Presidential Communications Group

Presidential Communications Group

Agency overview
Headquarters	3rd Floor, New Executive Building, Malacañang Palace, Manila
Annual budget	P846.0 million (2007)
Agency executives	Edwin Lacierda, Presidential Spokesperson Ricky Carandang, Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Secretary Manuel Quezon III, Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Undersecretary Sonny Coloma, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary George Syliangco, Presidential Communications Operations Office Undersecretary
Website	www.pcoo.gov.ph

The Presidential Communications Group or simply the Communications Group, is a collective name for the newly-formed offices within the Office of the President of the Philippines referring to the following positions and offices: the Presidential Spokesman, the Presidential Communications Operations Office, formerly the Office of the Press Secretary, and the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office. The Communications Group is primarily responsible for planning, programming, and coordinating the activities that will most effectively collect information about what is happening in the Executive branch of the government and getting that information to the media. In addition, the Group's greater role is to help Filipinos understand government policies and programs as well as shore up support for such.

Presidential Spokesman

The Presidential Spokesman speaks in behalf of the President on matters of public interest, among other things. Considering the restricted level of access that media has to the Chief Executive, the Spokesman is expected to be the primary source of presidential directives in the absence of the President of the Philippines.

The Presidential Spokesman is not subject to confirmation by the Commission on Appointments for he does not have any specific item or plantilla in government.

Presidential Communications Operations Office

The Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) is in charge of disseminating the government’s message to private media entities and the management of the government's media assets. It exercises supervision and control over state-owned media entities to ensure the proper and effective dissemination of the official messages in accordance with the Communications Plan. It is also responsible for the accreditation and authentication of the credentials of local and foreign media correspondents, in line with his primary task to cultivate relations and provide the necessary assistance to private media entities.

The PCOO is headed by the PCOO Head with Cabinet rank. He is assisted by an Undersecretary for Operations, an Undersecretary for Administration and Finance, an Undersecretary for Special Concerns, an Assistant Secretary for Operations, an Assistant Secretary for Media Relations, an Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs, and a Chief of Staff.

The PCOO is composed of the following units and agencies:

• News and Information Bureau;
• Philippine News Agency;
• Philippine Information Agency
• Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) 13;
• RPN 9;
• NBN 4;
• PBS-Radio-Television Malacanang
• Bureau of Communications Services;
• National Printing Office;
• APO Production Unit; and
• OP Web Development Office (commonly referred to as New Media Office).

Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office

The Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) ensures that all aspects of communications are covered to ensure that the administration’s message has been delivered successfully. This includes market research and polling. It devises the communications strategy to promote the President’s agenda throughout all media and among the many publics with which the administration interacts. This can include, but certainly are not limited to, the State of the Nation address, televised press conferences, statements to the press, and radio addresses. This Office also works closely with cabinet level departments and other executive agencies in order to create a coherent strategy through which the President’s message can be disseminated.

The PCDSPO is headed by the PCDSPO Head, with Cabinet rank. He is supported by a Deputy of Undersecretary rank, a Chief of Staff, an Assistant Secretary for Messaging, and an Electronic Data Processing Division Chief.

The PCDSPO is composed of the following units and agencies:

• Presidential Message Staff;
• OP Correspondence Office, (previously placed under the Office of the Communications Director from the Presidential Management Staff per E.O. No. 348, 11 August 2004)
• Media Research and Development Staff, (as created by E.O. No. 297, 25 July 1987, from the Office of the Press Secretary;)
• Presidential Museum and Library
• Official Gazette; and
• Speech Writers Group (previously placed under the Office of the Communications Director from the Presidential Management Staff per E.O. No. 348, 11 August 2004)

Units Under the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO)

Presidential News Desk

The Presidential News Desk (PND) functions as the newsroom of Malacañang. As such, it gathers and disseminates information, such as press and photograph releases, and official statements from the Palace, on a daily basis.

The PND operates from Sundays to Saturdays, 5:00 AM to 7:00 PM. It is headed by a chief editor and is composed of a managing editor, deskmen, and reporters. Other units, which support the PND are Electronic Data Processing, the Transcription and Monitoring, and Photographs.

The PND was conceived by Francisco Tatad, who was the Press Secretary to President Ferdinand Marcos. It was called the Central Desk and used to hold office at the Mabini Building. During the administration of President Corazon C. Aquino, Press Secretary Benigno Teodoro relegated the Central Desk, which became the News and Reportorial Section, as a section of the Presidential Press Staff. Under the Ramos administration, Press Secretary Rodolfo Reyes strengthened presidential coverage and set up the PND.

Philippine Information Agency

The Philippine Information Agency (PIA) was the product of a Executive Order No. 100, which was promulgated on December 24, 1986 that abolished the Marcos-era Office of Media Affairs-National Media Production Center.

The PIA is organized into 11 divisions, 15 regional information offices, 74 provincial information centers, 911 community development information centers (CDIC).

Its subordinate units include the:

• Motion Pictures Division/Film Laboratory,
• Public Opinion Polls Division,
• Media Studies Division,
• Media Infrastructure Division, and
• Human Resources Development Division.

Bureau of Communication Services

The Bureau of Communication Services is the attached agency of the OPS that is tasked to provide materials and services related to various functions of the OPS and its bureaus, such as policy formulation, communication planning, and project development.

It also produces information materials for state events such as the anniversary of the People Power Revolution, Araw ng Kalayaan celebrations, and others. Its current director is Eduardo M. Varona.

Presidential Broadcast Staff - Radio TV Malacañang

Created under Executive Order No. 297 on July 25, 1987 by President Corazon C. Aquino, the Presidential Broadcast Staff - Radio Television Malacañang is tasked to provide the necessary media services (video and audio) to the incumbent President, to document all official engagements and to make available to the public accurate and relevant information on the activities, programs and pronouncements of the national leadership.

The agency is involved in television coverage and documentation, news and public affairs syndication of all the activities of the President, either live or delayed telecast through government or private collaborating networks.

Television and radio networks

There are three government-run television networks, which are the National Broadcasting Network (NBN-4), the Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC-13) and the Radio Philippines Network (RPN-9) and operates as well the Philippine Broadcasting Service (PBS) which the government radio network.

IBC-13 and RPN-9 were sequestered by the government after the fall of the Marcos dictatorship. However, plans are being made to privatize IBC-13 and RPN-9 within two years to increase the government coffers. According to the 2009 report of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), IBC-13 is valued at PHP 3.074 billion while RPN-9 is valued at PHP 1.3 billion.

National Printing Office

The National Printing Office (NPO) was established by Executive Order No. 285 on July 25, 1987. EO 285 abolished the General Services Administration and transferred its functions to other pertinent agencies. Its Government Printing Offices was merged with the printing units of the PIA. The NPO is mandated by EO 285 to print forms, official ballots, public documents, and public information materials.

News and Information Bureau

The News and Information Bureau's main aim is to provide efficient, effective, productive, and economical services relating to the development and formulation of a domestic and foreign information program for the Government in general, and the Presidency in particular, including the development of strategies for the dissemination of information on specific government programs. It is composed of the following divisions:

• Administrative and Financial Division
• Presidential Press Staff
• Media Accreditation and Relations Division/International Press Center

OP Web Development Office

The OP Web Development Office or commonly referred to as the President's New Media Team is responsible for the establishment and management of the President's Official Website at http://www.president.gov.ph and Official Presence on Social Networking Channels such as Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/presidentnoy), Twitter (http://twitter.com/noynoyaquino, and YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/user/RTVMPNoy). It is also partly responsible for the feedback mechanism of the President wherein it receives the comments, concerns and suggestions through the Contact Us section of the President's website. It is also responsible for the President's Social Media engagement and in maximizing the use of new technologies to further the President's agenda, policies and programs.

References

• Members of the Cabinet
• About the Presidential Communications Operations Office
• Executive Order No. 4 Creating the Presidential Communications Group
• Briefer on Executive Order No. 4