff at this time of rising COVID-19 cases in the country," the program advisory read.
"Effectively, the station will have to go off air on Wednesday, 17 March 2021, and resume broadcast the following day, 18 March 2021, for all non-station produced programs,"it added.
The network added that its programs Public Briefing #LagingHandaPH and Ulat Bayan are scheduled to return on air on Monday, March 22. "A full resumption of regular programming will be announced separately," it added.
In a report released by the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), the network has recorded 24 active cases of coronavirus as of March 15. Two people have died while 64 have recovered from the illness.
With the latest disruption in broadcast operations, PTV-4 likewise vowed "to continue serving the public’s need for news and information" through its social media pages.