MANOLO FORTICH, Bukidnon — A long-planned government communications facility in Northern Mindanao has officially entered a new chapter, with the Government Communications Academy (GCA) in Manolo Fortich now formally turned over to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).
The Department of Public Works and Highways Northern Mindanao (DPWH-10) turned over the facility to the PCO on August 11, 2026, marking a major step toward strengthening communications training, media production and public-information capabilities in government.
Located at the Northern Bukidnon State College (NBSC), the two-story facility with a roof deck has a total floor area of 2,093 square meters and a building footprint of 1,236.87 square meters.
According to the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), the facility was designed to accommodate government information and communications activities, media and broadcasting, training, administration and other communications-related programs.
From long-running plan to completed facility
The turnover represents the culmination of a project that had been in development for years.
In 2021, PTV News reported that construction of the Government Communications Academy had formally begun in Manolo Fortich. The project was envisioned as a national training center for government information officers, with the facility intended to strengthen the communications capabilities of personnel from both national government agencies and local government units.
The project was initially supported by P79 million in funding, with DPWH tasked with construction of the main building. PTV News reported at the time that P30 million of the amount came through a congressional initiative of then-Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri.
Earlier plans for the academy were considerably broader.
A Philippine News Agency report said the proposed facility was intended to harmonize government communications and provide hands-on training in television, radio, print, online and other forms of media. Plans also included a community television station, community radio, Philippine News Agency and Philippine Information Agency operations, and a social media news desk.
By April 2024, PIA reported that the facility was already 90 percent complete, with planned spaces including a newsroom, television studio, radio room, recording room, communication tower, conference room and classrooms.
PCO: The academy is an investment in people
For the PCO, however, the facility is meant to be more than another government building.
PCO Assistant Secretary Ronadale Zapanta said the academy should be put to meaningful and lasting public use, particularly by developing communications skills among Filipino youth and preparing them for opportunities to serve their communities.
She also emphasized that stakeholders have a responsibility to protect and maintain the facility and ensure that the public resources invested in it generate measurable benefits.
The PCO official urged stakeholders to maximize the academy for communication, training and learning needs.
That emphasis on people is significant.
The earlier plans for the GCA recognized that government communications require more than studios, transmitters and modern equipment. Government information officers must also know how to write, broadcast, produce content, engage with communities and respond effectively during emergencies.
Why the Bukidnon facility matters
The establishment of a dedicated government communications academy comes at a time when the way Filipinos consume information is rapidly changing.
Government agencies now communicate through television, radio, websites, social media and digital platforms, often simultaneously. This creates a growing need for personnel who can deliver information accurately and effectively across multiple platforms.
The academy’s development was partly driven by this need.
In a 2024 report, PIA described the facility as a training center not only for government information officers but also for communications students. The training envisioned included news and script writing, broadcasting, promotional-video production and other communications skills.
The facility therefore has the potential to serve as a bridge between government communications and the next generation of Filipino communicators.
More than a media training center
The GCA’s history also shows that its purpose extends beyond simply teaching people how to operate cameras or write news stories.
Earlier government plans described the academy as a venue where information officers could receive practical training in television, radio, print, online news and social media.
The goal was to help government communicators deliver consistent, timely and understandable information—particularly during situations when the public urgently needs reliable information.
That role becomes particularly important during natural disasters and other emergencies, when government officials and information officers may have to communicate rapidly with communities and media organizations.
What comes next?
With the facility now officially under the PCO, the bigger question is how extensively the academy will be utilized.
The turnover provides the infrastructure. The challenge now is making sure the building becomes an active training and communications hub rather than simply another completed government project.
The PCO has called on stakeholders to maximize the academy, while emphasizing maintenance, responsible use and measurable public benefits.
If fully utilized, the Government Communications Academy could become an important training ground for government communicators, communications students and young Filipinos who want to develop skills in media and public service.
For Bukidnon, meanwhile, the turnover puts Manolo Fortich on the map as a significant center for government communications training in Mindanao.
And the real test begins now: whether the academy can turn a state-of-the-art facility into a generation of better-trained, more capable and more responsible government communicators.
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