(Philippine Information Agency Puppet Theater)         

The Black Theater of Manila is a development communication arm of Philippine Information Agency that disseminates information about the government and its projects. BTM is locally known as the PIA Puppet Theater.

It was a carry over project of the Nutrition Communications Office of the National Media Production Center. Started in 1978, initial nutrition messages were later expanded, due to popular demand, to include other messages like family planning, environment, patriotism and values for children. The use of this medium further gained impetus with the signing of Executive Order 100 creating the Philippine Information Agency and mandating PIA to “support the development and expansion of indigenous media.”  For over twenty years  the PIA has employed both mass communication technologies and inter-personal communication approaches for its cultural and values formation  programs and projects. Part of its interpersonal communication approach are the Community Theater and Puppet Theater that is why PIA Puppet Theater was created.

BTM was created with the following objectives:

-develop messages that will facilitate the reception, appreciation and application or utilization of development messages in the implementation of community development projects  especially in the grassroots community.

-generate people’s participation in the educational and community development projects.