Outgoing Communications Secretary Martin Andanar admitted that reforming the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) was the toughest part of serving as lead communications manager of President Duterte.
However, in an interview with reporters, he said that his background from broadcast journalism helped him survive the past six years.
"Reforming the entire bureaucracy of PCOO and the attached agencies. That was really tough," he said.
"But ano naman tayo, mga media men and women naman tayo at sanay tayo sa hirap ng trabaho (But we're from the media so we're used to handling difficult tasks)," he added.
Andanar was a reporter and anchor for TV5 before joining the Duterte Cabinet in 2016. He likewise served as one of the hosts of PCOO's virtual Laging Handa presser aired over State-run PTV-4 for more than a year.
Meanwhile, Andanar thought serving as President Duterte's fifth and final spokesman was not as challenging as it was for his predecessors because everyone was focused on the elections.
"Hindi gaining challenging kasi in place na lahat (It was not as challenging because everything was in place)," he said.
"All of you were focused on the elections and the incoming leaders, those who were running, so wala na masyadong issues talaga na dapat sagutin ko (there were fewer issues that I had to answer)," he added.
As spokesman, Andanar usually held press briefings every Tuesday and Friday. Sometimes, it's just the day after President Duterte delivered his "Talk to the People." On a few occasions, Communications Undersecretary Kris Ablan held the press briefings.
Duterte named Andanar as his spokesman in March this year after he appointed former Cabinet secretary and Palace spokesman Karlo Nograles as chairman of the Civil Service Commission (CSC).
Presidential candidate Ernesto Abella was the presidential spokesman from June 2016 to October 2017 until Duterte moved him to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and replaced him with Harry Roque. Roque served as the presidential spokesman for one year before he resigned to pursue a Senate bid, which he, unfortunately, had to back out from due to health reasons.
Former Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo became the spokesman from October 2018 to April 2020 when Duterte brought back Roque. When Roque decided to run anew for Senate, the President named Nograles as his spokesman,