Communications Secretary Martin Andanar lauded how government media has "come a long way" in communicating with the public, saying its operations have definitely improved under the Duterte administration.
Andanar made the statement after the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) celebrated its 11th-year anniversary last week.
In his remarks during the celebration and blessing of its new office on Monday, at the Times Plaza Building, Manila on Oct.18, Andanar noted the 11 "fruitful and dynamic" years of government media service.
He said the PCOO, as the premier communications arm of the executive branch, now has better media operations under the administration of President Duterte.
The former journalist added that the PCOO and its attached agencies have improved the ways in how the government communicates with the public and builds bridges or connections with local and international media.
"Malayo na ang narating at maraming nagawa ang PCOO sa ilalim ng administrasyon ni Pangulong Duterte (PCOO has come a long way and has done a lot under the administration of President Duterte)," he said.
"Pinaigting at pinalakas natin ang government media para mas maiparating ang ginagawa ng pamahalaan sa publiko (We have intensified and strengthened government media to better communicate to the public what the government has been doing)," he added.
Some of the programs and campaigns that PCOO initiated were the enactment of the Freedom of Information; the creation of the Laging Handa Crisis Communication campaign; the establishment of the first-ever Government Communications Academy; and intensified government media operations via radio, television, and online platforms.
According to Andanar, the PCOO’s breakthrough "is the digitalization of government media operations in delivering the plans and programs of the national government and President Duterte’s message to all Filipinos around the world sending the genuine message that the government is always there".
Last week, the PCOO regularized 15 personnel who have been working as casual and contractual workers in the agency for over 10 years. It likewise hired an additional 32 regular employees.
The PCOO started regularizing employees who had been with the PCOO for five years or longer when Andanar took office in 2016.
In July this year, the agency said it had requested additional plantilla or government-approved positions from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for its employees. The comtract of service (COS) employees have also undergone Civil Service Examination (CSE) to qualify for the said positions.
Before this, the Commission on Audit (COA) flagged the PCOO for its “unrestricted and massive” hiring of contractual employees that cost the agency P70.6 million, an amount the COA said could have been used for “other programs and projects of the government.”
The PCOO admitted to this but denied allegations that it had internet trolls under its payroll.