News Release

Improved PCOO operations made President Duterte more visible to the public eye



MANILA – Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar said on Thursday that improving the operations of the PCOO and its attached agencies in terms of broadcasting and information dissemination has made the President visible to the public.

“Alam niyo po talagang ginawa natin ang magagawa natin para po ma-improve ang PCOO. We streamlined the government communications arm. Ngayon po masasabi natin na we are walking in one direction [We did what we can to improve PCOO. We streamlined the government communications arm and now I can say that we are walking in one direction],” he said in an interview.

Through the Radio-Television Malacanang (PBS-RTVM), the government is now able to air live the pronouncements of the President – his State of the Nation Addresses, media interviews, meetings, and other significant gatherings with local officials. These engagements are being amplified by the other PCOO attached agencies through their social media platforms as well as tv and radio programs.

“Kahit saan magpunta ang Presidente ay covered po. Diretso na yung report ng Presidente mula sa RTVM hanggang dun sa mga kababayan natin. Wala na pong middleman [Wherever the President goes, it is covered. The report of the President goes directly to the people because of RTVM. There’s no longer a middleman],” Secretary Andanar said.

He also mentioned that their unrelenting efforts to create more proactive programs allowed for more Filipinos to tune in to their social media pages for real-time updates on the current situation that the country is facing.

“Marami pang pagbabago ang ating ginawa tulad ng pagtaas ng ating social media presence. Before the PCOO proper had about 300,000 followers, now we are reaching more than 2 million Filipinos,” he said.

He said that online platforms of the communications arm are reaching millions of Filipinos and it is even being amplified through its partnership with the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP).

PCOO’s policy development engagements

Secretary Andanar cited that the department not only focused on reaching the public but also looking after the welfare of Filipino media workers and making the government more accessible to the people.

“Dati hindi naman nakikialam ang PCOO pagdating sa policymaking but we ensured that all bases are covered kailangan matulungan natin yung ating mga kasamahan sa media, kailangan ma-improve natin yung ating pagpatakbo ng government communications arm,” he said.

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