The Quezon City Government’s regular, bi-monthly online talk show, Usapang QC (or “Let’s Talk, QC!”) has received the prestigious Excellence Award at the inaugural Asia Pacific Broadcasting+ Awards 2023 held in Singapore Thursday night (June 8).
Selected under the Excellence Award for Government Streaming, the show stood out among numerous entries for its exceptional qualities of uniqueness, innovation, and impact.
Usapang QC, which runs every other Friday and livestreamed via the official Facebook page of the city government, showcases not only the initiatives of the local government but the experiences of residents who have benefitted from the city’s diverse programs and projects as well. Questions and comments from online viewers and barangay leaders are given due importance during the show.
Before Usapang QC, the city government launched a similar online talk show entitled “Sa Totoo Lang” Webinar Series to debunk misconceptions and address concerns on COVID-19 vaccines, and other timely concerns of QCitizens.
No other than Mayor Joy Belmonte accepted the award, who expressed her gratitude and stressed the significance of Usapang QC in promoting the city’s ongoing efforts to improve the lives of its citizens.
She emphasized the show’s role in fostering good governance transparency, and an engaged citizenry.
Belmonte, in her message, vows “to continue creating quality content and informative discussions as part of our commitment to inclusive and innovative leadership, as well as to fighting misleading information in social media.”
Setting a remarkable precedent among local government units in the Philippines, Usapang QC is a first of its kind government-led show streaming regularly on Facebook. It is spearheaded by the city’s Public Affairs and Information Services Department (PAISD), through the leadership of Department Head Engelbert Apostol with the full support of Belmonte and the entire local government.
For its first season last year, Usapang QC ran 12 episodes including a Christmas gift-giving episode with Mayor Belmonte and Vice Mayor Gian Sotto. Meanwhile, the second season is now at eight episode and will continue until the end of the year.
Residents can watch the upcoming and previous episodes of Usapang QC through this link: https://www.facebook.com/QCGov.
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